Rituals for Tu Bishvat
There is an amazing infographic floating around the Internet, created by jewish-kulindadromeus on Tumblr, which categorizes a number of Jewish holidays into four common categories: They Tried to Kill Us!...
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Goblins, Jews, and Antisemitism
Content warning: extreme antisemitism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia Conversations on the Internet can have a frustrating undercurrent; what may start as a simple statement can undergo a transformation in responses so...
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The Evil Eye
The evil eye is an ominous, foreboding spectre that lingers in the minds of many across the globe. Many cultures claim the term, but the contexts of its existence and...
The Afterlife: a Jewish Guide to Life After Death
One of the most fundamental questions we ask as humans is what happens after death. But, in truth, modern Judaism does not exert a huge amount of energy on the...
The Physicality of Death: Burial and Mourning in Judaism
“Flowers, though beautiful, will eventually die. A stone can symbolize the permanence of memory and will not die.” (4) Before beginning, it is important to understand that Judaism is both...
Conceptions of Death in Judaism
I was once told that researching Judaism is like the ocean--there is always more, particularly when it comes to death and dying. Death is a universal experience--one of the things...
The Jewish History of Tarot
I started the conversation of divination in Judaism here with my blog, "Jewish Divination: an Introductory Discussion," but chose to exclude tarot largely, as it is not a traditional...
Rituals for Tu B'Av
You've probably heard of Tu B'Av as Jewish Valentine's Day, and while it is a day of love, there are a few key differences between the two. Taking place on...
A Short History of Tichels and the Modern Resurgence
Tichels (Yiddish) or mitpachat (Hebrew) are Jewish terms for headscarves. The name tichel stems from the Yiddish "Tuch", meaning cloth, while mitpachat is a "Hebrew word from the Torah which...
Jewish Dragons
Oh yes, these magical beasts exist in Judaism too. Detail of a caption framed by the curved tail of a dragon at Shabbat Parah. It is essential that we begin...
Rituals for Shavuot
Shavuot, or the feast of weeks, begins at the end of the counting of the Omer, fifty days after the first night of Passover. Shavuot actually began as a celebration...
Candles in Jewish Magic
According to Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis, candles are a symbol of the human soul...They accompany Jews from birth to death and beyond. For many Jews, candles are a constant...
Jewish Divination: An Introductory Discussion
"Who is wise? He who foresees the results of his deeds (Tamid 32a)." In one of my first blogs, "Can You Even Be A Jewish Witch?" I address many points brought up in the...
Kiddush Levana: The Sanctification of the New Moon
The Internet loves to joke about how much Jews love the moon, but it's true. We love the moon. It is central to Judaism, just as it is to religions...
Jewish Rituals to Protect Your Home
Judaism is highly superstitious, but if you ask most Jews, they will deny it until their dying breath. In fact, it is a mitzvah not to be superstitious, and yet...
The Months of the Hebrew Year
Growing up, I bragged that I got two birthdays, and honestly, I still do. Being Jewish means that you are privy to two calendars, the Gregorian and the Jewish (Hebrew),...
10 Questions to Ask Yourself This Elul
The month of Elul, which falls just before the new year, is a month of introspection and taking stock. In Judaism, we have the concept of Teshuvah, [which we have briefly...