Twenty Five Questions for a Jewish Mother: Question #1

Our book - Twenty Five Questions for a Jewish Mother - publishes Mothers Day. People often ask us how did 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother start out? It started as a play -we came up with the idea over martinis at Liz Smith's book party nearly six years ago. Judy wanted to get out of the clubs and play in a legitimate theatre and I wanted to write a one person show--well-that's what I like to tell myself. We interviewed Jewish mothers around the country and asked them each around 25 questions. Along the way, we also tracked Judy's journey as a Kosher Lesbian Jewish comedian mother of two and her relationship with her highly entertaining mother Ruth. We interviewed Orthodox, Reform, culturally identified, those who converted, Holocaust survivors, children of Holocaust survivors-the only requirement was that they be Jewish and a mother. The play was performed initially in a small theatre called Ars Nova on the far west side in midtown. After an incredible NY Times Review -it sold out and moved to the St. Luke's Theatre for an six month run. Judy picked up a Drama Desk nomination and we won the GLAAD award for Best Play this past April. When Voice approached us to write a book on the subject, we were ecstatic simply because we would be able to answer all twenty five questions and to use many more of the women's answers. And while Judy is touring across the United States with this play this coming year, the book gives us an opportunity to reach many more women, not all of them Jewish. As my mother Carol Ryan says, "You don't have to be Jewish to identify with this book. Any mother, even an Irish Catholic like me, can identify with it." However, we do start the book with the question, "What makes a Jewish Mother different from a non-Jewish mother?" How would you answer that question?

Tune in next week for Question # 2 for our 7 Days and 7 Questions for a Jewish Mother. Or, log on to http://www.everywomansvoice.com/ to read more on Judy and Kate's Twenty Five Questions for a Jewish Mother.