A childhood photograph of Elon Musk in a Purim costume has reignited questions about the world’s richest man’s connection to Judaism. The image, which Musk himself confirmed was taken “at Purim,” shows a young boy in a red robe with white trim and a red hood, designed to resemble Santa Claus, with a Purim sign visible in the background. The photo’s authenticity, verified by Musk’s own comment on the viral post, has sent social media into a frenzy of speculation about whether the tech billionaire has Jewish ancestry.
The Purim photo attracted a flood of antisemitic comments, hinting at the antisemitic trope that even in childhood, the current world’s richest man was plotting world domination.
The photo is not an isolated incident in Musk’s life. The South African-born entrepreneur attended Rachel Spiro Hebrew Kindergarten, a Jewish preschool in Pretoria. At age 13, the age when Jewish boys celebrate their bar mitzvah and become obligated to observe the commandments (mitzvot), his father took him to Israel. These biographical details suggest an early immersion in Jewish culture, even if they don’t establish Jewish lineage.
Musk’s own words reveal a complex relationship with Jewish identity. “Two-thirds of my friends are Jewish,” he told Bloomberg Technology. “I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. I’m like Jewish by association.” In early 2024, after visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau, he described himself as “aspirationally Jewish,” a phrase that underscores his solidarity with the Jewish people while acknowledging he lacks formal religious credentials.
Yet ancestry itself remains the subject of fierce debate. Musk is of Pennsylvania Dutch and British extraction and was baptized in the Anglican Church. His family held anti-apartheid views but has no documented Jewish heritage. The strongest hint of Jewish roots lies in his given name: Elon, meaning “tree” in Hebrew, was borne by a biblical judge. The name is common in Israel and carries biblical weight, appearing in the book of Judges as one who led Israel for ten years.
Even if he is not Jewish, Musk has a son who is a member of the tribe. In February, Ashley St. Clair, a right-wing influencer, announced that she had given birth to Elon Musk’s son. She later reveals that Musk asked her not to give their son a circumcision. He also urged her to deliver the baby via caesarean section. While she never revealed whether she had refrained from performing the essential Jewish ritual, referred to as brit milah, she did tell the media that she gave birth naturally and not via c-section. St. Clair and Musk gave their son the decidedly un-Jewish name Romulus, after the founder of Rome in Roman mythology.
“Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years” (Judges 12:11). The biblical Elon may not be among the most famous judges, but the name itself carries the imagery of strength and rootedness, qualities the modern Elon embodies in his own way.
Whether or not genealogical research ever confirms Jewish ancestry, Musk has chosen to align himself with the Jewish people at a time when antisemitism is surging globally. That choice, documented in a child’s Purim costume and reaffirmed in a billionaire’s public statements, speaks louder than speculation ever could.