Pete,
The Jewish Mystics are fascinating, they use many hebrew words as magic symbols. The modern Hasidic sect was founded by the Baal Shem Tov, the Master of the Good Name, who, using the divine name, was able to work wonders. There are Kabbalistic references to making a souless man out of clay and bringing the "monster" to life by inscribing the divine name. Yes, I will agree that especially on the mystical end of it, the overlaps with all middle eastern religion is not just amazing, but telling.