The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Re-Discovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India (Paperback)

by Rodger Kamenetz (Author) "I joined the stream of disembarking passengers in the Frankfurt airport, bumping and jostling in the narrow corridor to the main concourse..." (more)
Key Phrases: clal yisrael, gelukpa sect, ain sof, Dalai Lama, Rabbi Greenberg, Zalman Schachter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Kamenetz (English, LSU) recounts his experience as one of a group invited to Dharamsala by the Dalai Lama to discuss how the Jewish experience of spiritual survival in exile might be helpful to Tibetans.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Kamenetz, a poet and a Jew, was invited to attend and write about a historical meeting between a delegation of American Jews and a group of Tibetan Buddhists that included the Dalai Lama. This interfaith get-together was inspired, in part, by the increasing number of Jews who have become Buddhists as well as the Dalai Lama's perception of Jews as "survival experts." The Dalai Lama felt that the Jews, experts in exile and the preservation of faith and practice, would offer advice and comfort; participating rabbis were intrigued by the surprising similarities between the two religions, including esoteric traditions and a profound awareness of suffering. Kamenetz not only chronicles the resultant discussions, which proved to be enlightening and emotional, but also profiles a number of Jewish Buddhists, including Allen Ginsberg and Ram Dass. As his investigation throws his own beliefs and assumptions into high relief, Kamenetz is amazed and humbled by the intensity and altruism of Buddhism. Kamenetz defines and comments upon these complex matters with skill, personableness, and a welcome dash of levity. Donna Seaman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (April 28, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060645741
• ISBN-13: 978-0060645748
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #502,565 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Spritual Rediscovery, August 28, 1999

By	Linda Linguvic (New York City) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In 1990, Rodger Kamenetz, a secular Jew and English professor at Louisiana State University, accompanied a group of eight Jewish leaders to Dharamsala, India, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile. This book, published in 1994, describes that interfaith dialog as well as his many interviews later with Jews who practice Buddhism, including Alan Ginsberg and Ram Das.

The Dalai Lama was particularly interested in how the Jews survived as a people in Diaspora during their thousands of years in exile. Tibetan Buddhists, now expelled from their homeland are facing the same dilemma.

The Jews were particularly interested in what the attraction was for modern Jews in Buddhism because there have been so many who have seemed to abandon their Jewish heritage.

The author writes well, so well in fact that he took me deeper into concepts than I have ever been before. There are a lot of facts in this book and a lot of theology. I have no background in philosophy, theology, mysticism, meditation or any spiritual practices. And yet I was able to follow most of it.

The Jews and Tibetan Buddhists have some things in common. Their monks study sacred texts and practice debate. There are some ancient words that are common to both religions. And on a deep spiritual level, they both practice meditation and visualization.

The differences are vast though. The Jewish tradition is rooted in the family. The Tibetan in a monastic tradition. The Jews believe there is one lifetime. The Tibetans believe in reincarnation.

When the question of the holocaust came up, the Tibetan answer was that it was karma for something bad they did in their past lives when they might or might not have necessarily been Jews. The Jews were shocked by this. They felt it was blaming the victim.

The big issue in the book was about spirituality, however. Modern Judaism is based on customs and traditions and ethnic identity. It is not based on the essence of spirituality which is reached in prayer, meditation, chanting and communication with something much deeper than self, and -- ultimately -- results in enlightenment.

I read this book slowly, each paragraph bringing up ideas I had never even knew existed before. It was an experience in itself to share the journey with the author who did painstaking research to pull this little gem of a book together.

Recommended for someone who wants to do some deep thinking about spirituality and its place in the modern world.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buddhism and Judaism make history!, October 30, 2000

By	Esther Nebenzahl (Cascais Portugal) - See all my reviews

In 1990 Kamenetz, Marc Lieberman (a Jewish Buddhist - JUBU) and a group of distinguished personalities from the spectrum of Jewish religion (Reconstructionist and Orthodox rabbis, rabbis active in Jewish renewal, and professors of religious studies) went to Dharamsala for a four day meeting with the Dalai Lama. The latter had made the invitation in order to better understand the Jewish faith and learn the techniques of survival in Diaspora.

This book must be viewed from three different perspectives. First there is the dialogue among the Jews, which clearly points out the discrepancies between the different denominations. Second, the dialogue between the Jews and Tibetan Lamas and monk with the objective in mind of exchanging information, getting to know each other, pinpointing differences and similarities. And last, but not least, the interaction between the author and the two sets of dialogues, which will open a new perspective in his life: rediscovering his Jewishness through mysticism.

The participants were able to find areas of common interest such as practice of meditation, visualization, the intensive use of debate and study of ancient texts, the Kabalah as a parallel of Buddhist mysticism, the mandala and the sephirot. There are also significant differences: Buddhism does not accept the concept of a Creator, and God is viewed as Trugh, Reality or Emptiness; for Buddhism there is reincarnation, in Judaism it is a one-life-time-experience; Judaism is family-oriented, Buddhism is monastic.

The author comes to the realization that modern Judaism has been drained of its ancient spirituality by means of increasing secularism. Like in any major religion the tension between the "exoteric" (accessible to every practitioner) and the esoteric (restricted to a few members) is taking its toll by depleting the mystical elements embedded in spiritual traditions. Because of this vacuum present in Judaism a signifant number of Jews have gone in search of further "fulfillment," finding in Buddhism the roots of Jewish mysticism.

The Dalai Lama offers his piece of advice: "Open the doors and open them wide!" There is the need to reinforce the importance of revival of Kabalistic mystical teachings and practice of meditation. The lesson of survival in exile applies both to the troubled individual and the troubled nation.

This book is fantastic reading; it makes you wish you had been present at this historical, enlightening meeting.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightfully more of depth Judaism & Buddism than expected, June 30, 1999

By A Customer

At first I couldn't get into this book. I'm Jewish by culture and ethnicity, but never saw much of spiritual value in the Jewish religion I had been raised in. And while I like much of what the Dali Lama does and says I couldn't see spending hours reading about his meeting with a bunch of Rabbis. Dull. It seemed like the author was just a middle aged Jewish intellectual with an identity crises -- and I have better things to do than hang around with people worrying about "who they really are."

To make a short story shorter, I'm delighted I hung in there to see what happened.

It's about the interchange that took place (about 7 years ago) when a group of Rabbis were invited to visit the Dali Lama. He wanted to hear from them how Jews had managed to preserve their religion and culture during thousands of years of exile from their homeland and despite persecution. The paralells to his people's current situation are obvious, and why he'd be interested is therefore obvious. What wasn't obvious was how the interchange effected the Jews who participated -- nor the conflicts between the flavors of Judaism (which I never expected could be interesting or enlightening.

I have more appreciation for Judaism, Buddism, and the author than I ever expected. It turned out to be a can't put down read.

Alex Censor