This is why I think Zionism in its current form is so dangerous

[Sigurd]

I did a study on Asherah or Arstarte as we call her.
She was undeniably worshiped by the Israelites up to the Deuteronomical purging.

Just look in Kings where Elijah contents with the priests of Baal, there is also a mention of the priests of the groves (groves should be substituted with Ashera in KJ).
Elijah has all of the priests of Baal killed, but leaves the priests of Asherah alone.

They seem to have planted groves or asheras in the temple up to several times. Interestingly Asherah was the wife of El, mother of Yahweh in both the early Isralite and Canaanite religions. She was worshiped as (the) a tree of life, hence the grove ref.

When God put Adam and Eve out of the garden, he put cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life, so that they would not take of its fruit and live forever in their sin.
Eternal life was also the fruit of the loin of Asherah the mother of God (A Saviour).
I also find it interesting that the Virgin Mary has been idolized more or less the same way as Asherah pre-deuteronomical reform. The fruit of the loins of Mary will give eternal life if you partake of it. Is this not the Christian mantra?
I could nearly put an equation between Mary and Asherah. The mixup between El and Yahweh is specially interesting in the Trinity discussion.

Asherah is also considered the wisdom you find in the “wisdom literature” in the the Old Testament.

Some scholars suggest that the Jews still have an Asherah in their worship, the 7 armed candlebaum, the Menorah. The meaning of the menorah is related to both Wisdom and a tree. Anciently its stylizm was that of an almond tree, noted by its purity and whiteness. The Almond tree – archaic greek: amygdale which is borrowed from the Hebrew em gedolah which interprets Great Mother.

Third edit: I keep remembering stuff.
There is an interesting reference in a book called Egyptian Tales and Romances (p 280). Apparently a translation of a coptic text: The Revelations of St. Paul
It states:

And He showed me the tree of life and by it was a revolvingred-hot sword. And a Virgin appeared by the tree... and the angel told me she was Mary, the mother of Christ.