Every year, thousands of Shluchim worldwide actualize the Rebbe’s vision to ensure every Jew can celebrate Pesach properly, wherever they may be. Young rabbinical students on Merkos Shlichus travel to remote towns, hosting community Seders, while permanent Shluchim prepare their Chabad Houses with pristine tables with matzah, maror, and wine for hundreds, sometimes thousands. But for homebound individuals or those in hospitals and nursing homes, Chabad On Call’s innovative Seder-To-Go kits ensure that no Jew is forgotten on this pivotal night.
For Rabbi Ariel Stern, a Shliach serving the community of Westmount, Montreal, the Seder-To-Go kits are central to his Pesach outreach. On the Sunday before Pesach, stepping into Rabbi Stern’s Chabad House reveals a bustling scene: volunteers, students, young professionals, and even children carefully assembling boxes with shemurah matzah, grape juice, a clearly written Haggadah, and all the essentials of a traditional Seder. Beautifully packaged, as per the Rebbe’s directives in 1967, these boxes feature specially designed trays that fit perfectly onto hospital tables, bringing warmth and dignity to homebound or hospitalized Jews.
Rabbi Stern’s Westmount Giving Kitchen, a year-round project that supports the elderly, economically disadvantaged families, and immigrants, ensures every Jew in town can celebrate Pesach joyously. “A few years ago, a student delivered a Seder-To-Go kit to a woman in her 90s,” Rabbi Stern shared. “He returned beaming after she told him that the beautifully packaged box and the visit were more healing than any medication she took.”
Each kit, containing detailed instructions, the six traditional Seder plate items, three matzahs, grape juice, and a special surprise, allows individuals to independently celebrate this night, commemorating their ancestors’ miraculous redemption from Egypt 3337 ago—without prior knowledge or extensive preparation.
“The Rebbe emphasized that every Jew should know they have a seat at the Seder,” explains Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302. “Whether it’s a public gathering or in their own homes, we ensure no one becomes the ‘fifth son’ who is left out, not out of defiance or apathy, but because no one reached out. It’s our responsibility to help every Jew know they belong.”
Since their inception on college campuses in 1995, Chabad’s Seder-to-Go kits have undergone significant evolution. In 2020, amidst global lockdowns, Shluchim distributed approximately 250,000 kits internationally. The following year, despite a national glue shortage threatening the production of 20,000 boxes in New Jersey, the dedication of volunteers ensured timely delivery for Pesach. Today, these kits have become an essential means of bringing the Pesach spirit to isolated or disadvantaged individuals worldwide.
“The incredible thing about the Seder-To-Go kits is that they bring the entire community together,” Rabbi Stern concludes. “Both the volunteers who give of their time and the recipients who receive these boxes leave feeling deeply fulfilled and more connected to their Yiddishkeit.”
Seder To Go boxes are available for purchase at chabadoncall.com/sedertogo
