I took a course recently on Love and Attachment in Buddhist literature.  The course contrasted Buddhist notions of love and attachment with those in a vareity of western texts (Pslams, 1 Corinthians, Jane Austin, Jewish and Christian marriage rites, etc.).  An orthodox Jewish classmate did her final project on the practice of Buddhism among Jewish Americans.  She claimed that the largest portion of practicing Buddhists in the United States come from a Jewish background.  Has anyone else heard of this?  Is is accurate?  If so, do you have any idea why it might be so?

No I've not heard that most American followers of Buddhism are Jews - but it would not surprize me.  Why?  Well first of all Buddhism is not as much a religion as it is a philosophy.  And having spent the past month in Thailand, seeing it play out first hand, I admire it.  Buddhism in its purest form does not delve into the notion of a Creator, or focus on the next life.  It is all about control, control in this life.  Creator aside, the focus of Judaism is this life.  The importance of each act as it relates to repairing the world, is key both in Buddhism (as I understand it) and certainly Judaism.

Shalom