The eight-day festival of Passover begins at sundown on Monday, April 22, and ends at sundown on Tuesday, April 30 for observers of the Jewish faith.
In preparation for Passover, many local synagogues host family-oriented events such as chocolate seders or educational crafting activities at the holiday that are child-friendly.
Chabad of Northbrook presented and sponsored the free-to-attend Family Matzah Bake and Model Matzah at host Mariano’s grocery store in Northbrook after school on Monday, April 15.
The 4 p.m. event brought generations together for a hands-on experience highlighting Passover history and matzah’s significance.
The children could try sifting, rolling, baking, and learning how matzah is made, from grinding the flour to kneading the dough to having matzah baked in an oven, all within 18 minutes, the time limit in which matzah must be made.
Approximately 50 children were registered to learn the process of making matzah which for some tasters has the texture of an unleavened cracker.
The Model Matzah was organized by Miriam Moscowitz, director of Chabad of Northbrook Hebrew School with instruction at the event by Rabbi Schenur Scheiman of Camp Gan Israel of Northbrook.
“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.”
Scheiman, of Des Plaines, said, “The best education is hands-on education.
“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 said.
“Although this matzah is not kosher for Passover,” Scheiman said, “the bottom line is, they will remember this.”
The eating of matzah is among fundamental observances of the holiday, said Rabbi Meir Moscowitz, senior rabbi of Chabad of Northbrook and regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois.
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, Meir Moscowitz indicated.
“Since the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, and the subsequent rise of antisemitism, the Jewish communal response has bucked all precedents,” Meir Moscowitz 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 said.
Shmurah matzah portions are kneaded and formed by hand mainly in a round shape. Chabad of Northbrook took orders.
Participating in the Family Matzah Bake were families from Cook and Lake counties.
“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.
Of knowing where your food comes from and how baking science applies to breadmaking, “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 said.
Austin said, “I think it was pretty cool” about participating at the event and 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 said, “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.”
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 as a memory maker is, “so sweet,” Dana Klein said.
“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.”
Visit https://www.chabadnorthbrook.com.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
