KQED's Forum Rabbi Calls for Boundless Compassion Amid Divides
Oct 21, 2025
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue in NYC and author of "Heart of a Stranger," discusses the challenges of expressing empathy amidst political divides. She reveals her fear of discussing Israel due to concerns about community fallout and reflects on shared suffering after crises. Buchdahl emphasizes the dangers of a zero-sum empathy mindset, linking her biracial upbringing to her commitment to compassion. She also highlights the importance of storytelling and listening as pathways to repair emotional connections and foster understanding.
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Empathy Isn't A Zero-Sum Choice
- Rabbi Angela Buchdahl warns that empathy is being treated as zero-sum in discussions about Israel and Gaza.
- She argues it's not disloyal to feel empathy for suffering on both sides and that nuance is essential to holding community together.
Fear Narrows The Heart
- Fear, anxiety, and trauma narrow our hearts and disable empathy, especially when the other side feels existentially threatening.
- Rabbi Buchdahl says she personally struggled to view Gazan suffering after October 7th but was moved by a hostage mother's recognition of shared grief.
A Growing Push Against Empathy
- Buchdahl identifies a growing movement that rejects empathy, citing books and public figures who call empathy a weakness.
- She counters that Judaism teaches we need more empathy, not less, and warns of a 'war on empathy' in public discourse.
