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A Look at Dr. Laura

© Beth Lewis

Each weekday, throughout America, you can tune your radio to a call-in advice program with a Jewish perspective; Dr. Laura Schlessinger, an observant Jewish woman in Los Angeles, fields countless calls from Jews and Gentiles alike on issues such as morality, sexuality, parenting, dating, and love. You can often hear her discussing the virtues of observing Shabbat, the opinions of her Rabbi, the wisdom of Jewish sages, and the Jewish way of looking at life.

Dr. Laura is sometimes maligned in the media because she can be very tough on her callers; she makes no secret of her disapproval of sex before marriage, live-in lovers, or a caller's refusal to take personal responsibility for her actions. She always bases her advice on what is best for children, as well as the basic moral principles of the Ten Commandments. In fact, her latest book is called The Ten Commandments: The Significance of God's Laws in Everyday Life, written in conjunction with her Orthodox Rabbi.

Dr. Laura's Jewish background is quite interesting. She was raised in a secular home, with a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother. As an adult, she was watching a program on the Holocaust with her son, as they both suddenly identified with the Jewish people for the first time. At that point, she and her son embarked on a journey towards Jewish observance, through intense study and practice, as well as the formal conversion process. I believe her husband is currently in the process of converting to Judaism. Her son was recently Bar Mitzvahed.

Last year, Dr. Laura found herself in the middle of a cyber-controversy when a series of nude pictures (from an affair with a married man while in her 20's) surfaced all over the Internet. Dr. Laura-haters used this scandal to further justify their negative feelings towards her, calling her a hypocrite, among other things. Dr. Laura basically chalked up the pictures to youth and immaturity, focusing on the positive changes she has made in her life since then. She failed to receive a court injunction to block the photos from the Web.

The Dr. Laura show is almost always entertaining, whether you wholeheartedly agree with her, or if you find yourself yelling at the radio, infuriated by her moralistic rants. Plus, it's always nice to hear a strong Jewish perspective in the national media.

The Official Dr. Laura Web Site
Find out where you can hear Dr. Laura in your city and keep up-to-date with the latest news. Also, find information about the Dr. Laura Foundation, which serves the needs of children.

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