Lilli Jennison’s Passover Message for 2026

What makes a good Jewish person? For me, the answer is l’dor v’dor — from generation to generation. Judaism continues because each generation shares its traditions, stories, and joy with the next. Being a good Jewish person means helping keep that chain unbroken.

This year feels especially meaningful for my family as we celebrate Passover with the newest member of the next generation. My niece, Riley, is still so little, but this Passover she becomes part of something ancient and meaningful.

Our seder table will still be filled with the foods that make Passover feel like home — brisket, matzo ball soup, and even gefilte fish. This year, my sister and I are taking on the challenge of making the gefilte fish from scratch, which feels both exciting and slightly terrifying, so wish us luck!

Moments like this are what l’dor v’dor truly means. Each generation receives these traditions and then passes them forward, connecting our family’s past to its future.

Passover reminds us that Judaism survives because we keep our traditions alive. We gather with family, tell the same ancient story, eat the same symbolic foods, and sing the same songs that Jewish families have shared for generations.

For my family, that idea of l’dor v’dor carries an even deeper meaning. My grandfather is a Holocaust survivor. My grandfather survived the unimaginable, and because he survived, our family is here today celebrating Passover together.

My grandfather used to ask why someone would make it obvious that they were Jewish. Why wear a Star of David necklace or something that identifies you to the world? His life experiences made him cautious. He knew the dangers that could come with being visibly Jewish.

But I see his survival differently.

I wear my Jewish star necklace with pride.

To me, honoring my grandfather means living openly and joyfully as a Jewish person and continuing the traditions that he fought so hard to survive. It means celebrating our holidays, supporting Israel, and passing our heritage on to the next generation.

Being a good Jewish person can look many different ways. It can mean going to synagogue, studying Torah, supporting Israel, or simply celebrating our traditions with family and community.

For me, it always comes back to l’dor v’dor.

When I see my niece playing with her little matzah plushie and listening to “Ma Nishtana,” I see the continuation of a story that my grandfather helped make possible. And that, to me, is what being a good Jewish person truly means.

Lilli Jennison is the Creative Director for Atlanta Jewish Times.