Rabbi Meir Moscowitz
Regional Director, Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois
Rabbi Meir Moscowitz is the regional director of Chabad-Lubavitch in Illinois, a network of Jewish institutions that offers educational, religious and social services to the Illinois Jewish community.
The rising tide of antisemitic incidents in Chicago’s neighborhoods has shaken our community to its core. The best response is to strengthen our Jewish pride and practice, an approach that mirrors the essence of Passover.
Moral and ethical education teaches our children to focus on the bigger picture, on being kind and giving to others. To combat today’s pandemic of depression and hopelessness, we need to take that message to heart.
One young person who did not value the lives of others, and his own life, brought such pain to so many in Highland Park. We need to believe in young people, and we need to help them believe in themselves.
This year, there will be thousands of extra chairs at Chabad Seders around the world and at the 50 centers here in Illinois. They will be filled in solidarity with Ukraine’s Jews, many of whom will not be able to attend a Seder themselves.