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  1. #1 by Anonymous on March 25, 2010 - 4:49 am

    This book has two main aspects. One, where he describes the conversations he has with the other members of the delegation that went to see the Dalai Lama, including his observations. This is overall, pretty interesting, even though I find his conclusions way off, and I don’t like his judgements.

    The other part are the discussions, where first of all, he really does seem like a third wheel in this delegation, which makes his comments less relevant, if more objective. But the observations he makes here, and the way he presents the conversations are pretty boring.
    Rating: 3 / 5

  2. #2 by Maritsa on March 25, 2010 - 6:57 am

    A Jewish spiritual journey of interfaith connection that is unpoetic as it claims and connects in no other way then that it is a communication between people. It is apparent that two religions will always remain to have many perspectives. Read it for its spirituality context and for its religious zen like experiance.
    Rating: 4 / 5

  3. #3 by Michael Lewyn on March 25, 2010 - 8:09 am

    A mildly interesting narrative of a few Jews taking a field trip to India. But I didn’t learn as much about Buddhism as I thought I would; perhaps Kamenetz should have discussed the basic ideas of Buddhism in more detail. For example, sometimes he suggests that Buddhism doesn’t really take a position on deities, their existence etc. (which is what I had always thought, and which explains how you can be both Jewish and Buddhist) and at other times he refers in passing to Buddhist “deities” (implying that Buddhism is somehow polytheistic). So which is true? Kamenetz doesn’t explain.
    Rating: 3 / 5

  4. #4 by Ralph Blumenau on March 25, 2010 - 9:59 am

    In 1990 the Dalai Lama invited a cross-section of American rabbis to Dharamsala to discover what Buddhism and Judaism have in common and what they can learn from one another. The author, a more or less secular Jew until that experience, was a member of the group. His book is a little long, but I found it absorbing, although I neither want to nor could myself share this longing for spirituality, let alone for mysticism. But it was moving to read of the Dalai Lama’s openness, and of one or two rabbis in the group. It must have been a great experience for them all.
    Rating: 4 / 5

  5. #5 by Anonymous on March 25, 2010 - 11:54 am

    A very detailed book that would have benefitted the reader with an index. Still its conclusion of Jewish renewal was heartening.
    Rating: 3 / 5