Young Jewish Professionals Mobilize Worldwide to Share Shmurah MatzahCYP’s Annual Ambassadors of Freedom Initiative Continues the Rebbe’s Pesach Vision with Peer-to-Peer Impact

Since the beginning of the Nesius, the Rebbe emphasized the importance of Mivtza Matzah—ensuring that every Jew receives authentic, hand-baked Shmurah Matzah for the Sedarim. As early as 5711 (1951), just months after formally accepting the Nesius, the Rebbe personally began distributing matzah, and by 5714 (1954), the Mivtza Matzah campaign was formally launched, ensuring that anyone with influence should make sure that every Jew within reach receives Shmurah Matzah.

Over the decades, the Rebbe repeatedly emphasized the transformative impact of sharing matzah, calling it a “groiser zach”—a profoundly powerful act that strengthens both the giver and the receiver. Quoting the Zohar, the Rebbe described the importance of matzah as “michla d’mehemnusa” and “michla d’asvasa”—the bread of faith and healing. The Rebbe personally spearheaded the Mivtza, sending matzahs to public figures and Rabbanim, as well as contributing towards the costs of the Mivtzah. In one notable instance, the Rebbe sent a package to Zalman Shazar, later President of Israel, along with a letter stating: “It is our minhag to send Shmurah Matzah to friends and relatives,” highlighting that the act of sharing matzah carries with it the weight of being a deeply rooted minhag.

For years, Shluchim have led the Rebbe’s call, distributing matzah to their community members around the world. From Jewish soldiers stationed in Iraq to inmates in high-security prisons, and through Merkos Shlichus missions that reach far-flung towns and isolated regions, the campaign has reached Jews in every conceivable setting. Today, building on that strong foundation, new efforts are emerging to extend that reach even further—particularly among social circles not yet touched by traditional Shlichus.

This model follows the Rebbe’s instruction that this mitzvah must go beyond institutional settings. In the famous 5717 letter introducing the idea of the “fifth son,” the Rebbe described a new category of Jew—one who is entirely unaware of the Seder or its meaning—and insisted that we must do everything possible to reach them, too.

It’s this very call that fuels CYP’s Ambassadors of Freedom initiative today, as young professionals step forward to connect with peers who may have never experienced a Seder before. As Rabbi Mendel Fayershteyn, Shliach of Fort Lauderdale, put it: “Even if we give out 12 or 15 extra matzahs, it’s a ripple effect that keeps on growing.”

This year, in the wake of rising antisemitism and a global awakening of Jewish identity, that call resonates with new urgency. What began as a campaign to reach remote villages and isolated communities has proven just as powerful in boardrooms, apartment buildings, and shared workspaces, where young Jewish professionals today are reconnecting through tradition in meaningful, everyday encounters.

“In a post-October 7th world, every Jew is seen as a representative of the Jewish people—online, at work, and in their social circles,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of CYP’s umbrella organization, Merkos 302. “The CYP Ambassadors are proving that you don’t need a title or a pulpit to share a mitzvah with another Jew. Watching young adults take initiative in deepening Jewish connection among their peers is one of the most powerful signs of the bright future of our people.”

CYP’s Ambassadors project is inspired by the Rebbe’s frequent call that every Jew can and must take responsibility for the Yiddishkeit of those around them. In 1974, marking 20 years since the launch of Mivtza Matzah, the Rebbe declared that “as long as there is one single Jew—man or woman, child or adult—in your surroundings (and the meaning of ‘your surroundings’ is the entire world (!))—who does not have Shmurah Matzah, or is unaware of its importance and message, there is no doubt that you must do something about it.” It’s this call that fuels the initiative today, mobilizing young professionals to bring Shmurah Matzah to their peers—coworkers, neighbors, and friends—who may not otherwise attend a Seder.

The program not only helps recipients connect to the essence of Pesach—it has a profound impact on those who deliver the matzah as well. “I enjoyed volunteering so much last year, delivering matzah before Passover,” said Vadim Shtil, a CYP Ambassador. “It was such a meaningful experience, connecting with people in the community and spreading the holiday spirit. I enjoyed it so much.” It’s a point the Rebbe often emphasized—that the act of giving Shmurah Matzah strengthens not only the recipient’s emunah, but the giver’s as well.

“It is an amazing opportunity to empower young professionals to embrace their own Shlichus and bring the essence of Pesach to the farthest reaches of the world,” said Rabbi Beryl Frankel, director of Chabad Young Professionals International at Merkos 302.

This year, Ambassadors of Freedom has reached even more Jews than ever. As the largest global network of Jewish young professionals, with over 236 active chapters—Chabad Young Professional Shluchim and their Ambassadors have enabled tens of thousands of matzah deliveries in cities across all five continents, empowering young professionals to view themselves as agents of impact and leaders of today.