Bullsh*t Behavior & Central Synagogue’s Rabbi Angela Buchdahl

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

Jonah Platt

Faith And Spirituality, Cultural Exploration, Religion & Spirituality, Jewish Experience, Faith Conversations, Jewish Heritage, Society & Culture, Jonah Platt, Non-jewish Allies, Jewish Identity, Being Jewish, Diversity Of Judaism, Jewish Culture, Personal Journeys, Jewish Athletes, Celebrity Interviews, Art And Judaism Sports, Judaism, Jewish Food And Politics

4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2025

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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In an episode that beautifully blends trailblazing with tradition, Jonah Platt sits down with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of New York’s Central Synagogue to discuss her powerful new book, Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Story of Faith, Identity and Belonging. Together, they explore what it means to live JEWISHLY today — drawing on timeless wisdom, personal reflection, and ancient storytelling.

From conversations about conversion and inclusion to reflections on optimism and belonging in a fractured world, Rabbi Buchdahl brings her signature depth and compassion to every topic. Much like her weekly sermons, streamed by millions around the globe every week, this discussion feels both timely and timeless, landing perfectly on the Jewish calendar as she reflects on the meaning of Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret.

At the heart of the episode — and of Rabbi Buchdahl’s book — lies a profound idea: that to be Jewish often means to feel like a stranger - usually a sentiment that feels isolating but when embraced can be inspiring, empathetic and purposeful. Don’t miss this thoughtful and uplifting episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt.

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Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Executive Producer Matthew “MoJo” Jones, Story Producer Sean Leviashvili, Editors Diana DeCilio & Jacob Kindber, and Executive Assistant Jax Santiago of Rainbow Creative; Chief Business Officer Kenyon Laing, Executive Assistant Josie Rothschild; Research Associate Samantha Greenwald; Associate Producer Rachel Stern; YouTube Consultants - Zac Stein & Jason Al-Samarrie - Production Assistant, Charlie Zuker; Interns Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb; & Graphic Designer, Noah Bell

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Shalom, Kavarim, Banot, and welcome to another very special episode of the world's number one Jewish podcast.
0:08.1	I have to ask for a small favor.
0:10.4	As an independent show, we don't have a massive marketing machine behind us.
0:14.6	Our growth is purely organic, fueled by dedicated viewers and listeners like you.
0:19.5	So if you would be so kind, please take 30 seconds,
0:24.0	head over to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find this show, and leave me a five-star rating and a short
0:30.0	written review. I love seeing all of your thoughtful and generous feedback. Some of it has even
0:35.0	made it onto the show and may again. And as of this recording,
0:38.7	we are just eight ratings away from hitting 500 on Apple. Crossing that threshold would be a huge
0:44.3	milestone for us. It's a small mitzv on your part, but it really is the fuel that allows us to
0:50.0	keep these amazing conversations going. So thank you in advance. Unless you don't leave a rating,
0:55.9	in which case you're a butt head. Gather round, ye friends, gather around for three tales.
1:01.8	Tales that at first might seem totally unrelated to one another, but hopefully upon conclusion
1:07.6	will be seen as United in theme. YAR.
1:13.1	Okay, regular voice.
1:14.1	Tale number one.
1:20.8	In the 2024 elections, 37-year-old Democrat Rebecca Cook took on incumbent Derek Van Orden,
1:26.6	a 56-year-old Republican, and a hotly contested raise to represent Wisconsin's third congressional district.
1:28.8	She lost. This year,
1:34.2	Cook is opposing Van Orden again, and at a recent campaign event said the following about Israel.
1:40.6	Quote, I don't think that taxpayer dollars should be going to fund the killing of children, period.
1:45.9	I think this is a moral issue. The other thing that I'll say is that I don't think that we should send more military aid to the Netanyahu government invasion. When asked about these
	...

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