Leonard Cohen in 1964 - On being a Jewish writer, a Canadian and a seeker of G-d.

Leonard Cohen speaks about being a Canadian Jewish writer. His profound statements still resonate, today, 50 years later.
I have culled these comments from a recording of a seminar held at the Jewish Public Library of Montreal in June 1964. Cohen participated in a panel along with the great Canadian Jewish writers Melech Ravitch, Adele Wiseman and Ruth Wisse. It took place three years before Cohen's 1967 transition from being a Canadian poet to an internationally known singer-songwriter. Also included are some of Cohen’s dialogue with the audience during the question and answer session.
You can listen to the entire recording here:
archive.org/de....
archive.org/de....
Cohen had a life-long, passionate engagement with religious Judaism. It began with the hevruta (study pair) he had with his grandfather, an important rabbi and talmudist. In mid-life Cohen became renowned for his practice of Zen Bhuddism (a non theistic practice) and eventually became a bhuddist monk. But Cohen never stopped studying Torah or practicing mitzvoth that he found meaningful. Many of his best songs offer profound midrashim (homiletic interpretations) of Torah and apply them to the problems of life.
This article explores Cohen’s relationship with Judaism in-depth
www.theatlantic....
A strange coincidence : the women with a Yiddish accent who challenges Cohen during the Q &A is Hava Rosenfarb, a respected Yiddish novelist and holocaust survivor. Her then husband is the man with a Polish accent who questions Cohen’s belief that the Jewish people have a unique mission. This man was Dr. Henry Morgantaller, who a decade later would become a household name in Canada for his campaign to legalize abortion.

[@pumukliboti]

This is such a lesson on being a young man, a human, having doubts, questions on the most important issues on existence. I find myself listening to this on a regular basis. What a treasure.

[@MsElke11]

His youth had such fire, cockiness, fearlessness.... such a contrast from his aged humility and softness!

[@dorellabelle]

every age has its own energy 😁

[@fiorellafenati5395]

@@dorellabelle when old, all passions are extinguished.

[@dorellabelle]

@@fiorellafenati5395 I do not think so, they go more deep ... and broad, and strong 🙏🏻
- I fought for something final, not the right to disagree -

[@jeanyves5380]

@@fiorellafenati5395 Or the opposite!

[@fiorellafenati5395]

@@jeanyves5380 peut etre

[@MsAdesio]

thanks for posting this! always captivating to hear him, I'll always sit at Leonard's feet.

[@kingslew1866]

I have been feeling tired and dispirited and this discourse has renewed my determination...

[@pixiface3752]

You never stop being Jewish no matter what paths you wander off into...it is written 👑

[@johnr.b.murray3417]

Exactly. Stamped with the imprint of evil and bound by chains to the service of Satan.

[@joshuafriesen4436]

Wow. I’ve never been this cognizant of the Canadian identity before. His words are still really relevant to how it feels.

[@MSYNGWIE12]

Thank you for posting these Leonard Cohen articles. Next to my husband he IS MY MAN. I was given a book of his poetry before he was "the American folk singer, Zen monk) - you have through his words pointed out he was neither American or a Buddhist only. Are you a fan of his writings and music? Have you read Beautiful Losers? Do you enjoy Mordecai Richler. I re-read Mordecai's books...I am not Jewish but have always enjoyed Jewish humour, maybe in another life? Like Leonard I study Buddhism, in my case Tibetan. Namaste, Z. )His sense of humour- so many even fans of his, miss it. One look in those eyes tells you their still exists a mischievous little boy...so damned articulate and clever!)

[@abigailpatriciadole3167]

He WAS American. Canada is on part of the North American Continent making him very American. He is not US American but he is American.

[@lynnehrgott3091]

@@abigailpatriciadole3167 He Had Dual Citizenship And Was Living In LA When He Died.

[@fiorellafenati5395]

Are Mexicans Americans too, and all the peoples of Latin America or just whites?@@abigailpatriciadole3167

[@yargundev9772]

In his midst, he was a great thinker with a disposition toward toward the spirit.

[@kasperm.r.guldberg7354]

"Crucial life experience is romantic." 25:15

[@jolantazientara9370]

Koen zawsze dobry głos muzyka słowa do końca moich dni

[@mingto7753]

I find both Poet Cohen and Dr Noam Chomsky to be the modern day 'John the Baptist', performing baptism with water in their respective roles. We definitely have baptism with the Holy Spirit to look forward to.
Whether the Holy Spirit will be like fire, only the Holy Spirit knows.

[@YG-kk4ey]

What's funny is that later on in his life he actually became a Buddhist monk. He might have worked on integrating his Judaism though I'm not sure

[@sergiosatelite467]

He did integrate. His last albums show that. Just a thought.

[@YG-kk4ey]

@@sergiosatelite467 Yeah, I've since listened to his interviews. He says a few times how he will forever be Jewish, it's where he comes from. It's "in his DNA"...

[@coltgar2465]

He said he became Buddhist only to study with his friend, that if his friend had been into physics, he would have gone that direction. His whole last two albums destroy any idea that he believed in the divinity of Buddhism.

[@fiorellafenati5395]

is the same as Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate

[@traceypierce1693]

I heard you.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Gevalt

[@klytouch7515]

Wow I can't believe my beautiful wife is a Jewish girl... hmmm... I love you dear wife... my most loving wife... that we have chatting for many years... hmmm... are you blonde and beautiful ...?
Hmmm i can't wait to meet you. .. hmmm you don't need to be blonde you know...😊

[@zoran69ser]

1000 time he say jew , whay i shood listen these ? these speek is for him people.

[@RamSadeh]

Oh how stupid