To prepare for a sacred tradition in the 21st century, some Jewish congregations in the northwest suburbs have started to incorporate technology into Passover ceremonies, while others see the time-honored religious holiday as an already perfect fit for the modern world.
At Lincolnshire-based Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation, Rabbi Adam Chalom said technology in Passover ceremonies often times can enhance a person’s feelings and connections to issues highlighted during ceremonies. Screens, videos and other technologies can further the congregation’s mission, he said.
“That’s the difference between a resource and an experience,” Chalom said.
Around the northwest suburbs, congregations are preparing for Passover, which begins on April 10, with a variety of ideas. The annual commemoration marks the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.
For most Jewish faiths, Passover is a weeklong observation where people abstain from beans, corn and other foods, and also make special time with their families and communities.
While some local groups are looking for ways to update Passover traditions to try and appeal to younger families, more conservative congregations continue to rely on traditional observances during Passover.
“Conservative Judaism prohibits the use of electronics on major festivals, such as Passover,” said Rabbi Jeff Pivo, of Congregation Beth Judea in Long Grove.
Included in Passover ceremonies, many area congregations host “Seders,” a ceremonial feast. At Congregation Beth Am in Buffalo Grove, the group scheduled a special women’s Seder on Tuesday at the Continental Restaurant in the village.
Congregation Beth Am president Jeff Hersh said his group also holds special Passover events for children, which feature modern songs based on current top-40 hits but with different lyrics meant to emphasize a Jewish message.
“There’s a lot of music that’s written to popular tunes, but are written with a Passover theme,” Hersh said.
The Kol Hadash congregation rents the North Shore Unitarian Church in Deerfield for their regular services, but the group will host a Seder on April 11 at a restaurant in Highland Park.
Chalom said the group always looks for ways to incorporate electronics, new music and other modern activities but only if they add value and bring people closer together.
To that end, Chalom said he uses PowerPoint presentations during Friday services, tweets and records a podcast. But for more traditional holidays, such as Passover, he likes to bring people together into the same physical place, so they can share experiences.
“There are some things you can’t replace with a virtual experience or a talking head on a screen,” Chalom said. “They don’t just Skype in with a laptop on a table. We wouldn’t want to undermine that experience.”
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