JWA chats with Zohare Jacobi, founder of Jewitches.

JWA: When did your interest in mysticism and witchcraft begin?

Zohare Jacobi: I grew up in a very mystical home. It was the air I breathed and the water I swam in—I didn’t realize that my education was different from others until I got older. Like so many teenagers, I rebelled against it for a while, forever chasing the myth of “normalcy.” When I realized that the white picket fence life I was after didn’t exist, I found myself returning to my home: the magic and wisdom offered through Judaism. It was a breath of fresh air to return to what was true for me; hunting after a ghost of ordinariness presented by the eurocentric, Christian hegemony we live in was never satisfying, but coming back to these ancestral and familial practices was a balm to my soul and a spark for my heart to reignite. 

JWA: As you intertwined witchcraft with your Judaism and researched the history of it, what surprised you the most?

ZJ: This idea that I intertwine anything is a bit of a myth—and it’s understandable as we so often see Judaism as a sterile tradition devoid of magic. But, in reality, Judaism has always had practices that could be labeled as such. Rediscovering and sharing these traditions and practices has been a gift that I cannot adequately express my gratitude for. I think I was most surprised to learn about the variations and consistencies between Diasporic communities and how the physical land they resided on played a role in these differences. For example, we see the creation of ritual or magical bags across the Diaspora: in Yiddish-speaking communities, they may have been referred to as baytele, while in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) speaking communities, they’d be called bulsika. They were often paired with herbal magics that relied on [whichever] plants were available to them: in South West Asia and North Africa, Jews had ready and easy access to orange blossom and jasmine, while Northern and Eastern European Jews likely did not. Because of this, we can see divergences, even when there is so much that remains the same. It really is so incredible to see how our communities set their roots and thrived while still maintaining so many shared aspects. 

JWA: Has working on Jewitches opened you up to a new community? What has that been like?

ZJ: Absolutely. It has presented a community, online and in person, that I could have only dreamed of as a young girl. Watching it blossom across Instagram, Patreon, Discord, our various social medias—it is the culmination of everything that I have ever wanted. Feeling seen and heard in a like-minded space is a blessing. Because of Jewitches, a community now exists with thousands of people who seek magic, who are staunchly against fascism and nationalism, who seek to build a work of liberation and collectivity. Seeing people build relationships across time, space, experience: it is the stuff of dreams.

JWA: What inspired you to start the Jewitches store?

ZJ: Historically, the community would provide access to the goods you can find in the Jewitches shop, but as this knowledge was hidden and relegated to nothing more than silly superstition, we lost the communal aspect of sharing ingredients and knowledge through trade, sale, or gifting. No longer would little bags be sewn by your grandmother and hidden beneath your pillow. The gardens that sustained us for centuries went fallow and our herbal stores ran dry as we no longer relied solely on them for medicine and healing. I wanted, in some small way, to replicate this access to these traditions. I wanted there to be a space for people searching for books on Jewish magic, herbs, trinkets, decor, Judaica—all the ingredients for a life filled with Jewish magic. And, of course, our communities, Jewish and non-Jewish, are intertwined in many ways, even as they differ. Big retailers are often filled with appropriation, unethically sourced goods, and a lack of transparency and accountability. Jewitches exists as a means of creating an emporium of curated goods from across the Diaspora, dedicated to ethical sourcing and respecting the boundaries of closed practices. Jewitches will soon expand into its first brick-and-mortar store to continue the goal of building community spaces that can hold us and our dreams through connection, gathering, and learning. 

JWA: Is there an herb or plant that we often use in our everyday lives that has a spiritual meaning we may not know about?

ZJ: Cloves are so much more than just your favorite fall spice! They have a huge role in the plant magic traditions of the Diaspora. Despite being native to Indonesia, cloves became readily available to Jews in Europe, southwest Asia, and North Africa due to the spice trade. Their accessibility across the Diaspora made them by far the most common ingredient for besamim, or the fragrant spices used during havdalah, the closing ritual of Shabbat. Their strong odor makes them popular for protection, as it’s believed that fragrant, pungent botanicals are ideal for warding off negative entities. They’re also used against the evil eye. In Sephardic communities, they serve as part of a ritual to remove the evil eye. Plus, their healing properties have made them a staple in the Jewish medicine cabinet for generations. And as Jewish magic teaches, the physical and the spiritual are intertwined: what heals our bodies can often protect us spiritually. 

JWA: What ritual, secular or otherwise, do you find especially meaningful at this moment?

ZJ: Havdalah has become a true staple moment for me in my week. Even when I have spent my Shabbat stressing out about the coming week, the minutes of the havdalah ceremony have the ability to ground me firmly back to the earth, to tether me to life once more and prepare me for the week ahead. Every moment of the ritual—lighting the candle, smelling the besamim, divining my future in the reflection of my nails (what a blessing to be able to revive this tradition!), smothering the flame in sweet wine—all of this unites me with my fellows across the globe and reminds me that no matter what my week will bring, Shabbat will always come. Rest will always come. HaShem will always be there. 

JWA: If someone were interested in incorporating more folkloric ritual into their Jewish practice, where would you suggest they begin?

ZJ: Begin with your personal history. Where are your communal ancestors from? What traditions would they have carried with them? Trace the lineage of your ancestors and the ancestors of the community you reside in—they do not have to be by blood, as that isn’t our way. Connection is a form of magic, remembrance is too. 

Start small: put up a mezuzah on your door. Remember the stories of demons and the angel of death locked outside the threshold; the inhabitants held in the embrace of HaShem’s protection. Light your Shabbat candles and treat yourself to a special Shabbat dinner; these are the moments of our lives that bring sweetness, joy, and wonder. Bask in the sacred rest of Shabbat, even if all you do is put your phone on Do Not Disturb. Embody your breath as you inhale the besamim, so much more than just botanicals: reviving your soul and rousing your spirits for the week ahead. Gaze into the flickering light on your nail beds; what does the week ahead hold for you? Plant rosemary and rue, sprinkle salt in the corners of your rooms, whisper Psalms into the night. Pin blue beads to the inside of your clothes [to ward off the evil eye], always close your books lest the demons take a moment to read, eat pomegranates, etrog, and double yolked eggs for fertility, spit thrice to ward off negativity, and remember that all comes from Divinity without end. Connect to your heart and reach up to the heavens: it is our job to bring it down to earth in our acts.