Insight

Remember
When • •

Embracing Dr. Laura

From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

Loved and hated, Laura Schlessinger gets award from Jewish group.

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

In Defense

When asked hard
questions, she is just
New York
as
assertive — some
or Laura Schlessinger — better known as "Dr.
might
say aggressive
Laura" — the fact that Jews were among the most
—
as
on
her shows.
vocal opponents of her new nationally syndicated
Asked
about the
television show was "more devastating to me than if
fact
that
many crit-
someone had burned a cross upside down on my front lawn."
ics find her rude
Schlessinger, the lightning rod of a talk-show host whose
and mean to
sharp tongue and moralistic advice have earned her mil-
callers, Schlessinger
lions of fans and enemies, is a close second to Joseph
objects.
They may
Lieberman as America's most famous observant Jew.
say
that,
she says,
Yet Schlessinger's controversial radio and television shows
but
they
really
have been embraced far more enthusiastically by Christians
mean
something
than by fellow Jews. Many Jews bristle at her one-liner
else.
approach to morality and her outspoken opposition to things
"What they're
like feminism, abortion and homosexuality.
really
saying is that
Last week, however, at an Orthodox Jewish gala where
I'm
forcefully
put-
she received the "National Heritage" award, Schlessinger
ting
forth
morals,
— whose TV show recently was moved to overnight time
values and ethics,
slots after a massive grassroots campaign by gay-rights
not making them
advocates — said she felt vindicated.
debatable
points,
The program for the National Council of Young Israel
but making them
dinner described Schlessinger as "a powerful source of
Laura Schlessinger
absolutes,"
inspiration and pride for all Jews. ,,
Schlessinger says.
"They don't like that. So instead of dealing with that truth,
I get called names."
Finding Judaism
A letter sent to her last year, whose signatories included 24
Born to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother, Schlessinger,
American Jewish leaders — many of them prominent Reform
54, grew up in an Italian section of Brooklyn, raised with
and Conservative rabbis — took Schlessinger to task for say-
"no religion, no God, zippo in that department."
ing that homosexuality is "deviant," that gays can and should
She earned degrees in biology and physiology — and is a
be cured and that homosexuality is a "biological error."
licensed marriage, family and child counselor who was in private
Advocates for gay rights began a campaign last spring pressuring
practice for 12 years — but became best known for her sharp-
advertisers not to use ,Schlessinger's radio or television programs.
tongued show. Then, several years ago, prompted by a question
The TV show eventually was moved to middle-of-the-night hours
from her son, Schlessinger began poring over books on Judaism.
with small viewership because so many advertisers pulled out.
"When I got to 'nation of priests,' I went yelling into the
Despite the campaign against her, Schlessinger insists her
room my husband was in and said, 'I know what I'm sup-
views
on homosexuality have divine sanction. "The Torah
posed to do now — I'm a priest.'"
says this is behavior that's unacceptable, and marriage is
She completed a Conservative conversion process, then
between a man and woman," she says.
after a 1997 incident — she claims she was unjustly criti-
For Schlessinger, Judaism is about absolutes, the clear
cized for advocating observance of Jewish law and kashrut
rights and wrongs of the Ten Commandments, not the
— she underwent an Orthodox conversion. Her husband
hairsplitting debates of the talmudic sages.
and son converted as well.
Schlessinger's rabbi, Moshe Bryski, insists that — sound-
In person, she is surprisingly small, a petite blonde. She
bites aside — his most famous congregant is serious about
urges a reporter to eat more -- "I'm a Jewish mother," she
the moral questions she receives, researching Jewish ethics
says — and jokes that while the pears on her plate are
and frequently calling him to consult on issues that arise on
undercooked, they are "probably good for the intestines."
her show. Schlessinger is more like a loving nag than the
Now a member of a Lubavitch shul — Chabad of Agoura in unfeeling judge some portray, Rabbi Bryski says.
suburban Los Angeles — Schlessinger admits that she does not
"It's like the mother who goes to her children like this, 'Shame
meet all Orthodox standards. She observes Shabbat and
on
you, you shouldn't be doing that,"' he says, wagging his fin-
kashrut, she says, but doesn't wear a wig.
ger. "When a parent says that to a child, its not out of hate." ❑

I'

-.40Aitourzia

The West Bloomfield Planning
Commission recommended officials
deny Temple Shir Shalom's plans to
build a new facility, citing parking and
traffic problems. The problems were
resolved and the synagogue was built.
Charlotte Rothstein of Oak Park
marked 10 years as the city's mayor.
Cantor Howard Glantz joined
the Adat Shalom Synagogue staff.

1981
Theodore Cummings of California
was named U.S. ambassador to
Austria.
The Israel softball league opened
its third season in Tel Aviv.
Joan Provizer of Farmington Hills
was named to chair the Metropolitan
Detroit Chapter of Hadassah's annu-
al Israel Bonds luncheon.

IOW
,
Israeli farmers filed claims for
$700,000 in crop damage caused
by severe storms that swept Israel.
Sylvan Fox, associate editor of the
New York Times, finalized plans to
make aliyah to Israel.
For the first time, Passover meals
will be served on United and
Eastern airlines.

Forty Jews in Casablanca were brou
before a magistrate for alleged offenses
against the security of the state.
Marilyn Lucas, 18-year-old
Detroit pianist, soloed with the
Wayne State University Orchestra
under the direction of Valter Poole.

A German court sentenced Josef
Heitreiter, former Gestapo guard at
Treblinka, to life in prison.
At Detroit's North End Clinic, treat-
ments of cortisone, a new miracle
drug, saved the sight of two Detroiters.
Composer and conductor
Leonard Bernstein was named hon-
orary national chair of World
Jewish Child's Day carried out by
the Pioneer Women's Organization.
—Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant go,

3/16

2001

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