I was an ethical Buddhist for many years. I started our in Zen but was alienated, ultimately, by its indifference to humanity. The great Sufi, Hazrat Inayat Khan, once said that man is not wired to worship abstractions, and I believe that's true. We can't attain moral and ethical perfection in a void. So I started investigating Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism--for those unacquainted with it--posits that there exist certain humans who have reached enlightenment yet, nevertheless, refuse Nirvana and stay in this world to help others become enlightened. They are called Bodhisattvas. Their example is the Buddha, himself, who chose to stay in the world and enlighten others, rather than be selfishly satisifed with achieving only his own enlightenment. In a sense, they are like our saints.
From a Buddhist perspective, Christ is the ultimate Bodhisattva, sacrifing His own well-being for others out of great love and compassion. In addition, He shows us how to live: with love, forgiveness, gratitude, optimism, justice, belief, and acceptance of all of the mysteries of life, wherever they lead. He also shows us how to die: with integrity, courage, grace, dignity, forgiveness, and the knowledge that, after this life, there awaits something greater. In other words, Christ actually explains to us what we are doing here. We have meaning and purpose.
In addition, both Christianity and Buddhism share a tragic view of mankind; that is, man is his own worst enemy and is alienated from God by his own ego-centrism. Eve's sin is to obey her own will--not God's. Balance, healing and reconciliation with God come when we rise above ourselves and concentrate on the welfare of others in love.
The fundamental ethics of Buddhism are entirely, or virtually entirely, compatible with Christianity and Judaism, so it's really not much of a leap, in my opinion.