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

Angela Buchdahl was born in Seoul to a Korean Buddhist mother and Jewish American father. Deeply spiritual from childhood, she felt called to become a rabbi at sixteen. Despite doubts about whether a mixed-race woman would be accepted as authentically Jewish or chosen to lead a congregation, she pursued rabbinical training at Yale and rabbinical school, eventually becoming the first Asian American ordained as a rabbi. Buchdahl now leads one of the largest and most influential congregations in the world. She approaches worship with what she describes as an invigorating, joyful perspective, emphasizing faith, gratitude, and mutual responsibility across religious lines. Her work addresses difficult subjects including racism within the Jewish community, sexism in religious leadership, and rising antisemitism. This memoir and spiritual guide explores how experiences of being an outsider and estranged can develop empathy and strength. Buchdahl reflects on her journey from feeling like a stranger to finding belonging, and conveys a conviction that people are connected to a larger whole and shared mission.