Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging - Hardcover

Angela Buchdahl

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593490177 ISBN 13: 9780593490174

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books, 2025

Synopsis

Angela Buchdahl was born in Korea and grew up in Tacoma, Washington, the daughter of a Korean Buddhist mother and Jewish American father. Profoundly spiritual from a young age, she felt a connection to God when only a child and felt the first stirrings to become a rabbi at age sixteen. Despite the naysayers and periods of self-doubt - would a mixed-race woman ever be seen as authentically Jewish and entitled to lead a congregation - she stayed the course, which took her first to Yale, then to rabbinical school, cantorial school, and finally to the pulpit of one of the largest, most influential congregations in the world. Today, Angela Buchdahl is revered by Jews and non-Jews alike for her invigorating, joyful approach to worship, and her belief in the power of faith, gratitude, and responsibility for each other, regardless of religion. She does not shy away from challenging topics, be it racism within the Jewish community to sexism she confronted when she aspired to the top job. Buchdahl has also been a sought-after leader and voice through some of the most challenging moments in recent history, from the murder of George Floyd to the hostage standoff in Colleyville, Texas to the horrors of October 7th. Buchdahl's consistent message is that it is up to us to strive for a world of more humanity, especially in today's challenging times. Angela Buchdahl has gone from outsider to officiant, from feeling estranged to feeling embraced - and she's emerged with a deep feeling of being bound to a larger whole and mission. Here, she has written a book that is both a memoir and a spiritual guide for everyday living, which is exactly what so many of us crave right now.

About this title

About the Author

Angela Buchdahl is the first Asian American rabbi. She serves as the Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City, the first woman to lead this flagship congregation in its 185-year history. Under her leadership, Central has grown to become one of the largest synagogues in the world, with live stream viewers in more than one hundred countries. She has led prayers in the White House for two U.S. presidents and is frequently featured on national news outlets including Today, NPR, and The Wall Street Journal to speak on the moral issues of the day. Rabbi Buchdahl and her husband live in New York City and have three children.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593490177
• ISBN 13: 9780593490174
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304