First for Brooklyn’s Park Slope: A mikvah (and deluxe!)

The Jewish community in Brooklyn’s trendy Park Slope neighborhood recently celebrated the opening of the William and Betty Katz Center for Jewish Life, a 3-story center that boasts mikvaot for men and women, as well as a visitors center and guest rooms. Its opening will serve to further strengthen Jewish life in Brownstone Brooklyn.

When Rabbi Shimon and Sarah Hecht moved to Park Slope in 1986 to serve as Chabad emissaries, the neighborhood was still known for its working-class appeal and corner bodegas. As it helped herald Brooklyn’s rebirth and gentrification, Chabad expanded to meet the needs of a growing community, opening multiple satellite branches and Chai Tots nursery schools, in Prospect Heights and Windsor Terrace.

The Mei Sarah Park Slope Mikvah, a gift of the Drizin family and named for Sarah Drizin, the family’s matriarch, is a first for the neighborhood. Its state-of-the-art facilities create a spa-like atmosphere, offering a warm and inviting environment for women interested in this special mitzvah. Guests visiting friends and family in the nearby Methodist Hospital will find room and board in the Rabbi Jacob J. Hecht guest suites.

The $1.8-million dollar structure, built by YHS construction and designed by SG Interiors, occupies a prime location in Park Slope’s residential area. The parcel of land was a gift of Park Slope real estate moguls Stevie and Howie Katz.

According to Rabbi Hecht, the new center underscores the unity of Brooklyn’s diverse Jewish community. “Jews from all backgrounds and walks of life came together to make this center a reality,” he said. “Donors from all groups and denominations contributed to making this a reality. Together they have helped create an edifice that will reach beyond the borders of our neighborhood and touch the lives of generations to come.”

Guests quickly turned to social media to share their excitement about the new center. Mrs. Ronanit Levy, a Park Slope local, posted on her Facebook page that the mikvah was “[l]ike the nicest spa you’ve ever been to, complete with Jerusalem stone hallways, pebbled stone floors, a huge terrace, and an online reservation system” letting guests choose the light settings, water temperature and music for their visit.

Use of the mikvah, at 252 15th St., is by appointment only. Call 718-788-1270 or Park SlopeMikvah.com

Rabbi Hecht is spiritual leader of Congregation B’nai Jacob, 401 9th St.