Rabbi Jonathon Adler's Message for Passover 2026

Several years ago, I co-hosted a Passover seder at a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn. (He’s now a cantor in Wisconsin.) As we were walking to his building from the subway that morning, carrying bags of groceries full of ingredients for the meal, we ran into a non-Jewish neighbor of his. She asked what we were doing with that much food, so we told her we were preparing for seder.

“A Passover seder,” she pondered. “What’s that?”

Since we didn’t want to give a short answer and were laden with heavy bags, we invited her to join us that evening, which she did. Gathered around the seder plate and illuminated by the Yom Tov candles, we shared the story of the Exodus. As we went around the table, we read the Maggid section of the Haggadah; we then explained our history and tradition to her in even greater detail as we enjoyed matzo ball soup and brisket. (She didn’t like gefilte fish.)

Not only were we able to fulfill the mitzvah of Maggid, but we got to do an extra one, albeit one that’s not listed among the traditional 613. We shared the story and the beauty of being Jewish with someone who didn’t know much about it before that day had begun. Illustrating the richness of Jewish heritage and life for that young woman might have been the most special thing we did that evening.

We live in a world that needs us to be openly good Jews. Fulfilling mitzvot is a wonderful way to do this. Even more so, it’s a way for us to show our community and the world how beautiful Jewish life really is.

As we enter Passover this year, may we be blessed to share the beauty of Passover, of our rituals, and of who we really are as Jews. Wishing you and yours a zissen pesach, a kasher pesach.