Judeo-Paganism
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Judeo-Paganism, or Jewish Paganism, is a religious movement that mixes principles of Judaism, Neopaganism and the Kabbalah. Judeo-Pagans explore the origins of the Jewish religion and its ancient neighbors, the religions of the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Ugarit folk, and Egyptians.
Judeo-pagan religious groups[citation needed] are generally small, often linked with one another and often organized into "circles". Many of these "circles" of Judeo-pagans are often discussion groups. Among these groups, common topics of discussion among Jewish Pagans include the historical links between El/Yahweh, Asherah, the Hebrew Goddess, the Kabbalah and Baal, along with their respective cults. The question of Lilith in the Jewish tradition; and the monotheism/pantheism of Judaism. Issues and topics facing both contemporary Judaism and Neopaganism are also discussed.
Judeo-Paganism, like the religion Natib Qadish, is based on the pagan beliefs of the ancient Near East. Natib Qadish emphasizes ancient Canaanite beliefs, while Judeo Paganism is more based on Judaism and the pagan religions. Judeo-Pagans believe that Judaism emerged from among Canaanite beliefs, as well as Eretz Yisrael).
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[edit] Jewish tribal identity
Some might consider "Jewish 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]
[edit] History
Judeo-Paganism is an outgrowth of the New Age and Neopagan movements of the 1970s USA.
Some Jewish Pagan groups, such as the Order of the Temple of Astarte, have been around since the 1970s. It is considered[citation needed] that many Jewish Pagan groups are offshoots of either Reconstructionist Judaism, Neopaganism or both.
[edit] Amha
One Israeli nature-based spiritual group is known as Am Ha Aretz, "Amha" for short, which means "People of the Land". 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 worshipped. 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 "Teraphim".
[edit] See also
- Polytheistic reconstructionism
- Canaanites (movement)
- Elohim (gods)
- Jewish Buddhist
- Assyro-Babylonian paganism
[edit] Notes
- ^ Rosenbaum, Jeff, et al. Jewish Paganism in Green Egg (Volume 27 #107)
[edit] References
- Jacobs, Jill Suzanne Nice Jewitch Girls Leave Their Brooms in the Closet in the The Forward, Oct 31, 2003
- Jay Michaelson. Jewish Paganism: Oxymoron or Innovation? in The Forward, Dec 09, 2005
- Various authors. Jewish Paganism in Green Egg, Winter 1994 (Volume 27 #107)
[edit] External links
- The Jewish Pagan Resource Page
- telshemesh.org |celebrating and creating earth-based traditions within Judaism
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| Movements and organisations | Wicca (Gardnerian · Alexandrian · Dianic · Circle Sanctuary) · Neo-druidism · Church of All Worlds · Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans · Ethnic currents: Europe: Germanic (Norse · Anglo-Saxon) · Celtic · Roman · Greek · Baltic · Slavic · Finnish · Ancient Near East: Egyptian · Canaanite · Jewish |
| Approaches | Paganism · Folk religion · Polytheism · Pantheism · Reconstructionism · Eclecticism · New Age · Ethnocentrism · Tribalism · Universalism · Folklorism · Integralism · Technopaganism |
| Demographics and politics | In the USA · In the UK · In Scandinavia · In Germany · festivals and events · Pagan Pride · Reclaiming · Neo-Fascism · Discrimination |
