How a Fundamentalist Christian Became a Practicing Jew

Author Angela Himsel will discuss her new memoir, A RIVER COULD BE A TREE (Fig Tree Books Hardcover; Nov 2018) at the Flemington Jewish Community Center on October 7th at 12pm. Angela’s seemingly impossible road from childhood cult in rural Indiana to a committed Jewish life in NYC is traced with warmth, humor, and a multitude of religious and philosophical insights. Ms. Himsel is a freelance writer based in New York City whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Jewish Week, the Forward, Lilith Magazine, BOMB Magazine, and several other outlets.

As she was growing up in rural Indiana, Angela believed that strict adherence to the church’s tenets was her only way to escape a certain, gruesome death, receive the Holy Spirit, and live forever in the Kingdom of God. With self-preservation in mind, she decided, at nineteen, to study at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. But instead of strengthening her faith, Angela was introduced to a whole new world with different people and perspectives. This experience slowly opened her eyes to the church’s shortcomings. Ultimately, the connection to God she relentlessly pursued was found in the most unexpected place: a mikvah on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. This devout Christian girl found her own form of salvation—as a practicing Jewish woman.