Buddhism In America

Allie Cohen
Religion 336
Nancy Martin
December 4, 2015
The American JuBu: Jewish Engagement with Buddhism in America
Recently in Western societies, there has been a movement of Jews toward the practice of Buddhism. Those practicing are commonly known as Buddhist-Jews, Jewish-Buddhists, or “JUBUs.” In the last decade or so, the phenomenon of multiple religious belonging has surfaced (Rose D 248 P). In fact, roughly 25% of the Buddhist population in America were formally people of the Jewish religion (bud in west). This has been credited to the fact that, in general, “Jewish Americans are well educated, financially comfortable, and most definitely at the high end of the socio-economic scale (BudinWest). The notion of multiple religious identities,
The historical and cultural aspects are present, especially in a traditional Jewish upbringing. For this reason, spirituality plays a large role in the convert from Judaism to Buddhism. Many Jews feel as if there is a lack of spirituality in practicing the religion. JUBU Connections, he discusses how “Buddhism seems to hold an ‘instant spirituality, just add water’ image, while Judaism is viewed as barricaded from spiritual experience by laws and rituals” (CITE 64). Many Jews identify with the religion’s cultural aspects, and the lack of spirituality empowers them to begin their search. When looking at Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, the spiritual facets appear more accessible than solely a cultural background. In his book The New Buddhism: the western transformation of an ancient tradition, James William Coleman reflects upon a survey he conducted on American Jewish Buddhists. According to Coleman’s results, the majority of participants indicate their reasons for practicing Buddhism rests in a desire for spiritual growth and to rid themselves of individual problems. While some seek enlightenment, others are just dissatisfied with their spiritual journey
Ginsberg because publicly known as a leader in the Beat Generation, a group of authors after the second world war who impacted America culture. According to Author, Ginsberg “led many jews in the 1960s and 1970s to explore Eastern religions” (235). Similarly to NAME, Ginsberg experimented with LSD. After having difficulty writing, he decided to travel East “looking for a language” (237). Ginsberg turned to Buddhism for unanswered questions. He was advised to “not cling to visions, whether horrible or beautiful” (240). He stood by the belief that “the Buddhist notion is not to look for a vision” (240). Ginsberg continued to help other Jews seek answers through Buddhism, making him an influential