How She Does It EP 63: The Unlikely Rabbi: Angela Buchdahl on her Journey From South Korea To Senior Rabbi
Anglea Buchdahl has been leading one of NYC’s most influential Reform Judaism congregations since 2014. Not only is she the first female leader of Central Synagogue in its more than 185-year history, but she is also changing the expectations around what it can look like to be a senior rabbi.
In this episode, Rabbi Buchdahl joins Karen Finerman to discuss her memoir “Heart Of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging.” In it, she shares how her Buddhist Korean mother and Jewish American father shaped her outlook on life, faith, and God. She went on to become the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi. Building her career presented its own challenges: from navigating the realities of being a working mother to deciding when and how to pursue bigger opportunities. Along the way, she even faced doubters who said she lacked the “gravitas.” She persevered and has established herself as a leading voice in the Reform Jewish community.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
- How Rabbi Buchdahl resists putting too much stock in external criticism - or validation
- One of the craziest days in Rabbi Buchdahl’s career, which proved to be a perfect representation of the challenges of being a working mother
- How a coin toss helped Rabbi Buchdahl take one of the biggest leaps of her career
- The role Rabbi Buchdahl says humility plays in being a good leader (and helped convince her to accept an invite to the White House).
- The meaningful moment Rabbi Buchdhl was able to publicly thank her mother for her support and guidance
🔗 Visit Central Synagogue’s Website
🔗 Learn More about “Heart Of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging”
📸 Follow Rabbi Angela Buchdahl On Instagram
📸 Watch Rabbi Angela Buchdahl’s sermons on YouTube
📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast
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