For myself, this same culture of witchcraft is one of strong, creative women whose healing qualities go beyond the limits of rational, cognitive medical science," she says. Lilith, often revered as the first woman before Eve, symbolizes the untamed spirit within us all. Her blessings are numerous and transformative. With Lilith's guidance, we embrace our true selves, unapologetically embracing our desires and embracing our uniqueness. She encourages us to break free from societal norms and embrace our own path, empowering us to stand strong in the face of adversity. Through her divine energy, we find the courage to challenge oppressive systems and reclaim our personal power. Lilith's blessings bring liberation, strength, and the wisdom to navigate life's challenges with grace and authenticity.
Goldberg is not part of a coven, but she wants to learn more about witchcraft. She says this about her religious life: "I'm mostly a non-observant Jew looking for a place to fit in."

For Jews, the words "pagan" and "witch" seem to be at odds with Judaism. In fact, the Bible has many warnings against polytheism and witchcraft, so Jewish witches and Pagans may seem strange, cultic, or just plain weird. Yet, as the feminist movement grows, more and more Jews not only wear both labels, but also find similarities between the two traditions.
Ruth Barrett, 40, is a professional singer and fretted dulcimer player. She sings in the High Holiday choir at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Pacific Palisades, California, where her father, Milton Bienenstock, is cantor emeritus. The Bienenstock family is one of the families that started the Reconstructionist movement. Barrett is also a Wiccan priestess of the Circle of Aradia, a religious "congregation" that is only for women and is legally recognised. Barrett gives workshops on magic, making spells, and solving conflicts at colleges, women's music festivals, and spirituality conferences. She says, "I teach psychic development," which means that she shows people how to work with energy through ecstatic dancing, chanting, and visualisation to reach their goals. These goals could include finding a new job, ending patriarchy, or just getting what you want out of a situation, while always respecting free will and the greater good of all.
Barrett and her music partner, Cyntia Smith, have put out six albums of Earth-based spirituality music, original Goddess songs, and instrumentals. They also perform at feminist spiritual gatherings like the International Goddess Festival, which takes place in May in Santa Cruz. You can get their new album, The Heart Is the Only Nation, by calling 800-631-6044, which is the number for Ladyslipper.
Amanda, Barrett's daughter, became a bat mitzvah two years ago. She is now 15 years old and still goes to Hebrew School. Margot Adie, who now works as a reporter for National Public Radio, got interested in Greek mythology when she was 12 and felt like she had come home. As a child, Artemis and Athena were her heroes. She grew up in a nonreligious Jewish home and is the granddaughter of the well-known psychiatrist Alfred AdIer. She didn't become a witch and a worshipper of the Goddess until she was an adult. This was her childhood dream.
AdIer, Barrett, and Goldberg are like the wide range of Jewish women who find spiritual appeal in different kinds of Paganism that aren't always easy to tell apart, like neo-Paganism, witchcraft (called Wicca), and Goddess spirituality. Even though there are no statistics on how many Jews have joined Paganism, anecdotal evidence shows that its holistic, feminist, earthy, empowering, personal, creative, and alternative beliefs and practises resonate deeply with thousands of Jewish women and men, both those who have left Jewish religious practise and those who continue to practise Judaism in more traditional ways. At any Earth-spirituality event on the East or West Coast, there are a lot of Jewish faces and names.