What makes us different?
1. Complete privacy:
Our Mikvah calendar has no place to enter your name. The only identifiable information that we ask for is an email address. This is in order to allow a user to retrieve a forgotten username or password and to send vestos reminders (for those that desire them).
The user has complete control over any emails that we send out. If her email is private she can choose to receive regular emails reminding her of her expected periods etc. If she would rather, she can set up her emails to appear as if they are coming from a regular company, for example Amazon.com or any other. She is able to set what the from name, from address, reply address, subject, and content of each email should be.
There are no vestos stored on our server. The only information stored is the record of the user’s periods, and each time she logs in the vestos are recalculated. The way that the dates of the user’s periods are stored, are in a format called Julian day count. For example, the date May 9, 2010 is stored as 2455326. This way even when managerial work must be performed on our database, the programmer won’t be able to see the real dates of anyone’s periods.
2. Correct halachic calculations:
This website is being designed and programmed as a side project by a few students whose prime occupation is the study of Halacha. They are studying under one of the foremost halachic authorities of our time, Rabbi Yitzchok Berkovitz, in The Jerusalem Kollel, Jerusalem. Any halachic questions which arise are brought to Rabbi Berkovitz for a ruling.
3. All halachic opinions available:
The user (in consultation with a halachic authority) has the ability to choose which halachic opinions she would like to follow. Those that are familiar with all the intricacies of the halachic opinions of the vestos calculations can totally customize their halachic preferences. The user can also print out a Halachic Preferences PDF with all the options laid out clearly to bring to her halachic authority in order that he can advise her which options to choose. Those who don’t have a the availability of a halachic authority, nor the know-how to decide the halachic opinions on her own, can choose Basic Ashkenaz, Basic Sefard, or Basic Chabad.
We have a Rabbinic end to our site where Rabbis have the ability to register and choose their own halachic preferences. They will then receive a code which they can give to their congregants who can simply type in the code and the predetermined halachic preferences will be automatically selected.
Please Note: Not all halachic options are currently available.
4. Free for all:
Our site is entirely free. When we reach a point that we need to hire someone to upkeep it regularly, we will put minimal advertisements on the site.
5. As 'mistake proof' as possible:
Our first calendar may at first seem more confusing than others, but we feel that this format may ensure that fewer mistakes are made when entering periods. The design of this calendar was created by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Baltimore Mikvah. We are currently experimenting with a new calendar designed by Rabbi Kalifan. Please let us know which format you find easier to use.
6. Our target audience:
Our target audience is not one who already has the ability to calculate vestos on their own. We firmly believe that all Jewish ladies should strive to understand the calculations themselves. We created this website, however, in order to help those that are interested in becoming religious but are held back by all the minute details that they must learn in order to live a truly observant lifestyle. It is our goal that this website will serve to help them raise their level of observance in a user-friendly way. It is our fervent hope, however, that the day will soon come in which all Jewish ladies will have the will and the ability to calculate their vestos themselves, and this site will become obsolete.