Observances of the eight-day Passover festival commence at sundown on Monday, April 22, and conclude at sundown on Tuesday, April 30. In preparation, many local synagogues host family-oriented events, such as educational crafting activities or child-friendly chocolate seders. Chabad of Northbrook sponsored and presented a free Family Matzah Bake and Model Matzah at Mariano’s grocery store in Northbrook on Monday, April 15. The event, held at 4 p.m., brought together generations for a hands-on experience that highlighted Passover history and the significance of matzah. Children participated in a variety of activities, including sifting, rolling, and baking matzah, learning about the process from grinding flour to kneading dough to baking it in an oven within 18 minutes, the time limit for making matzah. Approximately 50 children registered to learn the process of making matzah, which some tasters likened to an unleavened cracker in texture. The Model Matzah event was organized by Miriam Moscowitz, director of Chabad of Northbrook Hebrew School, with Rabbi Schenur Scheiman of Camp Gan Israel of Northbrook providing instruction. “The Matzah Bakery provides children with a fun and memorable experience and also helps develop a profound appreciation for the holiday,” Miriam Moscowitz said. “Today, more than ever, parents appreciate opportunities like this to share their Jewish heritage and tradition with the next generation.” Rabbi Scheiman emphasized the value of hands-on learning. “The best education is hands-on education,” he said. “We meet adults all the time who say, ‘You know what? When I was five years old, six years old, I remember making matzah.’ “This kind of thing sticks with them,” Scheiman added. While the matzah baked at the event was not kosher for Passover, Scheiman noted that the experience would leave a lasting impression. Rabbi Meir Moscowitz, senior rabbi of Chabad of Northbrook and regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois, highlighted the significance of matzah consumption during the holiday. “The eating of matzah is among fundamental observances of the holiday,” he said. The matzah at Passover commemorates the haste in which the Israelites left Egypt, not allowing enough time for their dough to rise resulting in the unleavened matzah. Rabbi Meir Moscowitz also touched upon the recent rise in antisemitism and the strong response from the Jewish community. “Since the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, and the subsequent rise of antisemitism, the Jewish communal response has bucked all precedents,” he said. “Jews are choosing instead to celebrate their identity and observe Passover with more confidence and resolve. “We continue to receive even more requests for Shmurah Matzah and Passover resources,” Meir Moscowitz added. Shmurah matzah portions are kneaded and formed by hand, primarily in a round shape. Chabad of Northbrook took orders for these portions. Families from Cook and Lake counties participated in the Family Matzah Bake. “I really appreciate having something like this,” said Mendy Zimmerman of Skokie, the parent of Elan Zimmerman, 4. Northbrook siblings Emilia Marvel, 10, a fifth-grader and Austin Marvel, 12, a sixth-grader, attended with their grandparent Martin Friedman of Northbrook. “I like to see them get a little bit of an education, understand what baking matzah is all about … the significance of the holiday,” Friedman said. “You understand why when they were leaving Egypt, they had to be fast and quick and why they didn’t have time to bake real bread,” Friedman added. Austin said, “I think it was pretty cool,” about participating in the event, while Emilia said about the wheat grinder, “I thought more (flour) would come out.” Diane Nelson of Northbrook accompanied grandson Elior Chapman, 7, a first-grader from Northbrook. Elior said his freshly baked matzah tasted good, like “matzah…toasted bread that wasn’t baked that long.” Nelson emphasized the importance of fostering heritage understanding in children. “It’s extremely important for the kids to grow up understanding their heritage and if you make it fun when they’re this age, they’re going to want to stay with it,” she said. Dana Klein of Northbrook brought children Harper, 5, a preschooler, and Brynley, who turns 3 this month, to the three’s (parent and two girls) first matzah bake. The Klein children have participated in a Passover seder (meal) and menorah-making activity at Hanukkah. “I’m not Jewish but my husband is so we’re kind of doing both traditions,” said Dana Klein who has a Christian faith background. “It’s just kind of exposing them to the different traditions and we do Passover every year so this seemed like a fun activity to kind of like, talk about Passover and what it is and why they have matzah.” The matzah bake experience, Dana Klein said, is “so sweet” as a memory maker. “It’s a nice community thing,” the girls’ mother added. Judy Farah of Northbrook, the grandparent of Jeremy Coleman, 3, of Riverwoods, said of the learning benefit of the matzah bake, “It’s over the top for the next generation to continue the traditions of our forefathers.” Elisa Borenstein of Highland Park, the parent of Danielle Borenstein, 8, a third-grader, said about the matzah tradition, “It’s a great opportunity for them to see there’s a practical aspect. “It bridges the past to the present.”
Family Matzah Bake: Hands-On Passover History for Generations
