Veteran Alexander teacher Frank Ottiwell made a stray remark about training with Judy Leibowitz in New York in 1958 with a “dozen Jews.” (Cited in this interview with Brooke Lieb.)
That made me wonder why so many Alexander teachers are Jewish. My estimate is that about a third of Alexander teachers are Jewish. For instance, Israel has more Alexander teachers per capita (about 500) than any other country in the world.
Now most of these Jews teaching the Technique are not Orthodox. So why are secular Jews so attracted to the Technique?
Well, Alexander teachers tend to disproportionately come from backgrounds in show business (acting or music or dance) and Jews are disproportionate in that industry.
Jews tend to have high IQs and Alexander Technique is cognitively directed movement.
Secular Jews tend to seek out substitute religions and Alexander Technique can be an all-encompassing theory of life that substitutes for religion for many.
