YIVO Mounts New Exhibition

Jews Are Magic: Occult Practices from Palmistry to Professional Psychics

(New York, NY) – The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (YIVO) is delighted to conjure up excitement with a new on-site exhibition, Jews Are Magic: Occult Practices from Palmistry to Professional Psychics. Opening to the public on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the exhibition will remain on view throughout December 2026. An official launch event that evening will feature a lively panel discussion exploring the Jewish occult, with experts Samuel Glauber and Rokhl Kafrissen, moderated by YIVO Senior Academic Advisor and Director of Exhibitions, Eddy Portnoy.

Jews Are Magic unveils an intriguing world of rare kabbalistic amulets, palmistry manuals, lot- casting texts, and other occult manuscripts drawn from YIVO’s vast archive of 24 million items and its renowned library. The exhibition also brings to life the stories of professional Jewish psychics in the 20th century, including Naftali Herz Imber—the poet behind “Hatikvah” (“The Hope”), which later became Israel’s national anthem.

Occult practices have been a fascinating part of Jewish culture since the Biblical era and evolving across centuries of diaspora life. As Jewish communities encountered new cultures, they absorbed occult traditions from their neighbors, enriching those that had long been a part of Jewish practice. Across the world, the allure of the "dark arts" has offered people a way to look beyond the boundaries of formal religion, seeking to glimpse the future or protect themselves from malign forces. Jews were no exception and engaged with the occult much like other peoples, embracing and reshaping these practices in uniquely Jewish ways, even in the face of biblical and rabbinic prohibitions.

Although unsanctioned, magical practices have long been integral to Jewish folk culture. People turned to rituals, incantations, and occult objects to cope with everyday concerns—illness, infertility, and unseen dangers believed to shape human fate. In pre-modern Jewish communities, the world was often understood as being inhabited by invisible beings. Demons, angels, dybbuks, and the evil eye were seen as active forces, and the line between the natural and supernatural was often blurred and intertwined with daily life.

Language, texts, and ritual objects served as key defenses. Sacred Hebrew names were believed to possess inherent power while amulets, inscriptions, and prayers could both compel and ward off supernatural forces. As a result, acts of devotion also functioned as protection, and objects like mezuzahs and charms operated as both religious artifacts and magical tools, reflecting a world in which religion, superstition, and everyday practice were deeply connected.

Learn more about the exhibition: yivo.org/Magic

Exhibition Opening:

What:            Jews Are Magic: Occult Practices from Palmistry to Professional Psychics
                      The discussion will explore the history and nature of Jewish occult practices, and their modern transformation and professionalization
When:           Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 7:00pm ET
Where:          On Zoom and in person at YIVO, Located in the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011)
Cost:              Free
Reservations Available at:  yivo.org/magic-opening

Visitors will be able to engage more deeply with the exhibition, as well as with YIVO’s history and collections, through Bloomberg Connects, a free arts and culture app. By scanning QR codes throughout the exhibition, visitors will be able to access expanded content, more archival images, and additional historical context. For those unable to visit in person, the digital experience will also be accessible at yivo.org/bloombergconnects from May 26 onwards.

For more information contact:
Shelly Freeman
Chief of Staff

YIVO

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is dedicated to the preservation and study of the history and culture of Eastern European Jewry worldwide. For over a century, YIVO has pioneered new forms of Jewish scholarship, research, education, and cultural expression. Our public programs and exhibitions, as well as online and on-site courses, extend our global outreach and enable us to share our vast resources. The YIVO Archives contains more than 24 million original items, and YIVO’s Library has over 400,000 volumes—the single largest resource for such study in the world. yivo.org / yivo.org/the-whole-story