4 Questions We Have About This Ridiculous Passover Stock Photo Of Elijah

Image by iStock

By Laura E. Adkins March 31, 2017

Buried between awkward family Seder photos and the world’s least titillating matzot, I recently stumbled upon this gem while searching for “Passover” stock photos, supposedly depicting Elijah the Prophet:

On Passover, Jews traditionally leave a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah and open the door for him to join at the conclusion of the Passover meal.

This isn’t really what most people think of when they think of Elijah the prophet.

Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) is traditionally depicted as looking more like this:

Image by Flickr

I have so, so many questions. Here are four of them:

4) As I noted, Elijah theoretically joins the table, should he join, at the conclusion of the Passover meal. So why does it appear as if no one else has eaten?

3) Why does Elijah look so grumpy? Is it because he is bracing himself to answer inane questions of Jewish law?

2) As I also noted, Jews leave the door open and pour an extra cup of wine at the Passover table just in case this monumentous occasion should come to pass. So, where’s Elijah’s wine?

1) I can only assume that Elijah the prophet is a quintessential nice Jewish boy. So, couldn’t he have at least thrown on a kippah (yarmulke) for this occasion?

Laura E. Adkins is the Forward’s contributing network editor. Contact her at adkins@forward.com or on Twitter, @Laura_E_Adkins.

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly. 

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount