You’ve probably heard the rumor - maybe you’ve even spread it yourself - Christmas trees are pagan.

This is how it usually goes: when the Christians came to Europe, they wanted to convert pagans to Christianity, so they made a conscious choice to take pagan symbols, like a decorated tree for Yule or Saturnalia or Sol Invictus or Hilaria (it changes on who you ask) and said, “This is Christian now and we will call it the Christmas tree!”

But none of this is true.

In this episode, your host Zohare Jacobi of Jewitches goes through all the holidays the tree is supposedly stolen from - Yule, Saturnalia, Sol Invictus -- and even the Yule Log -- to dig into the origins of this myth and the true origin of the tree.

You can find the citations here.

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It's the New Year which means people are setting goals and resolutions...One common one in my DM's? Prayer. But there's a barrier when people don't feel comfortable praying. Today, we're breaking down the concept of personal prayer and the role of ancestors in it.

In the shadows of history and folklore, a mesmerizing tapestry exists that weaves together Jewish traditions, spine-chilling tales of blood-sucking creatures, and the curious connection to one seemingly ordinary kitchen staple - garlic.

Vampires, of course, are now culturally commonplace, lighting up the silver screen, and gracing the cover of everything from romance novels to horror stories. Despite the constant usage of crucifixes to ward them off, Jews have our own folklore surrounding the creatures that now fall beneath the term vampire. Jews also have a curiously long history with garlic. But what ties all three together? 

They told you that you shouldn't study Kabbalah until you're forty...But I'm here to break this down because the lack of nuance (and general Christian-hegemonic paradigms we carry with us) means that we interpret this in strange ways..

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Have you ever heard the term "closed practice"? In this episode of Jewitches, Zohare Jacobi explores the origins and rise in popularity of this term and how we define it. Unpack what it means for a practice to be considered "closed," who gets to define it, and why this conversation is so important in today’s world of spiritual exploration.

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Purim is one of my favorite holidays...So let's chat all about it! This is a casual sit down episode with discussions surrounding the spirituality of Purim, our requirements of giving, and much more!

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You've been asking since my first day posting about Jewish magic & witchcraft...This episode is casual -- an ode to conversations around the Shabbat candles and the hearths of old. Learn why I use the term witch, when I use it, and why this might sound a bit different than previous episodes you've heard...

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The more wives, the more witchcraft - and yet, we are constantly scrutinized and demeaned by men within our communities. Jewish women are responsible for building the practices and traditions that we have today; and yet, Jewish women face the brunt of the ire from both within and outside of the community. Why is that?

In the first episode of our new season, Zohare Jacobi of Jewitches tackles this topic through a heart to heart conversation on her own experiences and the experiences of others within her community.

This podcast is the audio version of an infographic created for Instagram, with minor tweaks to formatting. It is meant to serve as a jumping off point for research, as one post can only hold so much. We encourage you to check out the citations. There was so much that simply couldn’t be covered in such a short post; not to mention a breadth of research that feels like it should be must read material for this topic. 

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Article: https://jewitches.com/blogs/blog/christian-zionism-101

Citations:

Sturm, Tristan. “God’s just Gaza War: Futurity foreclosed through evangelical apocalypse as orthogonal promise of Eretz Israel.” Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, vol. 103, no. 4, 2021, pp. 301–319, https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2021.1891557. “A Land without a People for a People without a Land” By Diana Muir 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rapture-the https://cufi.org/about/mission/ 

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/05/11/the-size-of-the-u-s-jewish-population/ 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/30/mainstreaming-christian-zionism-could-warp-foreign-policy/ 

https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/factsheet-christian-zionism/ 

https://apnews.com/article/christian-zionists-israel-republican-presidential-candidates-97a5bd9359a9af724fb55cfb154007ef 

https://cufi.org/issue/mike-pence-to-cufi-i-support-israel-because-i-am-a-christian/ 

http://www.meforum.org/1877/a-land-without-a-people-for-a-people-without 

https://fozmuseum.com/blog/bolsonaro-receives-award/ 

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/26/biden-palestine-and-the-buttressing-of-christian-zionism 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/08/22/trump-sees-all-us-jews-israelis-because-his-christian-zionist-allies-do-too/ 

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/05/11/u-s-jews-political-views/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20about%20seven%2Din%2D,or%20lean%20toward%20the%20GOP. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-doubles-down-calling-jewish-democrats-disloyal-israel-n1044861

Embark on a captivating journey with us on our latest episode, where we dive deep into the enchanting realm where garlic, magic, medicine, and Jewish heritage intertwine. Unveil the hidden layers of significance that garlic holds in both ancient Jewish texts and modern-day practices.

Intrigued by the magical properties attributed to garlic? We uncover how this humble bulb has been regarded as a protective talisman and a potent ward against malevolent forces in Jewish folklore. Through a casual textual analysis of traditional Jewish texts, we explore the symbolism and rituals where garlic's mystical essence has been harnessed to ward off evil spirits and bring blessings.

But the allure of garlic doesn't end with its mystical aspects. We also delve into its profound medicinal value as recognized in ancient Jewish remedies. From the Talmud to Kabbalistic writings, garlic's therapeutic properties have been lauded for centuries. Our exploration takes us through historical accounts of its use as a natural remedy for various ailments, offering insights into the wisdom passed down through generations.

Whether you're a history aficionado, a believer in the mystical, or simply intrigued by the healing power of nature's gifts, this episode of Jewitches is sure to leave you spellbound, enlightened, and inspired to explore the captivating world of garlic within Jewish traditions.