Passover is usually the time when families get together, often celebrating the Seder with several generations under one roof. But for Chabad rabbinical students like ourselves, Passover is the time when—with our parents’ blessings–we travel far and wide to make Seders for Jews who might not otherwise have one to attend.

Our assignment was Kosice, Slovakia. We were scheduled to land in Piestany, where we were warmly welcomed by Rabbi Zev Stiefel and his family, who have been living there since 2004. We enjoyed dinner together, followed by an inspiring Farbrengen. Satiated in body and soul, we planned our itinerary: we would leave early the next morning for the five-hour train ride to Kosice with our suitcases and ten cases of delicious food, graciously prepared by Mrs. Stiefel.

Thank G‑d, we arrived in Kosice with plenty of time to prepare. Our anticipation ran high as we set up the room—everything looked beautiful, and we knew our guests would appreciate an authentic Seder in Kosice, a city which before the Holocaust had been home to one of the largest and most influential Jewish communities in Slovakia. Now, there are less than 300 Jewish residents, though their ranks are boosted by Israeli medical students who attend the local universities. Thirty people chose to celebrate the Seder with us.

As we sat together, we were delighted to see the joy that was apparent on their faces. For many, this was their first time celebrating a Jewish holiday. They were fascinated by the age-old story of Pesach, of the miracles G‑d wrought and the timeless lessons that apply to each of us. Questions were asked and answered, conversation flowed, and souls were inspired during the four hours it took to complete our Seder.

Much of the crowd had already left when we noticed one remaining group of Israeli students, sitting around deep in discussion. We headed over and joined them. Ornella and Tal were part of this group. Ornella had been raised in a modern Israeli home, and had no prior exposure to Judaism. She could not pinpoint what it was, but something inside her had prodded her to join this Seder. She asked all sorts of questions, cherishing every morsel of information and inspiration she received.

Tal, on the other hand, although not observant himself, was familiar with Judaism. Tal joined the Seder to enjoy a traditional Pesach experience. We spoke with him for a couple of hours after everyone had gone home. We discussed the Torah’s approach on various topics and how to implement them into our lives.

We were gratified to see that both Ornella and Tal were deeply moved by the Seder’s message, which they were able to apply to their personal lives and their respective journeys in Judaism.

It was our honor and privilege to be the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s ambassadors to reach out and touch the souls of our brothers and sisters in Slovakia. And luckily, Passover is eight days long. Our families were happy to enjoy our company for the second half of the holiday.