Ways To Celebrate Passover 2021 In Illinois

ILLINOIS — Passover, the major Jewish holiday that marks the Hebrews’ deliverance from slavery and return to Israel, begins this week, with opportunities to celebrate virtually across Illinois.

The Seder is the traditional meal each night of Passover, which begins at sundown Saturday and will end at nightfall on Sunday, April 4. For the second year in a row, many families are turning to technology to help celebrate the dinner together due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In Illinois, celebrations include the Burning Man-Ischewitz virtual passover seder, a virtual second night Passover seder hosted by Emanuel Congregation in Chicago, or multiple events at Beth Emet Synagogue in Evanston — or order a take-home Passover meal from Chicago-area restaurants, including Mon Ami Gabi, Aba, Beatrix, Ema, Joe's Seafood, Osteria Via Stato, RPM Steak, Summer House or Wildfire.

Locate a synagogue or congregation near you here.

Seder meal celebrations in many communities, such as Laguna Beach, California, remain small one year into the pandemic as restaurants are promoting their to-go meals. There, Gelson’s restaurants are offering the traditional Seder fare including beef brisket, sides of matzo balls and a gefilte fish with horseradish.

Passover is celebrated over several days to mark the time God “passed over” the Israelites during the final days of the 10 plagues. Many of the country’s largest synagogues are holding Zoom Seders of their own.

Central Synagogue in New York City has a family Seder led by Rabbi Rebecca Rosenthal and Jeremy Sipe set for Saturday night on Zoom. The Seder will last for about an hour and include readings from the Haggadah, the Jewish text traditionally ready at a Seder, before families log off and continue the celebration at home.

The Temple Sinai reform congregation in Reno, Nevada, is among the others that will air a livestream of their Saturday night Seder.