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A friend of mine recently went on a “minimalist” camping trip. That means they took the least amount of clothes, gear, and food possible, with the ultimate goal of connecting and becoming one with nature. I admire the intention, but personally I’m not sure it’s for me!

This minimalism concept keeps popping up. On one of my recent trips visiting Jewish students at grad campuses around the country, students kept asking me, Rabbi, what’s the minimum I need to celebrate Passover? (People in general often ask me as a rabbi: What’s the date of that holiday again…? Why can't people just look at a calendar?!)

I do understand where they’re coming from. Many young Jews today haven’t had the foundational Jewish education or experiences to understand much about these holidays and how they can shape their identity.

Since October 7th, we’ve seen a powerful resurgence of young Jews seeking connection and community. But there’s still a large portion of our community that isn’t engaged. At JGO, our mission is to reach as many of them as possible and help build meaningful Jewish connections that continue long after grad school.

So for those students seeking out a Minimalist Passover, I first do some classic rabbinical pushing: Could I please set you up at a local seder? JGO is sponsoring seders all over the country. There are also many other orgs that also are doing seders that I could recommend. Could I at least send you some matzah or a Haggadah?

If the answer is still no, here’s my advice for a Minimalist Passover:

On Passover, try to stop and reflect what it means to be a Jew. Try and remember that your ancestors were liberated from slavery in Egypt through a set of miracles 3,337 years ago, in what became the greatest story ever told, with the biggest impact in the history of humanity.

Passover is there to remind us to never forget who we are, or where we come from. And maybe that Minimalist Passover is better than nothing when it comes to standing up for being Jewish and continuing our traditions.

Even if your Passover is of the minimalist variety this year, I hope it still includes a moment to reflect on your place in that story. And that’s a message even Maximalists like me can take to heart.

Happy Passover!