Wayward Children: Jewish Monsters, Magic, and the Stories We Tell
According to Jewish tradition, the world around us is filled with demons, ghosts, giants and angels, and creatures of all types. But Judaism today tends to downplay and rationalize them away, to the point where they’re just forgotten dusty metaphors. But for millenia, Jews have lived with these creatures and have had practical means for coping with them.
Join Jack Zaientz a scholar of all things Jewish folklore and mythology and John Baltisberger, the award-winning author of Jewish horror and fantasy as they explore the topics of mythic Judaism and discuss it's survival and use in modern day culture both pop and otherwise.
Episodes
25 episodes
We Don't Need No Man, and Neither Does Lillith
This week we talk about the sexiest figure in Jewish mythology. The queen of demons, a woman who looked the archetypal man in the eyes and said. "No, I will not be subservient. I am woman, and I would rather be a queen of demons than serve anyo...
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52:44
The Curses We Yell
This week Jack and John throw curses around like it's nobody's business! Listen to Jack read off traditional Yiddish curses. Did you know we tried to curse Hitler? Check out the storied history of curse prevention, and watch as Jack puts John o...
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1:03:35
The Giant Wars and Warring Giants
John and Jack delve into one of their favorite topics, THE GIANT WARS. This is an insane topic as it's rife throughout both the Tanakh and the Talmud. There is ample liturgical evidence of giants and the Jewish people fighting them. So let's de...
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1:16:29
Debonair Dybbukim
This week John and Jack meet up in person in sunny oppressive Austin, Texas to discuss which ghosts have the most in this episode of Dybbuk-Centric episode of Wayward Children.
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1:05:16
Chassidic Magic
An amazing special episode, we bring on a descendent of the Rebbe to discuss his storied and near-mythic family history,Story of Rabbi Menachem Tzvi of England (Rabbi with an Earring #2) https://asc...
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1:20:26
The Gnashing of Our Gnoshers
There are few things that bring a group of Jews together faster than and better than food. This episode Jack and John dive into the culinary traditions of Judaism is more specifically those traditions' place in mysticism.
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1:07:25
Sticks and Stones can Break a Sheyd's Bones
John and Jack talk about speaking quietly and carrying a big stick, while speaking very loudly.This episode is all about canes, staffs, and staves, magic and meaningful throughout Jewish history and mythology!
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1:12:35
Messianic Manics: Cataclysmic and Prolific
Jack and John discuss messianic myths of Judaism as well as various messianic figures that have existed through our history.ProphetsJoseph Dell...
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1:30:19
Pesach Myths and Drunken Jewish Santa
Happy Passover everyone! This week we cover myths and folklore surrounding the seder plate and legends of the Exodus from kaiju to angels!a few extra links:
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1:06:26
Five Finger Clay Punch - Golems
We're doing it, okay. You can stop yelling at us. We are finally covering the legend of the Golem on Wayward Children. All this really means is that Jack and John are going to yell and rant at each other for roughly an hour. But it's all in goo...
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1:05:46
They Put a Spell on You
This week John and Jack discuss witches, but with the added super cool bonus of a full-fledged interview with New York-based cultural critic, playwright, and teacher of Everyday Ashkenazi Magic, Rokhl.Aunt Taiblele Link http...
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1:24:03
Wayward Unicorns
Did you know there were Jewish unicorns? Like several different types and styles of Jewish unicorns? And they aren't Jewish just because they like Challah and klezmer music! Join John as he gets educated by Jack on the vast lore of Jewish unico...
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1:06:42
Let's Talk About the Future That We See
In case you didn't guess from the convoluted title, this week we are talking about divination practices. (You really should have seen that coming.) What is it about knowing the future that gets us all hot and bothered? Why are there so many met...
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1:03:47
Biblically Not-So-Accurate Angels
As much as we love when you stick a bunch of googly eyes to a kitten and say it's a biblically accurate cat (and we do love that), biblically accurate angels aren't all that... well biblically accurate. Jack and John discuss angels in folklore,...
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1:03:13
Jewish (Magical) Protective Services
This week John and Jack teach you how to protect yourself from the evils that infuse the world! From magical charms to keep demons away, burning incense, to actions you can take to put the kaibosh on evil spells from people, we got it all for y...
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1:14:30
Rolling to Jerusalem
This week Jack takes over the show to share his presentation "Rolling to Jerusalem" on Jewish customs and beliefs surrounding death.You can catch the slides here.
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1:36:24
Magic Swords of Jewish Legend
Not every Jewish legend involves outsmarting opponents, sometimes a hero just has to pick up a sword and start swinging it about until all the demons leave you alone! Let's talk about magic swords, swords that become magic, and the swords of gi...
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1:07:31
Jewish Wise Women: Opshprekherkes
A special treat this week as Jack interviews the descendant of a Jewish wise woman and healer. We talk about the traditions of Jewish healing and more specifically, women's place in the rich tapestry of Jewish mysticism and sacred practice.
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55:46
Ashmandai - King of Demons
This week John and Jack discuss the king of Sheydim, Ashmandai. John has written books about this figure and the two basicly nerd-boy/fangirl out for the handsome (literal) devil.
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53:59
Ghosts!
This week Jack and John peer into the misty here-after to discuss the afterlife and those that want no part of it, ghosts! Hot topics include:Cool GhostsLess Cool GhostsGhosts vs DybbukimHow to han...
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56:20
Jewish Letter Magic and the Sefer Yetzirah
This week Jack and John dive into actual Jewish ritual magic and touch on meditation, golems, spells and commanding angels to do supernatural tasks.
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53:24
Leviathan: God's Kaiju
This week we dive into our the giant beasts that make up the Torah Cinematic Kaiju Universe. We argue about what is and isn't a kaiju, we wax romantic about what we would like to see, and most importantly, we discuss how we would eat these big ...
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1:01:40
Blood Sucking Vampires
This week the boys get into it over Vampires. Of course, the term vampire could mean a lot of different things, we delve into what sort of blood drinking fun we can get into in a religion that is very strictly anti-drinking blood.
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Episode 3
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1:05:08