“The Brotherhood of Baba’s Own”: Mary Antin, Meher Baba, and the Malleability of Belonging
Publication information:
Abstract
In the 1910s, Mary Antin was one of the most celebrated American Jews, famed for her immigrant autobiography, The Promised Land. But around 1920, she withdrew from the public eye to pursue her spiritual passions. Between 1930 and 1933, she became a follower of the Indian spiritual leader Meher Baba. Antin balanced her devotion to Baba with her long-lasting commitment to a liberal Protestant community and her lifelong identity as a Jew. This paper explores the boundaries of religious identity, emphasizing the possibility of a multiplicity of religious relationships rather than focusing on historical actors’ static religious identities.
Presenter Biography
Rachel B. Gross is the John and Marcia Goldman Chair in American Jewish Studies at San Francisco State University. Her book, Beyond the Synagogue: Jewish Nostalgia as Religious Practice, was a 2021 National Jewish Book Award finalist. She is currently researching the religious adventures of American Jewish writer Mary Antin.