A Place for Elijah

by Kelly Easton Ruben Narrated by Book Buddy Digital Media

Overview

As Sarah's family prepares for Passover, Sarah makes sure to save a chair at the table for the prophet Elijah who is said to visit every seder. But when the electricity goes out in the buildings across the street and the neighbors start arriving at Sarah's apartment, her parents invite each visitor to join the seder. Sarah adds another place setting for Elijah, and then another, but soon the table is full with people from her neighborhood and there are no more chairs to spare! How can Sarah honor the Passover tradition of saving a place for Elijah?

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

12/07/2015
Ruben (The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes) introduces a host of Passover traditions, including leaving an empty seat for the prophet Elijah, through one family’s ever-growing celebration. Sarah and her family are settling in for a chilly first night of Passover when a power outage brings a stream of neighbors to their door. The setting isn’t precisely specified, but details of the neighborhood and the characters’ clothing suggests an American city sometime during the first half of the 20th century. With each new guest, be it Mrs. Faaiz the florist or Ben at the bagel shop, Sarah grows increasingly nervous that there won’t be enough room for Elijah; the arrival of the final guest, a young African-American newsie whose name is revealed to be Elijah, suggests that honoring the spirit of a tradition is just as valuable as following it to the letter. Friar’s (O Christmas Tree) finely detailed illustrations turn Sarah’s family’s Passover meal into an inclusive, multiethnic affair, while Ruben’s straightforward narration makes the holiday’s customs and practices clear and accessible. Ages 5–9. Illustrator’s agent: Christina A. Tugeau, Christina A. Tugeau Artist Agency. (Feb.)

From the Publisher

"On a cold, rainy spring evening, Sarah and her family set the Passover Seder table with room for all the invited guests, including a seat for Elijah the Prophet. Sarah's mother lights a fire to warm the house. The Seder begins, and the story of the Jewish people in Egypt and their escape from slavery into the Promised Land is recounted, during which the afikomen is hidden. A knock on the door does not bring the expected guest, Elijah, but Mrs. Faaiz, one of the neighbors. She has lost power and is looking for a place with light and heat. Mama invites her to join them, and Sarah sets another place, sure that Elijah still has a seat. Papa explains the Seder meal to their new guest, including the reasons for matzah and the Seder plate, which includes the charoset, horseradish, parsley, salt water, and a shankbone. Another knock on the door brings Bagel Ben, a neighbor who has also lost power and is looking for a place to warm his soup. He too is invited to the Seder and accepts. As the Seder progresses, multiple additional and uninvited neighbors come in, including Manny the monkey, to share the apartment's power; all are invited to join the Seder. The meal continues and the last guest to knock and get invited in uses the last available seat in the house, saddening Sarah who no longer has a seat to set for Elijah. This last guest is the magazine seller, a boy everyone knows, but not by name. He introduces himself as Elijah! The children are thrilled that their patience waiting for Elijah has been rewarded!

This sweet and family oriented story illustrates a neighborhood of people inclusive of differences and nationalities, and helpful to each other. The story is followed by facts about the Cup of Elijah and the tradition of filling a cup at the Seder for this special guest." — AJL Reviews

School Library Journal

07/01/2016
Gr 1–3—Sarah sets an extra place at the Passover table for Elijah; according to legend, this prophet invisibly visits every seder. When the power goes out across the street, neighbors start arriving and Sarah keeps adding chairs to the table, always making sure there is an empty seat for Elijah. Finally, the last chair in the house is pressed into service for "the boy who sells magazines and chews bubble gum," who turns out to be named Elijah. While the concept of the story is entertaining, there are a number of anomalies in the way the family observes the holiday. "Every year at Passover, Sarah sets a place and leaves the door ajar so Elijah the Prophet can come in and visit the seder." The normal practice is to open the door briefly near the end of the seder, not to leave the door open the entire time. In describing the afikomen, the text says, "The youngest child will find the hidden piece of matzah and get a prize." This is not a job for the youngest alone—all children present may seek the afikomen. The youngest child's special honor is to recite the four questions. Another oddity is that the order of events has been disrupted: the meal is begun (with soup and gefilte fish) before the recitation of the 10 plagues, half a dozen steps early according to the Haggadah, the book that guides the actions of the seder. This strangeness extends to the illustrations as well. A broader issue is that there is very little explanation of the significance of Elijah's presence at the seder. The endnote says, "According to legend, Elijah arrives on the first night of Passover to announce the coming of the Messiah," but the story itself never makes that clear. VERDICT With so many incorrect details in its portrayal of Passover traditions and rituals, this is not recommended.—Heidi Rabinowitz, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Kirkus Reviews

2015-12-22
Everyone is welcome at the Seder table, but will there be a seat for the Prophet Elijah? Sarah and her family joyously prepare for Passover's first Seder. They set the table with an extra place and seat for Elijah, and the door is left open so he can come in. They begin the Seder with a special prayer for their neighbors across the street, whose shops and apartments are without power on this unseasonably cold and rainy night. Music Man Miguel, Doughnut Dan, Bagel Ben, Mrs. Faaiz the florist, and the young boy who sells magazines are all in the dark. One by one these neighbors are drawn to the light and warmth of Sarah's home. As each one is welcomed and provided with a seat at the table and with wonderful, savory food, Sarah sets another place for Elijah. The final visitor is the young boy who is given the only remaining chair. Sarah is really worried until she asks the boy his name. "You never know how Elijah comes, only that he does." Ruben seamlessly weaves information about Passover and its traditions into a tale of a loving family with open hearts that fully embrace the spirit of this ancient holiday. Though a bit stiff, Friar's carefully detailed illustrations, set in blues and yellows, beautifully complement the events. A sweet Pesach indeed. (afterword) (Picture book. 5-9)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170077779
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2017
Series:	Passover
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Read an Excerpt

A Place for Elijah

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By Kelly Easton Ruben, Joanne Friar

Kar-Ben Publishing

Copyright © 2016 Kelly Easton Ruben
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4677-7846-6

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CHAPTER 1

It is the first evening of Passover.

Mama and Sarah set the table. "We mustn't forget to make a place for Elijah," Sarah says.

Every year at Passover, Sarah sets a place and leaves the door ajar so Elijah the Prophet can come in and visit the seder.

"I would never forget," Mama says, "but it's awfully cold to leave the door open."

Outside the window, a cold wind blows. Fat raindrops tap the pane: Let us in.

Papa brings the colorful Passover plate. Little Jacob brings in matzah wrapped snugly in a napkin. "I have a job too!"

Sarah counts the places at the table. There are six places, and five in their family: Mama, Papa, Ruthie, Jacob, and Sarah. That leaves an empty seat.

"Elijah will sit next to me," she says.

Mama lights a fire. The flames yell at the cold with hot tongues: Go away!

"So cold for spring," says Papa as he looks out the window.

Across the street are shops with apartments above, where the shop owners live: Music Man Miguel, Doughnut Dan, Bagel Ben, Mrs. Faaiz who arranges flowers — and the boy who sells magazines and chews bubble gum.

The sky is melting from blue to gray. Soon it will be dark. The lit up windows across the street go off and on.

"Look," Jacob says. "The eyes of the buildings are blinking.

Now they're closed."

"The power has gone off on the other side of the street," Papa says.

"Oh no," Sarah says. "The neighbors will get cold."

"I hope it's fixed soon," Mama says. "Everyone, wash your hands."

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from A Place for Elijah by Kelly Easton Ruben, Joanne Friar. Copyright © 2016 Kelly Easton Ruben. Excerpted by permission of Kar-Ben Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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