Heart of a Stranger

An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging

De: Angela Buchdahl

Narrado por: Angela Buchdahl

From the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi, a stirring account of one woman’s journey from feeling like an outsider to becoming one of the most admired religious leaders in the world

Angela Buchdahl was born in Seoul, the daughter of a Korean Buddhist mother and Jewish American father. Profoundly spiritual from a young age, by sixteen she felt the first stirrings to become a rabbi. Despite the naysayers and periods of self-doubt—Would a mixed-race woman ever be seen as authentically Jewish or chosen to lead a congregation?—she stayed the course, which took her first to Yale, then to rabbinical school, and finally to the pulpit of one of the largest, most influential congregations in the world.

Today, Angela Buchdahl inspires Jews and non-Jews alike with her invigorating, joyful approach to worship and her belief in the power of faith, gratitude, and responsibility for one another, regardless of religion. She does not shy away from difficult topics, from racism within the Jewish community and the sexism she confronted when she aspired to the top job to rising antisemitism today. Buchdahl teaches how these challenges, which can make one feel like a stranger, can ultimately be the source of our greatest empathy and strength.

Angela Buchdahl has gone from outsider to officiant, from feeling estranged to feeling embraced—and she's emerged with a deep conviction that we are all bound to a larger whole and mission. She has written a book that is both memoir and spiritual guide for everyday living, which is exactly what so many of us crave right now.

©2025 Angela Buchdahl (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A moral masterpiece . . . that speaks to head, heart, and soul.”—Senator Cory Booker

“In a moment of rising social division, racism, and antisemitism, this stirring call for unity resonates.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Love and light live in Angela Buchdahl’s extraordinary memoir. It comes at a time when the world needs reminding that all our hearts must remain open to the oneness of humanity—and, not least, to the outsiders among us. . . Crossing over is at the heart of the Jewish experience, and in exploring the arc between home and promised lands, memory and meaning, Buchdahl has given us a memoir of profound insight and hope.”—Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University