Heart of a Stranger by Angela Buchdahl
Book Blurb:
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, 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.
My Review: 4.5 stars
Heart of a Stranger by Angela Buchdahl is an outstanding memoir about the authors life growing up in a mixed religion household and how she came to find her reasons to follow her dream of becoming a rabbi.
I was first introduced to the author in 2020 because Covid struck and it didn’t feel safe to congregate for holiday services. A friend recommended I watch NYC’s services at Central Synagogue that were being live streamed. I loved her sermons and found it crazy amazing that she was the first woman and Asian American rabbi to lead such a highly accredited synagogue.
Buchdahl used fine storytelling to help explain many of the Jewish traditions, and learnings from the Torah. I learned a lot from this book and am thrilled for her success.
Quotes I liked:
You are one hundred percent Korean. You are one hundred per cent Jewish. And you are one hundred per cent American.”
“Judaism is not just something you’re given. It’s something you choose.”
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