Jewish Buddhist

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A Jubu is a Jewish Buddhist, a person with a Jewish ethnic and/or religious background who practices forms of Buddhist meditation and spirituality. The term was first brought into wide circulation with the publication of The Jew in the Lotus by Rodger Kamenetz. In some cases, individuals practice both traditions, in other cases "Jewish" is no more than an ethnic designation, and the main practice is Buddhism. In yet other cases, a Jubu is no more than a Jew with interest in Buddhism. A large demographic of Jubus, constituting its majority, still maintain religious practices and beliefs in Judaism coupled with Buddhist practices and perhaps beliefs.

Origins

The first American to be converted to Buddhism on American soil was a Jew, at the 1893 exposition on world religions.^{[citation needed]} After World War II, there was increasing interest in Buddhism, associated with the Beat generation. Zen was the most important influence at that time. A new wave of Jews involved with Buddhism came in the late 1960's. Prominent teachers included Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Sharon Salzberg who founded the Insight Meditation Society and learned vipassana meditation primarily through Thai teachers.

Some JuBus claim that the two religions are compatible, while other Jews believe this represents a serious adulteration of both traditions [1]. Buddhist-influenced rabbis also exist, such as Alan Lew, a Conservative rabbi in San Francisco.

List of well-known Jubus

Pema Chödrön, born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown, fully ordained Vajrayana Buddhist nun and writer ^{[citation needed]}
Leonard Cohen, poet, singer-songwriter, and novelist ^{[citation needed]}
Ram Dass, born Richard Alpert, writer (also a Hindu) ^{[citation needed]}
Norman Fischer, writer ^{[citation needed]}
Allen Ginsberg, poet ^{[citation needed]}
Phillip Glass, composer ^{[citation needed]}
Daniel Goleman, psychiatrist and author ^{[citation needed]}
Joseph Goldstein, writer ^{[citation needed]}
Ty Greenstein, member of the band Girlyman ^{[citation needed]}
Jake Gyllenhaal, actor ^{[citation needed]}
Goldie Hawn, actress ^{[citation needed]}
Rodger Kamenetz, poet and writer ^{[citation needed]}
Jack Kornfield, writer ^{[citation needed]}
Lama Surya Das [2]
Sharon Salzberg, writer ^{[citation needed]}
Adam Yauch aka MCA, member of the Beastie Boys ^{[citation needed]}
Felix Aksentsev, poet, member of the belorussian rock group ULIS [3] ^{[citation needed]}

Literature

Many books have been published in the US about the Judeo-Buddhist phenomenon. Titles include:

The Jew in the Lotus by Rodger Kamenetz,
One God Clapping by Alan Lew and Sherril Jaffe,
That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist! by Sylvia Boorstein,
Zen Judaism: For You a Little Enlightenment by David M. Bader,

References

Abernethy, Bob "Jews and American Buddhism ", "Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly", February 27, 1998, retrieved October 31, 2006

"Lama Surya Das Biographical Details". Dzogchen Foundation. Retrieved 2006-12-29.

External links