Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places: Judaism and Buddhist Meditation

In its series of Yiddish videos, the Jewish Daily Forward reported on elements of Buddhism appearing in some Jewish communities. (There's an old joke about this, but we'll save it for tomorrow's Joke to Start the Week.)

Today we're not joking, but just sharing reporter Shmuel Perlin's observations as a Jew in China. Speaking in Yiddish with English subtitles, Perlin says that in the 1960s and 1970s many Jews were attracted to Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. 

There was a lama from Tibet that remarked that most of his followers were Jews and that they should be called the Oy Vey school of Buddhism. Today there are a few lamas who were born Jews, such as Surya Das, who was born in Long Island as Jeff Miller. He is close to the Dalai Lama and travels, teaches, and leads meditation retreats around the world.

In today's video, Dr. Brenda Shoshanna, author of Jewish Dharma: A Guide to the Practice of Judaism and Zen, and Yael Shy, Co-Director of the NYU Center for Spiritual Life, discuss connections between Judaism and Buddhism.

Enjoy!

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