In cases where the returnee had renounced her or his Jewish identity, then a ceremony of re-affirmation seems appropriate. I'm not interested in a teshuvah that signifies a repenting of sin. I am interested, however, in providing an opportunity for a teshuvah that signifies a full, conscious, and unambiguous return to the Jewish people. Ritual immersion in a mikveh followed by a declaration before a bet din is again the format I have used. Because it is one of the more effective ritual media to which we are heir.
Water cleanses away doubt and pain.
It refreshes and nourishes the spirit and invigorates the body. It calls to mind images of birth and rebirth. And on top of all that, it carries with it the sacred power of countless generations of Jews who have utilized it in similar ways. The creation of new rituals is nothing new for Reconstructionists. But creating new rituals to affirm the entry into our community of people who are, in many ways, already Jews is likely to be less obvious.