Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish [Hardcover]

Abigail Pogrebin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 2005

Sixty-two of the most accomplished Jews in America speak intimately—most for the first time—about how they feel about being Jewish. In unusually candid interviews conducted by former 60 Minutes producer Abigail Pogrebin, celebrities ranging from Sarah Jessica Parker to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, from Larry King to Mike Nichols, reveal how resonant, crucial or incidental being Jewish is in their lives. The connections they have to their Jewish heritage range from hours in synagogue to bagels and lox; but every person speaks to the weight and pride of their Jewish history, the burdens and pleasures of observance, the moments they’ve felt most Jewish (or not). This book of vivid, personal conversations uncovers how being Jewish fits into a public life, and also how the author’s evolving religious identity was changed by what she heard.

Dustin Hoffman, Steven Spielberg, Gene Wilder, Joan Rivers, and Leonard Nimoy talk about their startling encounters with anti-Semitism.

Kenneth Cole, Eliot Spitzer, and Ronald Perelman explore the challenges of intermarriage.

Mike Wallace, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ruth Reichl express attitudes toward Israel that vary from unquestioning loyalty to complicated ambivalence.

William Kristol scoffs at the notion that Jewish values are incompatible with Conservative politics.

Alan Dershowitz, raised Orthodox, talks about why he gave up morning prayer.

Shawn Green describes the pressure that comes with being baseball’s Jewish star.

Natalie Portman questions the ostentatious bat mitzvahs of her hometown.

Tony Kushner explains how being Jewish prepared him for being gay.

Leon Wieseltier throws down the gauntlet to Jews who haven’t taken the trouble to study Judaism.

These are just a few key moments from many poignant, often surprising, conversations with public figures whom most of us thought we already knew.



“When my mother got her nose job, she wanted me to get one, too. She said I would be happier.”
—Dustin Hoffman


“It’s a heritage to be proud of. And then, too, it’s something that you can’t escape because the world won’t let you; so it’s a good thing you can be proud of it.”
—Ruth Bader Ginsburg


“My wife [Kate Capshaw] chose to do a full conversion before we were married in 1991, and she married me as a Jew. I think that, more than anything else, brought me back to Judaism.”—Steven Spielberg


“As someone who was born in Israel, you’re put in a position of defending Israel because you know how much is at stake.”—Natalie Portman


“Jewish introspection and Jewish humor is a way of surviving . . . if you’re not handsome and you’re not athletic and you’re not rich, there’s still one last hope with girls, which is being funny.”—Mike Nichols


“I felt not only this enormous pride at being a Jew; I felt this enormous void at not being a better Jew.”—Ronald O. Perelman


“American Jews, like Americans, have a very consumerist attitude toward their identity: they pick and choose the bits of this and that they like.”—Leon Wieseltier


“I thought if I had straight hair and a perfect nose, my whole career would be different.”—Sarah Jessica Parker


“I’ve always rebelled a little when people say, ‘My Jewish values lead me to really care about the poor.’ I know some Christians who care about the poor, too.”—William Kristol


“There were many times when I kept silent about being Jewish as I got older, when Jewish jokes were told.”—William Shatner


“‘Jew bastard’ was something I heard a lot.”—Leonard Nimoy.


“I always liked shiksas.”—Larry King


“It specifically says in the Torah that you can eat shrimp and bacon in a Chinese restaurant.”—Jason Alexander


“Yom Kippur is something I do alone, with nobody else, because I believe that my relationship with God is mine and mine only.”—Diane von Furstenberg

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Consistently engaging, these 60 interviews conducted by journalist Pogrebin explore the thoughts of well-known artists, politicians and others in the public eye on the complexities of Jewish identity;and the emotions they engender. The issues touched on range from the legacy of the Holocaust to the Middle East, Jewish traditions, intermarriage and much more. The conflicts are typified by Sarah Jessica Parker, who says her supportive feelings about Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians make her feel more Jewish, but she is uncertain about the religious education she will give her child. Others, like Dustin Hoffman and William Kristol, have been firmly committed to passing on Jewish rituals and history to their children. Gloria Steinem, who joyfully attends feminist seders, still remains alienated by the sexist bias of most religions. In two arresting pieces, politician Barney Frank and playwright Tony Kushner address what it's like to be both gay and Jewish. Pogrebin says this book grew out of her efforts to clarify her own Jewish identity. But you don't need to be on such a quest to enjoy the wide range of experiences and feelings recorded here. Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

From Publishers Weekly
Consistently engaging, these 60 interviews conducted by journalist Pogrebin explore the thoughts of well-known artists, politicians and others in the public eye on the complexities of Jewish identity;and the emotions they engender. The issues touched on range from the legacy of the Holocaust to the Middle East, Jewish traditions, intermarriage and much more. The conflicts are typified by Sarah Jessica Parker, who says her supportive feelings about Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians make her feel more Jewish, but she is uncertain about the religious education she will give her child. Others, like Dustin Hoffman and William Kristol, have been firmly committed to passing on Jewish rituals and history to their children. Gloria Steinem, who joyfully attends feminist seders, still remains alienated by the sexist bias of most religions. In two arresting pieces, politician Barney Frank and playwright Tony Kushner address what it's like to be both gay and Jewish. Pogrebin says this book grew out of her efforts to clarify her own Jewish identity. But you don't need to be on such a quest to enjoy the wide range of experiences and feelings recorded here. Photos.

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

“This work…simply can't be put down after you start browsing…"Stars of David" is the talk of the town.” —LIZ SMITH

“engaging, intimate…frequently surprising and insightful…this is a provocative and enjoyable book for Jews and gentiles alike.” —Library Journal
 
“encompasses the joys and anxieties, the comfort and self-consciousness, the tension between assimilation and self-identification that Jews feel in American society.” —St. Louis Post Dispatch

“…A wide and interesting variety of stories about faith and the lack thereof, family, memory, ritual, continuity and choices they have made.” —The Jewish Week

“A fascinating new book.“ -The Charlotte Observer

“I open the book, and find an actually interesting interview with Dustin Hoffman, who casually advises the author over breakfast that she is not so smart ordering an omelet, when she could be having a couple egg whites, scrambled loosely, with a yolk thrown in, some salsa, onion, garlic and a little olive oil.” -The Philadelphia Inquirer, Blinq blogs site

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; First Trade edition (October 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767916123
• ISBN-13: 978-0767916127
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.4 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #917,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Abigail Pogrebin, is the author of Stars of David (Broadway 2005) and One and the Same (Doubleday 2009). She was a producer for Fred Friendly, Charlie Rose, and Bill Moyers at PBS, then for Ed Bradley and Mike Wallace at 60 Minutes. She has written for many publications, including New York Magazine, The Daily Beast, Harper's Bazaar, Salon, Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, Parents, Radar, Brill's Content, and Talk Magazine. She is the moderator of an interview series at The JCC in Manhattan called "What Everyone's Talking About."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting and inspiring look at the Jewish cultural and religious legacy in America: look to the stars, November 8, 2005

By 

S. Hodge - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish (Hardcover)

Written by a prominent journalist (Abigail Pogrebin), Stars of David interviews some of America's most visible successful Jews: actors (Dustin Hoffman, Gene Wilder, Richard Dreyfuss, Sarah Jessica Parker, William Shatner and Leonard Nemoy of "Star Trek" fame, Natalie Portman, Jason Alexander, Fran Drescher), directors (Steven Spielberg, Mike Nichols, Aaron Sorkin, Barry Levinson), CEOs, broadcasters (Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, Larry King, Aaron Brown), musicians, politicians (Ed Koch, Barney Frank), lawyers (Ruth Bader Ginsburg), doctors (Dr. Jerome Groopman), designers (Diane Von Furstenberg), and athletes to divine to what degree Judaism is "resonant, crucial, or incidental" for their lives and careers.

A common thread running through the sixty-two narratives is the clear and distinct separation between being Jewish culturally and Jewish in a religious sense. With few exceptions, nearly everyone mentioned letting Jewish ritual (davening, Shabbat, synagogue, keeping kosher) go by the wayside after bar/bat mitzvah (if they did indeed make it that far). All mentioned the inherent pride in being Jewish, the attraction to other Jewish friends and spouses, and embracing the Jewish fundamental ideals of tikkun olam (healing the world) and tzedakah (charity). Some mentioned the Jewish drive as an extra push for success, many mentioned disturbing incidents of anti-Semitism from their childhoods, and many, although they aren't particularly observant themselves or married non-Jewish spouses, want to make sure that their children grow up with the rituals, language, and culture of Judaism.

A fascinating glimpse at some of the most famous names and faces in the media today that yields unexpected moments of tenderness and laughter at the shared pride and cultural legacy of being Jewish, along with anger at all-too-present discrimination. The book is a quick read, in most part because each interview is only two or three pages, but I couldn't put the book down! The author notes in her epilogue that researching the book and conducting the interviews led her to an increased interest in the Torah, helped her to reconnect with her heritage and lead events such as seders, and in a way, I hope the book has the same power for its readers: to simultaneously uplift and to inspire. It certainly did for me.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yay!, November 20, 2005

By 

Avigail "Wandering Jew" (Denver, CO.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish (Hardcover)

This book in an incredible read. When it first came out, I hungrily read the book from cover to cover in just a matter of days. I wanted to know how these famous Jews felt about being Jewish. I wanted to know how Jewish they were. I wanted to know how they were raising their children if they had any.

I was surprised at how many prominent Jews felt disconnected from their Jewishness. Many had married non-Jews and even though many were raised religiously, they had abandoned the rituals. While reading this book, I saw that many of these people were merely a reflection of myself. I, too, was raised quite conservatively, attended Hebrew school from third grade until my Bat Mitzvah three days a week including Saturday school, learned to read and write in Hebrew, and observed all Holy Days. The minute I had my Bat Mitzvah, I left Judaism altogether for many years. I married a non-Jew. I did have a Jewish wedding, and had a baby girl, whom is identified as a Jew. However, after reading Leon Wieseltier, his mention of "slacker Jews" really shook me back into reality. He helped me noticed that I must be a slacker Jew because, although I do want my daughter to be accustomed to the Jewish laws and religion, it's my mother who takes her to services while I stay at home. It's my mother who invites us over for Shabbos dinner and says the prayers over bread and wine. I'm doing nothing.

This book has made me question my own Jewish identity; it made me think about how Jewish I want to be; it made me realized how alienated I have become within my own religion. I have decided to take a stance and be a part of my daughter's Jewish upbringing. I do not want to carry the regrets that many of these prominent Jews seem to carry when their own children don't identify themselves as Jews and are having non-Jewish grandchildren. In order to prevent Jewish population from dwindling, I must begin now with myself and pass it on to my daughter.

I believe this book will make many lost Jews question their beliefs and may possibly bring Judaism back into the Jewish community!

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Stars' made my holiday reading bright!, December 29, 2005

By 

Robin Orlowski "political activist" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish (Hardcover)

This book really is sacred. As opposed to preaching at readers it makes us think about the critical distinction between Judaism: the religion and Judaism: the culture.

The approach enabled a substantial book which is accessible to a wide swath of readers. Even without being particularly religious myself, I was unable to put the book down because it is very well-written. It becomes immediately obvious to readers that time was put into crafting all the very personal essays.

Editor Abigail Pogrebin has written for New York magazine. Her mother Letty Cottin Pogrebin was a founding editor of Ms. Magazine. Pogrebin clearly undertook this book project with the intent to produce something substantial.

A 'fluff piece' approach theoretically could have been undertaken considering her general thesis of exploring the dimensions of a religion-culture. Therefore, I am roundly impressed that Pogrebin instead selected contributors ranging from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Laura Schlessinger and Leonard Nimoy. It undoubtedly produced more work, but also produced the awesome book I have read.

The best anthologies have essays reflecting the book theme---rather than echo the editor's own particular perspective of approaching a theme. This gives anthologies the critical depth needed to avoid being a personal indulgence and instead impact society. While it is easier for the editor to publish their 'friends', readers get bored by an anthology whose essays are clones.

I highly recommend this book for all audiences.