Knowing the Heart of the Stranger — and of One Another
President’s Message
In her moving memoir, Heart of a Stranger, Angela Buchdahl reflects on what it means to belong—to a faith, to a people, and to a community. Drawing on the Torah’s repeated commandment to “know the heart of the stranger,” she reminds us that Jewish life is not only about who we are, but how we make room for others. That message resonates deeply here at North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation.
NTHC has always been a place shaped by welcome. We are a congregation of many paths: lifelong Jews, Jews by choice, interfaith families, seasonal residents, visitors who arrive for a weekend and stay for years. What binds us together is not sameness, but shared values—community, compassion, learning, and connection. Like Rabbi Buchdahl’s story, our story is one of finding holiness not in perfection, but in presence.
One of the book’s most powerful lessons is that belonging is not passive. It is something we create—again and again—through our actions. When we greet someone new at Shabbat services, when we make space for questions and doubt, when we honor different journeys into Jewish life, we are living the mitzvah of welcoming the stranger. And often, as the book reminds us, the “stranger” is not only the person sitting beside us, but the part of ourselves still searching for home.
At NTHC, we know what it means to be a little different—practicing Judaism in a mountain community, far from large urban centers. Yet that uniqueness is our strength. It invites creativity, intimacy, and a deep sense of responsibility for one another. We don’t just attend synagogue together; we show up for one another in times of joy, challenge, and transition.
Heart of a Stranger calls us to lead with empathy, to listen before judging, and to build communities rooted in kindness rather than assumption. These are not abstract ideals—they are values we strive to live every time we gather, whether for Shabbat, learning, service, or celebration. There are many opportunities for you to get involved: volunteer to coordinate a potluck Oneg, own a project that needs attending, join our amazing Board of Directors or simply join us at many of the moments when we gather as community.
May we continue to be a congregation that knows the heart of the stranger because we take the time to truly know one another. And may our doors, our hearts, and our community always remain open.
Heidi Doyle, President
North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation
