Dead: Dr. Laura's Religion
Hieronymus
Dr. Laura Loses Her Religion
Radio Host Drops Judaism, 'Envies' Christian Friends
By LISA KEYS
FORWARD STAFF
With 12 million Americans tuning in daily, controversial syndicated
radio-show host Laura Schlessinger - known to all as "Dr. Laura" - is
arguably the best-known Orthodox Jew in the United States.
Rather, she was.
In a shocking if little-noticed revelation, Schlessinger - who very publicly
converted to Judaism five years ago - opened "The Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Program" on August 5 with the confession that she will no longer practice
Judaism. Although Schlessinger said she still "considers" herself Jewish,
"My identifying with this entity and my fulfilling the rituals, etc., of the
entity - that has ended."
And with that, Orthodox Judaism lost its loudest mouthpiece and its most
prominent "rabbi," as it were, with the largest American pulpit - with the
exception of, perhaps, presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman.
Syndicated nationally since 1994, Schlessinger has won over listeners with
her hard-edged advice and razor-sharp tongue. Yet her brash style, not to
mention her espousal of a strict "moral health" code - including
controversial condemnations of homosexuality as "a biological error" - put
her at odds with wide swaths of the Jewish community. Many found her
moralist, black-and-white, you're-with-me-or- against-me stance to be more
representative of Evangelical Christians than of Jews, who were often among
her most outspoken critics.
Nonetheless, even Schlessinger's detractors were shocked by the news. "I
can't tell you how significant this is," said fellow Jewish media star and
"Kosher Sex" author Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who has sparred with Schlessinger
over her comments on homosexuality. "Dr. Laura always equated her morals and
ethics with Jewish morals and ethics. That placed the American Jewish
community in a real fix; on the one hand, she made Judaism very popular, on
the other, she made it vilified and hated by many people."
"I think Judaism is better off not being saddled and directly associated
with Dr. Laura's means," he said, adding, "although she is still a Jew."
Schlessinger's office said she was unavailable for comment.
Schlessinger began her August 5 program by noting that, prior to each
broadcast, she spends an hour reading faxes from fans and listeners. "By and
large the faxes from Christians have been very loving, very supportive," she
said. "From my own religion, I have either gotten nothing, which is 99% of
it, or two of the nastiest letters I have gotten in a long time. I guess
that's my point - I don't get much back. Not much warmth coming back."
Schlessinger even hinted at a possible turn to Christianity - a move that,
radio insiders say, would elevate her career far beyond the 300 stations
that currently syndicate her show. "I have envied all my Christian friends
who really, universally, deeply feel loved by God," she said. "They use the
name Jesus when they refer to God... that was a mystery, being connected to
God."
In her 25 years on radio, Schlessinger said she was moved "time and time
again" by listeners who wrote and described that they had "joined a church,
felt loved by God and that was my anchor."
Michael Medved, a conservative, nationally syndicated, radio talk-show host,
celebrated the Sabbath with Schlessinger about a year ago. "We had talked
about having Shabbat again," he said. When he heard of Schlessinger's
defection, "My first response was to pick up the phone and try and expedite
[the visit]."
"I think it's a shame," he said. "Though, of course, she was controversial
in some eyes, she is one of the most admired women in America. Having the
most admired woman in America speak joyously about Passover, Shabbat and
Jewish lifestyle events - all of that was quite wonderful."
Of her conversion to Judaism, Schlessinger said, "I felt that I was putting
out a tremendous amount toward that mission, that end, and not feeling
return, not feeling connected, not feeling that inspired. Trust me, I've
talked to rabbis, I've read, I've prayed, I've agonized and I came to this
place anyway - which is not exactly back to the beginning, but more in that
direction than not."
"Was Laura naive to think, 'gosh, I'll be the queen of the Jews'? Yes, she
was naive," said Medved. "Part of that comes from not growing up in the
Jewish community. It's so rare to find a celebrity embrace of Jewish
religiosity of any kind, I can see why Laura would think her very public
embrace would have led to a more enthusiastic reaction. But given all the
crosscurrents and controversies that divide our community, I can see why
that expectation was wrong."
In 2001, despite the controversy surrounding her, the National Council of
Young Israel honored Schlessinger for her "traditional American values."
Rabbi Pesach Lerner, the executive director of Young Israel, was surprised
by Schlessinger's defection but declined to comment on it.
Born to a Jewish father and an Italian Catholic mother, Schlessinger was
raised in Brooklyn in a home that was without religion. Approximately 10
years ago, prompted by a question from her son during a viewing of a
Holocaust documentary, Schlessinger, 56, began exploring her Jewish roots.
Yet last week's revelation was far from the first time Schlessinger has been
wracked with religious doubts. Lacking a religious background, she has spent
a lifetime searching for that missing something, and "each thing I tried
left me feeling empty," she told Philadelphia's Inside magazine in 1998.
Having already undergone a Conservative conversion in 1997, after a debacle
with the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas - a now-legendary affair in
which she allegedly rejected three hotel suites, wouldn't ride in taxis and
offended the entire audience at a $500 plate fundraiser - Schlessinger was
tempted to give up on Judaism completely, but decided to undergo an Orthodox
conversion instead.
"A large part of me wanted to make a statement after that experience, to
stand even taller about Jewish values," she told the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency in 2001. "Besides, if you don't have an Orthodox conversion, you
can't get buried in Israel. I want to be close to ground zero."
Rabbi Reuven Bulka, a fellow radio host who presided over Schlessinger's
Orthodox conversion, said he was "stunned" by his friend's 180-degree turn.
"It didn't make my day, shall we say."
"She obviously has a tremendous impact," said Bulka, a congregational rabbi
from Ottawa, Ont. "When she went through the evolutionary stage of her
journey, a lot of people were inspired by her own excitement about it. I
can't tell you I know 100 people who became Sabbath observant because of it,
but certainly it was a feel-good message for a lot of people. That these
feel-good messages won't be coming anymore is certainly a loss."
Other Jews within earshot are far from sad to see her go. "I don't think
this is any great loss to the Jewish universe," said Susan Weidman
Schneider, the executive editor of Lilith magazine. "I don't think she was a
particularly effective or useful spokesperson. She doubtless alienated more
people than she drew toward Judaism."
"So, let her say she's no longer a practicing Jew," she added. "Let her be
just a garden variety, anti-choice conservative."
"I still see myself as a Jew," Schlessinger said on the air last week. "But
the spiritual journey and that direction, as hardcore as I was at it, just
didn't fulfill something in me that I needed."
"All I know is, in my experiences with her - which have been considerable -
I haven't known her to do anything less than 100%," Bulka said. "Anything
she did, she did fully. The scary thing is if she said she's leaving, it's
very forboding."
"I thought she was a tough little lady - I didn't think she'd chicken out so
easily," said Rabbi Isaac Levy, the chairman of Jews for Morality, who has
staunchly supported Schlessinger's conservative agenda. "She's gotten a
couple of kicks in the chin and she's succumbed to it."
"It seems incredible that an ethicist and moralist of her standing would
invoke such shallow arguments," said Boteach, who was en route to an
appearance on the titillating syndicated television show "Blind Date." "I
never got great applause for my work from the Jewish community - but my
people are my people, whether they love or hate me."
Terrymelin
>converted to Judaism five years ago - opened "The Dr. Laura Schlessinger
>Program" on August 5 with the confession that she will no longer practice
>Judaism.
I could be wrong but I really don't think it is possible to "convert" to
Orthodox Judaism so the above story sounds specious.
Terry Ellsworth
Fred Landry
>Orthodox Judaism so the above story sounds specious.
>
This is not the case. I have a friend who converted from Catholocism to
Judaism when she married. After her divorce, she still considers herself a
Jew.
Fred Landry
Land...@aol.com
(Remove "NOSPAM" from my address to reply via e-mail)
J.J. Levin
It is indeed possible, Terry.
Jay
Steve Miller - A Famous Rock Star!
Terrymelin <terry...@aol.com> wrote:
>I could be wrong but I really don't think it is possible to "convert" to
>Orthodox Judaism so the above story sounds specious.
My aunt converted to orthodox Judaism. She grew up a nominal congregationalist.
--
Steve Miller
Editor and Chief Copyboy
Goodbye! The Journal of Contemporary Obituaries - http://www.goodbyemag.com
If in NYC, buy the Sun and read the obits!
Terrymelin
>Judaism when she married. After her divorce, she still considers herself a
>Jew.
I didn't say "Judaism." I said "Orthodox Judaism." There is a difference.
I don't think that one can "become" an Orthodox Jew if one wasn't born a Jew.
Terry Ellsworth
Terrymelin
>
>Jay
>
Please explain. It is my understanding that you cannot be an Orthodox Jew
unless your mother was also a Jew. If your mother was a Catholic how exactly
would you become an Orthodox Jew?
Terry Ellsworth
Loki
2 points, one Can convert to being an Orthodox Jew if they were not
born into it (though it is a very long and difficult task), and you
have never thought in your life.
Subj: Re: DEATH WATCH: GOP Rule in Senate
Date: 5/23/01 3:20:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:TerrymelinTo:Cubby77267
Go fuck yourself you fucking whore piece of shit.
Subj: Re: DEATH WATCH: GOP Rule in Senate
Date: 5/23/01 9:24:47 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: terry...@aol.com (Terrymelin)
To: cubby...@aol.com
You're too much of a worthless whore to bother responding to.
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From: terry...@aol.com (Terrymelin)
To: cubby...@aol.com
Newsgroups: alt.obituaries
Date: 23 May 2001 16:24:18 GMT
References: <3b0bd2aa...@news.midtown.net>
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
Subject: Re: DEATH WATCH: GOP Rule in Senate
Message-ID: <20010523122418...@ng-bg1.aol.com>
-terry's idea of intellectual discussion.
Loki
J. J. Levin
If you ask Orthodox rabbis to convert you to Judaism, they will
try to dissuade you. If you convince them that you indeed want to
become Jewish, you will undergo a course of studies, lasting for
2-4 years, you will have to take a dip in a "mikvah" (a water pool)
while saying a blessing, you will have to commit verbally to obey
and practice *all of* the Jewish law, and you will have to (if a male)
undergo circumcision.
You will then be considered a Jew. If you are converted by an Orthodox
"Bet Din" (rabbinic court) all the major streams of Judaism (Orthodoxy,
Conservatives, and Reform) will rcognize you as a Jew. This is not true
in reverse (Orthodoxy does not recognize Conservative and Reform
conversions).
As a matter of fact, one of the tenets of Judaism is that is absolutely
forbidden to remind a convert that he was ever a non-Jew, or to refer to
his prior religion when talking to him. As far as Judaism is concerned,
he was always Jewish.
If you are born to a Jewish mother, you are a Jew and you remain a
Jew (in the eyes of Judaism) forever. Orthodoxy MUST recognize you as
a Jew, even if you are totally non-observnt.
Conversions (into all major streams of Judaism) happen all the time
all over the world, Terry.
Jay
MadCow57
Judaism when she married. After her divorce, she still considers herself a
I don't know what Elizabeth Taylor was before she married Eddie Fisher, but she
converted to Judaism and has stayed that way, AFAIK.
Cpl. O'Reilly
It's true. The 21st century descendant of the good old Jewish Daily
Forward has the story at
http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.08.15/news2.html
Laura's reason seems to be that she thinks Christians treat her better
than her fellow and sister Jews, at least according to the faxes and
stuff she gets. Laura grew up an atheist, She is the daughter of a
WW2 Jewish GI and his Italian-Catholic war bride. Laura became a
Conservative Jew in 1997, but then she caused some sort of horrible
embarrassment at a fundraiser for the Jewish Federation of Greater
Dallas. (No details, unfortunately.) For some reason, however, this
prompted Laura to convert to Orthodox Judaism a year later. The story
uses the word conversion a number of times. It goes on to say that
she's hinting that she'll now convert to Christianity.
J. J. Levin
> In article <20030819092236...@mb-m16.aol.com>, Terrymelin
> <terry...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>>>n a shocking if little-noticed revelation, Schlessinger - who very publicly
>>>converted to Judaism five years ago - opened "The Dr. Laura Schlessinger
>>>Program" on August 5 with the confession that she will no longer practice
>>>Judaism.
>>>
>>I could be wrong but I really don't think it is possible to "convert" to
>>Orthodox Judaism so the above story sounds specious.
>>
>>Terry Ellsworth
>>
>
>
> It's true. The 21st century descendant of the good old Jewish Daily
> Forward has the story at
>
> http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.08.15/news2.html
>
> Laura's reason seems to be that she thinks Christians treat her better
> than her fellow and sister Jews, at least according to the faxes and
> stuff she gets. Laura grew up an atheist, She is the daughter of a
> WW2 Jewish GI and his Italian-Catholic war bride. Laura became a
> Conservative Jew in 1997, but then she caused some sort of horrible
> embarrassment at a fundraiser for the Jewish Federation of Greater
> Dallas. (No details, unfortunately.)
Please don't hold me to this, but if I remember correctly the
reason was that she had been converted by a Conservative rabbi
and she spoke mostly to a Reform crowd and lectured them on
why they were not more Jewishly observant.
Jay
Loki
From: http://www.jewishsf.com/bk970321/usdr.htm
...Schlessinger had been a prima donna about her hotel room, about the
car that transported her (she has allergies), the imperious way she
demanded kosher food. She balked at a "big-giver" cocktail party and
hadn't been cozy with the women at her head table.
"She was nasty, arrogant and insulting. Her remarks were disgusting.
She was putting down everyone in that audience," Schwartz quoted one
woman as saying.
But what did she say that caused offense during her March 5 speech?
Schlessinger, who converted to Judaism last year, spoke at length
about her personal journey, urging her audience to greater religious
observance.
But in a crowd whose majority were Reform Jews, her innuendoes were
deemed slights. The Los Angeles-based talk-show host said she and her
son had been to a Reform Passover seder where the guests wore shorts.
She came out against intermarriage (her husband, Lou Bishop, is in the
process of converting). She said she is always home for the Sabbath,
but once when she was not, she pulled over to the side of the road and
said the prayers with her son by cell phone.
Then she criticized a community-boosting video on the benefits of
giving to federation that was shown before the meal, saying it did not
mention the word God.
"She made it sound like she had a Black Belt in Judaism," said Ann
Zimmerman, a Jewish community activist and journalist who covered
Schlessinger's visit for her "Buzz" column in the Dallas Observer.
On March 11, the day Schwartz's column appeared, Schlessinger replayed
the incident for a national audience. Her voice breaking, she called
the accusations "idle gossip." She said she was giving her $30,000
appearance fee to a home for unwed mothers.
Loki
doc
<ra...@mash.com.invalid> wrote:
> The story
>uses the word conversion a number of times. It goes on to say that
>she's hinting that she'll now convert to Christianity.
Their loss is our loss.
Terrymelin
>try to dissuade you. If you convince them that you indeed want to
>become Jewish, you will undergo a course of studies, lasting for
>2-4 years, you will have to take a dip in a "mikvah" (a water pool)
>while saying a blessing, you will have to commit verbally to obey
>and practice *all of* the Jewish law, and you will have to (if a male)
>undergo circumcision.
>
>You will then be considered a Jew. If you are converted by an Orthodox
>"Bet Din" (rabbinic court) all the major streams of Judaism (Orthodoxy,
>Conservatives, and Reform) will rcognize you as a Jew. This is not true
>in reverse (Orthodoxy does not recognize Conservative and Reform
>conversions).
>
>As a matter of fact, one of the tenets of Judaism is that is absolutely
>forbidden to remind a convert that he was ever a non-Jew, or to refer to
>his prior religion when talking to him. As far as Judaism is concerned,
>he was always Jewish.
>
>If you are born to a Jewish mother, you are a Jew and you remain a
>Jew (in the eyes of Judaism) forever. Orthodoxy MUST recognize you as
>a Jew, even if you are totally non-observnt.
>
>Conversions (into all major streams of Judaism) happen all the time
>all over the world, Terry.
>
>Jay
>
Thanks, very interesting stuff. It was just always my understanding -- from
Jewish friends -- that Orthodox Jews would never consider a person not born of
a Jew as a "true Jew" but I guess based on what you said they are mistaken.
Terry Ellsworth
PirateJohn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pirat...@aol.com
Keeper of the Humour List at http://members.aol.com/PirateJohn/pirate1.html
"Mother, mother ocean... I have heard your call" - Jimmy Buffett, A Pirate
Looks At Forty.
Loki
>Thanks, very interesting stuff. It was just always my understanding -- from
>Jewish friends -- that Orthodox Jews would never consider a person not born of
>a Jew as a "true Jew" but I guess based on what you said they are mistaken.
>
>Terry Ellsworth
No terry, you are mistaken if you think that anyone here buys into the
idea that you have friends, Jewish or otherwise.
Hyfler/Rosner
"J. J. Levin" <jjl...@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:3F4285B3...@optonline.net...
snipped thorough conversion process:
> Conversions (into all major streams of Judaism) happen all the time
> all over the world, Terry.
>
> Jay
Wow, I'm really glad I read the whole thread before answering. That
explanation was terrific. (I even read it to the yeshiva grad in the house,
and he was impressed.)
Cpl. O'Reilly
<jjl...@optonline.net> wrote:
> Conversions (into all major streams of Judaism) happen all the time
> all over the world, Terry.
I know four people, all Christian, who did it. One did it because he
was marrying a Jewish woman; two were born of Jewish fathers and
non-Jewish mothers and had been raised Christian; and another just
wanted to do it because she came to embrace the faith. The first one
went Conservative, the others were all Reform, IIRC.
Robert Feigel (aka Bob)
<jjl...@optonline.net> wrote:
>If you ask Orthodox rabbis to convert you to Judaism, they will
>try to dissuade you. If you convince them that you indeed want to
>become Jewish, you will undergo a course of studies, lasting for
>2-4 years, you will have to take a dip in a "mikvah" (a water pool)
>while saying a blessing, you will have to commit verbally to obey
>and practice *all of* the Jewish law, and you will have to (if a male)
>undergo circumcision.
<snipped for brevity, but original post saved>
>
>Conversions (into all major streams of Judaism) happen all the time
>all over the world, Terry.
>
>Jay
Fascinating. Thank you.
˙bob
"Long road sometime shortest way to end of journey." - Charlie Chan
********
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The Kentucky Wizard
consultations with my Joint Chiefs of Staff, being briefed by members of my
Cabinet and telephone conversations with various world leaders, I have come
to the following conclusions:
<snip>you will have to commit verbally to obey and practice *all of* the
Jewish law, and you will have to (if a male)
undergo circumcision.<snip>
Well, that's where I get off the Judaism train at. The doctor short-changed
me enough as it is at birth, even thought I told the clod to just "take a
little off the top", and I'm not about to let anyone else get close to my
ding-a-ling with a knife ever again. I'll stay a 'ole time Baptist thank you
very much.
--
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Terrymelin
>explanation was terrific. (I even read it to the yeshiva grad in the house,
>and he was impressed.)
I thought so too and was grateful someone took the time to provide a thoughtful
explanation rather than just make some snide comment.
There's hope yet.
Terry Ellsworth
Loki
You say that as if you have ever contributed anything even as clever
as a snide comment. And you haven't terry.
J.J. Levin
I would never try to persuade anyone to switch, but I think a clarification
is in order. Based on what you wrote above, you may already be
circumcised. If so, and you convert to Judaism, you do not undergo
*another* circumcision (what else is there to remove, anyway ??).
Rather, when an already circumcised male converts, the "mohel"
(ritual circumcisor) merely makes a pinprick to draw a small
drop of blood, thus symbolizing, as it were, that the person is
not just circumcised, but circumcised in order to become Jewish.
Jay
The Kentucky Wizard
I was just offering a poor attempt at humor, Jay. Don't pay any attention to
it.
--
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
J.J. Levin
That's OK. No offense taken. If anyone was wondering what happens if,
they have the answer now.
Jay
Mack Twamley
"The Kentucky Wizard" <kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2yy0b.154316$Oz4.42523@rwcrnsc54...
This is likely why Jews are thought to be the most optimistic people on
earth....before they even know how much they have, they let someone cut off
a half an inch!
whitey fjord
>
>If you are born to a Jewish mother, you are a Jew and you remain a
>Jew (in the eyes of Judaism) forever. Orthodoxy MUST recognize you as
>a Jew, even if you are totally non-observnt.
>
What if a child is, hypothetically, separated from birth from a Jewish
mother (the cribs got switched, eg), is raised in another faith, then
discovers his/her birth mother later in life. Do the Orthodox still
recognize such a person as fully Jewish?
J.J. Levin
There have been such cases, one of which I am familiar with. A girl
in France was born to a Jewish mother and Christian father. The
mother died when the girl was a baby. The father remarried, this
time to a Christian woman. The girl was raised as a Christian.
When she gew up, she was attracted to Judaism and approached a French
rabbi to apply for conversion. He started asking questions,
which in turn led her to ask questions of her father. Her father
(who had never meant to hide anything, but had simply attached
no importance to these facts) told her that her birth mother
had been Jewish. The rabbi accordingly told her that he that he could
not convert her, since according to Judaism she was Jewish already.
That lady is an acquaintance of mine, currently living in the United
States. One of her sons is an Orthodox rabbi.
Jay
PirateJohn
Very unfortunate way to phrase that, considering that you are talking about
circumcision ...
James Hall
"Terrymelin" ...
This is the year 2003 and any one is able to
become anything or anyone they wish, for example
a complete moron is your pressie and a terminator is
hoping to become governor of a small country called CA.
Oh lord won't you please buy me a ...
JHall.