An ancient Jewish tradition will be revived in Oxford this summer when a Mikvah for spiritual bathing is built.

A Mikvah is a pool used by Jewish women who believe immersing themselves in it once a month will bring a sense of sanctity to their marriage and family life.

The Mikvah, which will be built at the Oxford Chabad Centre in Cowley Road, will cost about £100,000. Most of the money has been raised by the city's Jewish community.

Rabbi Eli Brackman and his wife Frieda hope bathing in it will be a relaxing experience. Rabbi Brackman said: "In Jewish married life we have two weeks when we communicate in the physical way and two weeks when we talk and communicate emotionally."

He said couples abstained from sex when the woman menstruated and for more than a week afterwards, until she bathed in a Mikvah.

Rabbi Brackman said: "In medieval times, Oxford had a flourishing Jewish community and it is most likely there was a Mikvah on the site of Magdalen College."

The Mikvah will be filled with clean tap water. A rain water collection tank will be linked to a tank next to the Mikvah pool.

Mr Brackman said: "Some Mikvahs use spring water as it should be as natural as possible. There will be a very small opening so the tap water can touch the rainwater. The natural water then changes the tap water into a natural source of water."

Mrs Brackman said the pool would be built in a beautiful bathroom. She said: "It will be soft feeling and relaxing and we expect women will spend an hour there to pamper themselves and take a break."

There are Mikvahs in London, Cardiff, Dublin, Brighton, Leeds, Birmingham, Cambridge and Gateshead. One is also being built in Hull.

Mrs Brackman said: "The Mikvah is part of a revival of feminine spirituality which has been slow coming to England, but it is beginning to grow, even for secular Jews."

Mr Brackman said: "Most established Jewish communities have a Mikvah, because it is linked to family life." Anyone who wants to contribute towards the cost of the Mikvah should call 01865 200158.