In honor of Hanukkah, here are some fun facts about BUJUs! A BUJU (or JUBU) is someone of Jewish decent (cultural or religious) who has a serious interest in, has converted to, or practices Buddhism. According to MyJewishLearning.com:
- Charles T. Strauss was the first Jew to be converted to Buddhism on American soil. The date was September 26, 1893.
- Two Jews, Sam Bercholz and Michael Fagan, started Shambhala Publications in 1969 in Berkeley, California, where they owned a metaphysical bookstore.
- David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, was a serious student of Buddhist meditation techniques.
- Jews and Buddhists have no recorded history of conflict
- Chogyam Trunpa said so many of his students were Jews that they formed the Oy Vey school of Buddhism.
To all my fellow JUBUs and BUJUs out there, Happy Hanukkah!
Read Previous Post