MJCCA Book Fest Presents Rabbi Angela Buchdahl in conversation with Rabbi Peter Berg – The Heart of a Stranger
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.
The 34th Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA welcomes Rabbi Angela Buchdahl to discuss her book, “Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging.” Rabbi Buchdahl will appear in conversation Rabbi Peter Berg, Senior Rabbinic Chair, The Temple.
The Esther G. Levine Read. Presented by the Helen Marie Stern Fund.
Ticket options include an admission with book option. Books will also be available for purchase at the venue.
About the Book
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.
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.
