Judeo-Paganism

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Judeo-Paganism, Jewitchery (from the terms Jew and witch), or Jewish Neopaganism is a religious movement that seeks to create an earth-based religion for the Jewish people. It mixes principles of Judaism, Neopaganism and the Kabbalah. Judeo-Pagans explore the origins of the Jewish religion and its ancient neighbors, the Canaanites and Canaanite religion, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Ugarit folk, and Egyptians.

Judeo-Pagan religious groups are generally small, often linked with one another and often organized into "circles". Many of these "circles" of Judeo-Pagans are often discussion groups. Central in Judeo-Pagan philosophy is The Hebrew Goddess, the concept of Shekhinah, the question of Lilith, and the monotheism/pantheism of Judaism.

Jewish tribal identity

Some might consider "Judeo-Pagan" a contradiction in terms, as many define a Pagan as a member of a non-Abrahamic religion (that is, a religion that is neither Jewish, Christian nor Muslim). However, being a Jew is an issue of tribal identity rather than belief; the child of a Jewish mother, or a non-Jew who converts to Judaism (and therefore joins the Jewish people), is a Jew (a "member of the tribe") regardless of their beliefs. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, and a Jew who adopts a Pagan religion and/or practices Pagan ritual might be considered by mainstream Jews to be in violation of Jewish law, perhaps even a heretic, but is still a Jew nonetheless. One who merely adopts the traditions and beliefs of Judaism without converting is not considered to be a Jew.^[1]

(See also: Who is a Jew)

History

Judeo-Paganism is an outgrowth of the New Age and Neopagan movements of the 1970s USA. And some Judeo-Pagan groups have been around since then. It is considered^{[citation needed]} that many Jewish Pagan groups are offshoots of either Reconstructionist Judaism, Neopaganism or both. Nurit Zaidman identifies it as a postmodern form of Jewish feminism, and thus relates it to modern Jewish feminism 'Modern Judaism' journal on JSToR.

Amha

One Israeli nature-based spiritual group is known as Am Ha Aretz (עם הארץ), "Amha" for short, which means "People of the Land". Its USA branch, known in English as "Primitive Hebrew Assembly" - (Primitive Hebrews for short), was founded by Elie Sheva, an elected leader of AMHA who was raised on a kibbutz^[2]. Like the term pagan, the term "Amha" has a history of being a derogatory term for "uncivilized people". The "Land" is the land of Israel, which is itself held sacred. Some members of Amha are polytheist, some are mystics and others are animists. They call themselves Hebrews, rather than Jews, to distinguish between Hebrews (pre-exile) and Jews (post exile/rabbinical traditions). The group considers itself to be reclaiming Hebrew tribal and animist traditions. In the Amha tradition, the gods are "Elohim", the spirits of warrior ancestors are "Rephaim", and the land spirits and those ancestor spirits that tie members to the land are "Asherim/ot"andTeraphim".^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Assyro-Babylonian paganism
• Canaanites (movement)
• Elohim (gods)
• Jewish Buddhist
• Polytheistic reconstructionism

Notes

References

Books

• The Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America by Rosemary Skinner Keller (Editor), Rosemary Radford Ruether (Editor), Marie Cantlon (Editor) - Indiana University Press (April 4, 2006) ISBN 0253346851, ISBN 978-0253346858
• Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism by Rabbi Gershon Winkler - North Atlantic Books (January 10, 2003) ISBN 1556434448, ISBN 978-1556434440
• Magickal Judaism: Connecting Pagan & Jewish Practice by Jennifer Hunter - Citadel (July 1, 2006) ISBN 0806525762, ISBN 978-0806525761

Articles

• Engelberg, Keren (October 30, 2003) When Witches Blend Torah and Tarot reprinted in The Jewish Journal (July 21st, 2008)
• Jacobs, Jill Suzanne. "Nice Jewitch Girls Leave Their Brooms in the Closet" in the The Forward, Oct 31, 2003
• Michaelson, Jay (Dec 09, 2005) "Jewish Paganism: Oxymoron or Innovation?" in The Jewish Daily Forward,
• Raphael, Melissa (April 1998) Goddess Religion, Postmodern Jewish Feminism, and the Complexity of Alternative Religious Identities ‌Nova Religio, Vol. 1, No. 2, Pages 198–215 (abstract can be found at: Caliber: University of California Press)
• Various authors. "Jewish Paganism" in Green Egg, Winter 1994 (Volume 27 #107)
• Judeo-Paganism and Other Middle Eastern Paganism in the Midwest

External links

• Jewitchery.com
• Peeling a Pomegranate: Jewitchery - writings, rituals, midrash, magick, prayers, and more
• The Jewish Pagan Resource Page
• Tel Shemesh
• Jewitchery online group

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