HEART OF A STRANGER

Seeing each other as part of the “same family.”

Buchdahl is the senior rabbi of Central Synagogue in Manhattan. A leading figure in Reform Judaism, she has led prayer services for two American presidents. She is also the daughter of a Jewish man and a Korean woman, each of whom brought family tradition and the power of faith to her upbringing. Buchdahl’s eloquent memoir braids a narrative of growth and discovery with sermonic reflections on biblical texts. This is a book about finding a calling, but it is also a book about inclusion. Throughout her journey—from training as a cantor known for a magnificent voice, to ordaining as a rabbi famous for her close readings of holy words—she asks: Am I really Jewish? What is Judaism, now, in a 21st century of mixed-race families, of resurgent orthodoxy, and of challenging Israeli political, social, and military action? One answer comes from her father. “My father’s Judaism wasn’t about a deity or dogma. It was a series of actions played out every day.” Another answer comes from her mother, the real hero of this book. Raised in wartime Japan, returning to wartime Korea, marrying an American Jewish man, moving to Tacoma, Washington, Angela’s mother is more than a survivor. She is the creative spirit of her family and of this rich narrative. In one telling moment, we read that her mother put kimchi on the Passover plate to represent the bitter herbs of exile. Such a move teaches us that every culture has its passages and pains, that families and faith should be built out of welcome rather than on walls, and that out of bitter tastes come sweet memories. Amid the noise of current conflict, Buchdahl’s voice invites us all to sing along.

An inspiring life story of believing and belonging, told by one of the most influential figures in modern American Judaism.