Me, Marilyn Monore and the London Review of Books

I have a letter in the London Review of Books:

Jacqueline Rose decided not to include any mention of Marilyn Monroe’s conversion to Judaism. The Spring 2010 issue of Reform Judaism published newly released letters from the rabbi, Robert Goldburg, who officiated at her conversion at Congregation Mishkan Israel, in New Haven. The letters, it would seem, reveal not only that Monroe was a serious convert, but that she continued to identify as Jewish after her divorce from Arthur Miller.


Yisrael Medad

Shiloh, Israel

Here's the unedited version:

In reviewing a book of Marilyn Monroe's letters, Jacqueline Rose purports to look into Marilyn Monroe's mind and writes: "If Monroe offers an image of American perfectibility, we shouldn’t be surprised to find behind that image, as its hidden companion, a host of other images..." (A Rumbling of Things Unknown, 26 April). Among those images, Rose decides not to include any mention of her conversion to Judaism. I would consider that odd for an academic who is know for her work on psychoanalysis and feminism.

The Spring 2010 issue of Reform Judaism, published newly released letters from the rabbi who officiated at the conversion of Marilyn Monroe, Robert Goldburg, at Congregation Mishkan Israel, in New Haven, Connecticut. The letters, it would seem, reveal that Monroe was not only a serious and heart-felt convert to Judaism, she continued to identify as Jewish after her divorce from Jewish playwright Arthur Miller. Her desire to become Jewish was self-motivated and Rabbi Goldburg testified that she "was impressed with the rationalism of Judaism -- its ethical and prophetic ideals and its concept of close family life."

This surely should have figured in her review and as it wasn't what does this tell us of Prof. Rose and her Judaism?

And what does my edited-down letter inform us about the LRB?

^