Sixty-two of the most accomplished Jews in America speak intimately--most for the first time--about how they feel about being Jewish. In unusually candid interviews conducted by former 60 Minutes producer Abigail Pogrebin, celebrities ranging from Sarah Jessica Parker to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, from Larry King to Mike Nichols, reveal how resonant, crucial or incidental being Jewish is in their lives. The connections they have to their Jewish heritage range from hours in synagogue to bagels and lox; but ...
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Sixty-two of the most accomplished Jews in America speak intimately--most for the first time--about how they feel about being Jewish. In unusually candid interviews conducted by former 60 Minutes producer Abigail Pogrebin, celebrities ranging from Sarah Jessica Parker to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, from Larry King to Mike Nichols, reveal how resonant, crucial or incidental being Jewish is in their lives. The connections they have to their Jewish heritage range from hours in synagogue to bagels and lox; but every person speaks to the weight and pride of their Jewish history, the burdens and pleasures of observance, the moments they've felt most Jewish (or not). This book of vivid, personal conversations uncovers how being Jewish fits into a public life, and also how the author's evolving religious identity was changed by what she heard. Dustin Hoffman, Steven Spielberg, Gene Wilder, Joan Rivers, and Leonard Nimoy talk about their startling encounters with anti-Semitism. Kenneth Cole, Eliot Spitzer, and Ronald Perelman explore the challenges of intermarriage. Mike Wallace, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ruth Reichl express attitudes toward Israel that vary from unquestioning loyalty to complicated ambivalence. William Kristol scoffs at the notion that Jewish values are incompatible with Conservative politics. Alan Dershowitz, raised Orthodox, talks about why he gave up morning prayer. Shawn Green describes the pressure that comes with being baseball's Jewish star. Natalie Portman questions the ostentatious bat mitzvahs of her hometown. Tony Kushner explains how being Jewish prepared him for being gay. Leon Wieseltier throws down the gauntlet to Jews who haven't taken the trouble to study Judaism. These are just a few key moments from many poignant, often surprising, conversations with public figures whom most of us thought we already knew. When my mother got her nose job, she wanted me to get one, too. She said I would be happier. --Dustin Hoffman It's a heritage to be proud of. And then, too, it's something that you can't escape because the world won't let you; so it's a good thing you can be proud of it. --Ruth Bader Ginsburg My wife [Kate Capshaw] chose to do a full conversion before we were married in 1991, and she married me as a Jew. I think that, more than anything else, brought me back to Judaism.--Steven Spielberg As someone who was born in Israel, you're put in a position of defending Israel because you know how much is at stake.--Natalie Portman Jewish introspection and Jewish humor is a way of surviving . . . if you're not handsome and you're not athletic and you're not rich, there's still one last hope with girls, which is being funny.--Mike Nichols I felt not only this enormous pride at being a Jew; I felt this enormous void at not being a better Jew.--Ronald O. Perelman American Jews, like Americans, have a very consumerist attitude toward their identity: they pick and choose the bits of this and that they like.--Leon Wieseltier I thought if I had straight hair and a perfect nose, my whole career would be different.--Sarah Jessica Parker I've always rebelled a little when people say, 'My Jewish values lead me to really care about the poor.' I know some Christians who care about the poor, too.--William Kristol There were many times when I kept silent about being Jewish as I got older, when Jewish jokes were told.--William Shatner 'Jew bastard' was something I heard a lot.--Leonard Nimoy. I always liked shiksas.--Larry King It specifically says in the Torah that you can eat shrimp and bacon in a Chinese restaurant.--Jason Alexander Yom Kippur is something I do alone, with nobody else, because I believe that my relationship with God is mine and mine only.--Diane von Furstenberg
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Fair. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing (age related spots and browning). May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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Good. The pages are sun faded and slightly yellowing. We flipped through this book and didn't notice any notes or underlines. Minor shelf wear. The dust jacket shows normal wear and tear. There is staining on the text block edges. Fast Shipping-Each order powers our free bookstore in Chicago and sending books to Africa!
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Good. We flipped through this book and didn't notice any notes or underlines. Minor shelf wear. The dust jacket shows normal wear and tear. This is a hardcover copy. Fast Shipping-Each order powers our free bookstore in Chicago and sending books to Africa!
This book was recommended to me from one of the authors of The Faith Club for our [Christian] women's study group. We started this line of study four years ago, beginning with The Faith Club, followed by Half the Sky, then I Speak For Myself, American Women on Being Muslim. Stars of David is very readable, in 6-7 page chapters which make it easy for a one year study. All the Stars are well known, and it almost sounds like letters from friends.