Dybbuks, Demons, and Mediums in Early Twentieth-Century Jewish Warsaw

Step into the shadows of prewar Jewish Warsaw, where mysticism, modernity, and the supernatural collided.

Join us for an evening with Professor Samuel Glauber, a leading scholar of Jewish mysticism and modern Polish-Jewish history, as he explores a little-known world where séances, spirit possession, and folklore were not just entertainment — they were windows into deeper anxieties, spiritual resistance, and cultural identity.

From terrifying dybbuk possessions to real-life mediums channeling lost souls, and the surprising role of demonology in Jewish urban life, Professor Glauber will guide us through a time when belief in the otherworldly offered both psychological refuge and political subversion.

Discover how Jewish mysticism took on new meanings in an era of social upheaval, migration, and emerging secularism, all set against the backdrop of one of pre-War Europe’s most vibrant Jewish cities.

Thanks to our co-sponsors: Der Nister and the Southern California Arbeter Ring Educational Center.

This is part of our running Yiddish witchcraft, mysticism, and the occult series.