Building Bridges Through Books - April 21, 2026

Join us in building community together - this month on April 21 at Bethany Arts Commuity

Come be a part of something truly special: A monthly gathering to explore race, faith, identity, and community through books and readings selected by the group itself.

Facilitated by Joyce Sharrock-Cole (Ossining Village Historian) with Abbe Marcus (Executive Director, JTC Experiences), these gatherings begin with light refreshments and informal exchange, followed by an hour of focused discussion. By meeting monthly, the intent is to build understanding, relationships, and community over time.

Schedule: We meet at Hudson Valley Books for Humanity from 7 to 8:30 PM—usually on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. The remaining dates in the 2025-26 season will be May 12 and June 9.

Location: Please note the location of this month’s gathering: Bethany Arts Community, 40 Somerstown Road, Ossining.

Materials: Books are available for purchase (for a 10% discount off the cover price) at Hudson Valley Books for Humanity.

Cost: There is no fee to participate; we simply ask for your RSVP below for planning purposes.

About the Book

At our April 21 meeting, we’ll discuss  Heart of a Stranger, a fascinating memoir by Angela Buchdahl (the first East Asian to become an ordained rabbi AND the first woman to lead NYC’s Central Synagogue). This book exquisitely explores themes of cultural and religious identity, faith, and belonging.

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. Angela 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.

Stop by the bookstore and pick up a copy for 10% off!

Building Bridges Through Books is sponsored by Congregation Sons of Israel, First Church of Christ, JTC Experiences, and Hudson Valley Books for Humanity.