Jewish Families Prepare to Celebrate Passover Amid Challenges

Congregations in the Chicago suburbs find hope and resilience in the ancient story of the Exodus.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:55pm

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As Jewish families in the Chicago suburbs prepare to celebrate the first night of Passover on Wednesday, they are facing steep challenges both in the U.S. and abroad, including a surge of antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric. However, rabbis say the central essence of the holiday - the Jewish community's journey from darkness to light and slavery to freedom - remains relevant and inspiring, and they are encouraging their congregations to face their fears with courage and find hope in the Passover story.

Why it matters

The Passover story of oppression and the quest for liberation continues to resonate with the Jewish community today, especially as they grapple with rising antisemitism, the need for synagogue security, and Jewish college students feeling unsafe to openly display their faith on campus. The holiday serves as a reminder of the resilience and perseverance of the Jewish people, even in the face of adversity.

The details

Rabbis in the Chicago suburbs are using the Passover Seder to discuss the meaning of freedom in 2026 and how the Jewish community can help others who are also suffering. The ritual washing of hands before the first course is seen as a way to symbolically wash away the past and prepare to be a new person. The flat, unleavened matzah represents humility, in contrast to the ego represented by leavened bread. Some families will use the traditional Maxwell House Haggadah, which has been a Passover staple for decades.

  • The first night of Passover is on Wednesday, March 31, 2026.
  • The Seder meal and ritual will take place on the evening of March 31, 2026.

The players

Rabbi Morris Zimbalist

Rabbi at Congregation Beth Judea in Long Grove, Illinois.

Rabbi Lisa Sari Bellows

Rabbi at Congregation Beth Am in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.

Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky

Rabbi at the Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Stan Zoller

A Buffalo Grove resident who has collected about two dozen Maxwell House Haggadahs, including one from 1933.

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What they’re saying

“I think the central essence of the holiday hasn't changed: We as the Jewish community, just like our ancestors from years ago in Egypt, are a resilient people who journeyed from darkness to light and slavery to freedom.”

— Rabbi Morris Zimbalist, Rabbi at Congregation Beth Judea

“When we sit around the table, I want to talk about what freedom means to us right now in 2026. How can we help others who are feeling constricted and in pain and are also suffering?”

— Rabbi Lisa Sari Bellows, Rabbi at Congregation Beth Am

“The Seder is a 15-step program, if you will, toward personal liberation. We do that through the different Passover customs, through the eating of the matzah, through the four cups of wine and wording that the Torah uses to describe the exodus from Egypt.”

— Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky, Rabbi at the Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights

The takeaway

This Passover, the Jewish community in the Chicago suburbs is finding strength and resilience in the ancient story of the Exodus, using the holiday as a way to confront current challenges like antisemitism and find hope for a better future. By focusing on the themes of freedom, humility, and perseverance, these congregations are ensuring the Passover tradition remains relevant and inspiring, even in difficult times.