דער קערפער פֿון השם“#Jews Are #Magic,” opening this month at #YIVO’s #Manhattan headquarters, explores the #Jewish fascination with #mysticism, #fortunetelling, #amulets, #psychics and #occult practices. While the exhibit reaches back to the #biblical and #Talmudic periods, its main focus is on the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. In the face of increasing urbanization, oppression in #Russia and the pull of #assimilation, Jews in Eastern #Europe and #NewYork’s Lower East, no less than their non-Jewish neighbors, found solace in the occult.
“In this time period, when people commonly think that sort of magic is getting left at the wayside and people are becoming more modern, they’re just as engaged with these unseen realities as they were beforehand,” said #SamuelGlauber, a specialist on the Jewish occult and adviser to the exhibit.
And it wasn’t just the huddled masses. Writers, intellectuals and scientists were fascinated by the #supernatural..."
This might backfire guys.
Ari Davidow
Jüdische Studien
🕵️old klezmers🎻
