When Pharoah commands Moses to “make a marvel,” he turns Aaron’s rod into a serpent; when a team of Egyptian sorcerers copies the trick, Moses’ serpent promptly gobbles them up. So begins a long tradition of Jews and magic. Whether it is the miracles of the Baal Shem Tov, the legends of dybbuks and golems, or the escapades of Houdini, magic has been a regular feature of Jewish culture. Writer and artist Hugh Musick, aka “Professor Kishefmakher,” hosts an evening of readings, performance art, classic ghost stories, and, of course, plenty of magic tricks.

Recorded Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at Abbey Pub.