Episode 378: A Witch's Bat Mitzvah - Laurel Snyder

Her name is Zipporah Chava McConnell, but everyone calls her Zippy. But see, the thing is...that she's a witch -- and this year she's having her Bat Mitzvah! ------------------------------------ This is the premise of The Witch of Woodland, the latest novel from Laurel Snyder. Snyder is a Sidney Taylor Award-winning author who has written over a dozen works of fiction. Over the years, her books have come to increasingly emphasize Jewish themes and storylines. She joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about why she believes in magic, her ongoing effort to overcome "Jewish Imposter-Syndrome," and the ways in which works of fiction can shape our Jewish world. This episode is the 3rd in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes, honoring Bat Mitzvah's 100th anniversary, and exploring the present and future of B Mitzvah ("B Mitzvah" is a term for Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies, across the gender spectrum).