"Offering a rare glimpse into a mysterious world, Polak-Sahm delves beneath the surface of the Jewish ritual bathhouse, known as the mikveh." “Whether or not you agree with the concept of a purity bath, you can find inspiration in the stories these women share about their experiences, in life and at the mikveh.”
“. . . informative and fascinating job Varda Polak-Sahm does in detailing a world many of us have no clue exists.” “The House of Secrets is based on ten years of research in various mikvehs in Israel and expresses the views of an impressive crosscut of Jewish women, young and old, Moroccans and Yemenites, Sephardics and Ashkenazis. The result is a compelling examination of the nature and meaning of this ritual which has remained clouded with mystery and secrecy for centuries.” “The mysterious world of the female mikveh (ritual bath) is fully and reverentially revealed in The House of Secrets . . . Vivid . . . truly lifts the curtain on this world, often unknown to all but its participants . . . [A] captivating book.”

Quotes
"A fascinating book . . . [Polak-Sahm] views the mikveh as a house full of secrets-the secrets of women, the secrets of life, the secrets of love and purity."
—Peggy Cidor, Jerusalem Post

"In The House of Secrets, Varda Polak-Sahm describes the colossal dissonance between the negative emotions and prejudices she felt before entering the mikveh and her overwhelming experience at the actual immersion. Her narrative draws you into the emotions felt by 'secular' Jewish women at the very concept of mikveh and the intimate stories and sense of sisterhood she came to know in her time spent there. She brings up all the objections that have been raised to the status inherent in the laws of ritual impurity, but she retains a loving, sympathetic ear to the stories she heard from observant women. Her own curiosity and openness are fascinating to read and kept me reflecting on the book long after I closed it."
—Carol Ochs, Hebrew Union College / Jewish Institute of Religion, author of Our Lives as Torah

"Varda Polak-Sahm's original research, which is based on tireless fieldwork, numerous interviews, and observations of every detail, opens a window to a fascinating world that is hardly known beyond the walls of the mikveh."
—Shalom Sabar, author of Ketubbah: The Art of the Jewish Marriage Contract and professor of Jewish art and folklore, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

"This work is totally honest and full of surprises. Mikveh is not something we think of as a spiritual journey, yet clearly it is as Varda Polak-Sahm reaches deep inside herself and shares her personal discoveries and transformation and those of other women as well. Refreshingly, this writing is neither a Pollyanna version of the laws of family purity nor a cheap shot at them. Go along with Varda."
—Blu Greenberg, author of How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household

"An intimate, nuanced look at a deeply private world from a gifted interviewer and observer. Polak-Sahm shares the beliefs and feelings of a fascinating range of mikveh users. Many are Orthodox; a surprising number are secular; all have intriguing stories. This book combines thoughtful analysis with emotion and heart. A thoroughly enjoyable read."
—Stephanie Wellen Levine, author of Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey among Hasidic Girls