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A River Could Be a Tree
How does a woman who grew up in rural Indiana as a fundamentalist Christian end up a practicing Jew in New York?
Angela Himsel was raised in a German-American family, one of eleven children who shared a single bathroom in their rented ramshackle farmhouse in Indiana. The Himsels followed an evangelical branch of Christianity—the Worldwide Church of God—which espoused a doomsday philosophy. Only faith in Jesus, the Bible, significant tithing, and the church's leader could save them from the evils of American culture—divorce, television, makeup, and even medicine.
From the time she was a young girl, Himsel believed that the Bible was the guidebook to being saved, and only strict adherence to the church's tenets could allow her 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, Himsel was introduced to a whole new world—one with different people and perspectives. Her eyes were slowly opened to the church's shortcomings, even dangers, and fueled her natural tendency to question everything she had been taught, including the guiding principles of the church and the words of the Bible itself.
Ultimately, the connection to God she so relentlessly pursued was found in the most unexpected place: a mikvah on Manhattan's Upper West Side. This devout Christian Midwesterner found her own form of salvation—as a practicing Jewish woman.
Himsel's seemingly impossible road from childhood cult to a committed Jewish life is traced in and around the major events of the 1970s and 80s with warmth, humor, and a multitude of religious and philosophical insights. A River Could Be a Tree: A Memoir is a fascinating story of struggle, doubt, and finally, personal fulfillment.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2018
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517 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 26, 2018
In Angela Hemsil’s memoir I learned more about Fundamentalists Christianity - in detail - from Angela’s childhood -the evangelical branch of Christianity - The World Wide Church of God - that I may ever want to know in a lifetime.
Angela was raised in Indiana- a German American Family. She was one of 11 children. Their family lived in rented ramshackle farmhouse with only one bathroom.
We get a lot of family background about each of her parents & grandparents....and a close inside look at the family rules & expectations... their beliefs. She included quotes by Priests during Church services that would have frightened me as a child.
Angela actually worried which of the children their parents might kill and ‘eat’. She, being way too skinny - felt it couldn’t be her. Her Priest YELLED out to their congregation shocking and abusive statements. Religious ‘threats’.
Her parents never voted.The church taught that it was not for them to determine the world’s leadership, but for God. That same mentality was also responsible for many good Christians concerning themselves with the ills of the world: environmental disasters caused by human beings, child labor and poverty, war, famine, or disease.
“When Jesus returned, he would take care of that”.
Yet her parents did believe that God would put
*MEN* in power to make certain that abortion was illegal and that homosexuals had no rights.
There’s a sad story of one of her sister’s dying as a child. After she became sick they treated her at home - took her out of school for two years - Homeschooled her.
“Social workers came over to check on her, and my mother warned us not to answer questions. The social workers asked my mother if Abby had seen a doctor lately, and she said yes, she had, though I didn’t recall Abby having seen a doctor in the past few years. In fact, the talk at home was all about God healing her”.
After Abby died, her father believed, and remain convinced throughout his lifetime, it was his lack of rigorously observing the Sabbath that had killed his daughter.
We begin to see - quietly - Angela’s childhood independent thinking. Her heroes, her role models were people like Louisa May Alcott, and Laura Ingalls Wilder, women who’d defied their societal roles and had the courage to write their world. They told stories for pleasure, unlike the Bible.
Angela knew as a child she, too, wanted to be a writer.
Angela’s Life had long been compartmentalize between secular school Monday through Friday and the church world on the weekend. Her older siblings had graduated high school and had stopped attending church and were in the local workforce.
In her own participation in school- before she had the words of understanding of the changes that were happening inside her apart from her family ... she identified with intellectual freedom and the freedom to simply be who she was without labels attached from birth.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Angela’s day’s at Indiana University and who she was becoming.
From Indiana University... Angela takes a leap through an exchange program and goes to Jerusalem university in Israel.
Soon she’s immersed in modern Israel: political discussions, Shabbat dinners, lectures at the University, local gossip, debates over where the best falafel stand was etc.
Back in the states...
“Nothing was more thrilling than spending an entire Sunday in a room full of Jews examining the Song of Songs through the lens of Jewish mysticism”
Angela becomes seriously involved with s Jewish man in New York.- Selig and is pregnant. They are married today with other children.
Her conversion was a personal, and individual decision between she and God. She never claimed she could be part of the Jewish tribe by blood or history....yet she was definitely part of the Jewish community supported by people in her synagogue.
This book will appeal to many people who have converted. I have close friends who have converted to Judaism. ( several) ....My own husband did at age 9- tons of after school studying at his synagogue. He had his Bar Mitzvah at age 13.
but I don’t know any who came from the background that Angela did.
At times this book might remind readers of another.
“Educated”, by Tara Westover.
- yet different too!
Angela reminds us - that we each have the right and freedom to follow our own paths. Her beauty and
and intelligence shine through telling her story.
Angela was raised in Indiana- a German American Family. She was one of 11 children. Their family lived in rented ramshackle farmhouse with only one bathroom.
We get a lot of family background about each of her parents & grandparents....and a close inside look at the family rules & expectations... their beliefs. She included quotes by Priests during Church services that would have frightened me as a child.
Angela actually worried which of the children their parents might kill and ‘eat’. She, being way too skinny - felt it couldn’t be her. Her Priest YELLED out to their congregation shocking and abusive statements. Religious ‘threats’.
Her parents never voted.The church taught that it was not for them to determine the world’s leadership, but for God. That same mentality was also responsible for many good Christians concerning themselves with the ills of the world: environmental disasters caused by human beings, child labor and poverty, war, famine, or disease.
“When Jesus returned, he would take care of that”.
Yet her parents did believe that God would put
*MEN* in power to make certain that abortion was illegal and that homosexuals had no rights.
There’s a sad story of one of her sister’s dying as a child. After she became sick they treated her at home - took her out of school for two years - Homeschooled her.
“Social workers came over to check on her, and my mother warned us not to answer questions. The social workers asked my mother if Abby had seen a doctor lately, and she said yes, she had, though I didn’t recall Abby having seen a doctor in the past few years. In fact, the talk at home was all about God healing her”.
After Abby died, her father believed, and remain convinced throughout his lifetime, it was his lack of rigorously observing the Sabbath that had killed his daughter.
We begin to see - quietly - Angela’s childhood independent thinking. Her heroes, her role models were people like Louisa May Alcott, and Laura Ingalls Wilder, women who’d defied their societal roles and had the courage to write their world. They told stories for pleasure, unlike the Bible.
Angela knew as a child she, too, wanted to be a writer.
Angela’s Life had long been compartmentalize between secular school Monday through Friday and the church world on the weekend. Her older siblings had graduated high school and had stopped attending church and were in the local workforce.
In her own participation in school- before she had the words of understanding of the changes that were happening inside her apart from her family ... she identified with intellectual freedom and the freedom to simply be who she was without labels attached from birth.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Angela’s day’s at Indiana University and who she was becoming.
From Indiana University... Angela takes a leap through an exchange program and goes to Jerusalem university in Israel.
Soon she’s immersed in modern Israel: political discussions, Shabbat dinners, lectures at the University, local gossip, debates over where the best falafel stand was etc.
Back in the states...
“Nothing was more thrilling than spending an entire Sunday in a room full of Jews examining the Song of Songs through the lens of Jewish mysticism”
Angela becomes seriously involved with s Jewish man in New York.- Selig and is pregnant. They are married today with other children.
Her conversion was a personal, and individual decision between she and God. She never claimed she could be part of the Jewish tribe by blood or history....yet she was definitely part of the Jewish community supported by people in her synagogue.
This book will appeal to many people who have converted. I have close friends who have converted to Judaism. ( several) ....My own husband did at age 9- tons of after school studying at his synagogue. He had his Bar Mitzvah at age 13.
but I don’t know any who came from the background that Angela did.
At times this book might remind readers of another.
“Educated”, by Tara Westover.
- yet different too!
Angela reminds us - that we each have the right and freedom to follow our own paths. Her beauty and
and intelligence shine through telling her story.
November 13, 2018
From rural Indiana and an apocalyptic Christian cult to New York City and Orthodox Judaism by way of studies in Jerusalem: Himsel has made quite the religious leap. She was one of 11 children born to a Catholic and a Lutheran, both of German heritage, and grew up in the Worldwide Church of God. This was an apocalyptic cult whose charismatic leader was later exposed for financial and sexual peccadilloes – a trajectory that reminded me very much of the Exclusive Brethren story line in Rebecca Stott’s superior memoir, In the Days of Rain. You weren’t allowed to have doubts about the Church’s doctrine, but Himsel had misgivings aplenty during her college years, especially in her time studying abroad in Jerusalem.
She already had a deep knowledge and appreciation of the Hebrew Bible, even its more obscure festivals, through the WCG, so in a way it wasn’t that much of a leap into Judaism when she married a Jew. I found the Jerusalem chapters a little tedious compared to the folksy Midwest setting of the earlier material, and although leaving a cult is easy to understand, what happens next feels more like a random sequence of events than a conscious choice on the author’s part. Maybe I needed some more climactic scenes – even if they were totally made up – to help me go along with her decisions. I also thought the final wrap-up section was too full of deaths, something I have found more than once lately in a memoir that tries to bring the reader up to the present quickly.
She already had a deep knowledge and appreciation of the Hebrew Bible, even its more obscure festivals, through the WCG, so in a way it wasn’t that much of a leap into Judaism when she married a Jew. I found the Jerusalem chapters a little tedious compared to the folksy Midwest setting of the earlier material, and although leaving a cult is easy to understand, what happens next feels more like a random sequence of events than a conscious choice on the author’s part. Maybe I needed some more climactic scenes – even if they were totally made up – to help me go along with her decisions. I also thought the final wrap-up section was too full of deaths, something I have found more than once lately in a memoir that tries to bring the reader up to the present quickly.
November 2, 2018
This is a book about what happens when you can’t go home again. It’s about losing the faith of childhood, going on a journey, and finding home in a surprising place.
This is a thoughtful, kind and intellectual retrospective on a long journey. Angela was raised in an intense, world-rejecting fringe religion in small town Indiana. Over the course of many years, her world expands to the point that her faith must transition into something new. This story is about the complex relationships between parent and child, husband and wife, nation and citizen, religion and believer. Angela allows these relationships to be both challenging and meaningful. She avoids stereotype and oversimplification and instead holds on to the beauty in the messiness.
For those who feel like they are spiritual wanderers, this book is a great comfort. Angela shows how the wandering itself can be a spiritual practice. For those who have left their faith of origin, this book shows that you can find belonging and community without intellectual compromise.
While this is certainly a Jewish story, it’s so much more than that. It is a very human story of growing up. This moving – and often funny! – book shows how life can be complicated, painful and surprising, but also ultimately hopeful and joyful. It will be of interest to those who love good writing, memoirs, coming-of-age narratives, philosophy, and religion.
This is a thoughtful, kind and intellectual retrospective on a long journey. Angela was raised in an intense, world-rejecting fringe religion in small town Indiana. Over the course of many years, her world expands to the point that her faith must transition into something new. This story is about the complex relationships between parent and child, husband and wife, nation and citizen, religion and believer. Angela allows these relationships to be both challenging and meaningful. She avoids stereotype and oversimplification and instead holds on to the beauty in the messiness.
For those who feel like they are spiritual wanderers, this book is a great comfort. Angela shows how the wandering itself can be a spiritual practice. For those who have left their faith of origin, this book shows that you can find belonging and community without intellectual compromise.
While this is certainly a Jewish story, it’s so much more than that. It is a very human story of growing up. This moving – and often funny! – book shows how life can be complicated, painful and surprising, but also ultimately hopeful and joyful. It will be of interest to those who love good writing, memoirs, coming-of-age narratives, philosophy, and religion.
February 10, 2019
My rating is off kilter because the first half of the book was interesting and would rate at least four stars. The author explored her faith as a fundamentalist Christian who grew up in a large family in Indiana, and this part of the book that raised philosophical and theological questions was reminiscent of Tara Westover's Educated. The questioning that brought her to study in Israel and question her premises about salvation was interesting. However, after she meets a rabbi's son, her intellectual rigor dissipates, and she settles on becoming an Orthodox Jew accepting the strictures on her life as a normal practicing Orthodox Jewish woman. This new lifestyle was explained too hurriedly and the quest for understanding seemed buried by acceptance of a heretofore strange belief system and lifestyle.
January 10, 2019
Angela Himsel's book came into my life at a time when I was searching for the spirit in my life, much as she was. As I followed her journey through Southern Indiana, to college, to the middle east, and on to New York City I found parallels to my own journey. I believe we all seek a balance between our spiritual side, however we describe it, and the world we live in. Angela lovingly depicts life in her family of origin, the friends with whom she bonded through college and her travels, and her final life as Jew, a mother, and a writer. This is a great memoir for any who seeks meaning in everyday life.
April 4, 2020
Interesting read. I was a classmate of Rachel, her youngest sister. It was interesting to read the snippets describing my hometown and the somewhat quirky people of Jasper and Ireland.
As a book, it is a pretty standard faith journey, if you are into that kind of thing. I appreciated that while it was religiously based, it never felt preachy.
As a book, it is a pretty standard faith journey, if you are into that kind of thing. I appreciated that while it was religiously based, it never felt preachy.
November 15, 2018
You can find my podcast conversation with the author at http://chimeraobscura.com/vm/episode-...
November 14, 2022
Angela Himsel starts out her book by just giving a rundown of her early life as she remembers it. This first person narration style gives great insight into who Himsel is and what it's like being a teenage girl in rural Indiana. To me this is the best part about the book and precisely the reason why it warrants a 4 star rating from me. It isn't just the part about her childhood, the way Himsel talks to her readers as if she is having a conversation with them is very refreshing and engaging. The book develops a sort of homey feeling because of it, and you don't really feel like you are reading a book, more like you are meeting a new person in a strange place. Something about that is exciting but also comforting at the same time.
The reason why I didn't give it a 5 star rating is because even though I love Himsel's writing style so much I just did not find the content of her story that interesting. While she definitely had interesting experiences, I am not a religious person and religion does not interest me all that much. So even though she had many great experiences and wrote about them in an engaging way, the whole point was about her finding a way out of her doomsday cult and into the open arms of Judaism, I think that is great I have no problem with that. It just is not something I personally care much about. Going into the book I thought it would be all about how she uncovered the crazy things about the doomsday cult her parents raised her in and overall I thought it would be much more dramatic and gripping in that regard. There was some stuff about it, but it was more of a side note. Not a big deal, just not my cup of tea as the saying goes.
My favorite quote from the book is “God created a role for everything in the universe! Just think what would happen if a river thought it could be a tree!”. For one it is the title of the book, and how can you not love when they say the name of the movie/book in the movie/book. It's like when Morbius said it's morbin time. Also it is a lot more than just the title of the book, this quote represents Himsel's penchant to question everything around her, which is one of the most important parts of the book and her as a person. Her curiosity is what got her to a place in life where she could really be happy rather than questioning if she and everyone she ever loved were going to die in a horrific tragedy. Or worse, send a percent of her income to some rich a hole for the rest of her life. I think a large part of why she wrote this book is to tell her readers that it is ok to question things, in fact they should be questioning everything. Because that is how you learn.
To sum up the whole book, Himsel just narrates her whole life. It starts with her being a child in Indiana and graduating highschool there. She then goes to college. While in college she elects to do a semester abroad, but instead of choosing to go to Germany she instead goes to Israel. Spoiler, this is a huge turning point in her life and basically the most important part of the book. While it was hugely important I think her gushing about how great Israel is got kind of old, I saw Rambo 3, I get it. Little known fact that movie was actually shot mostly in Israel not Afghanistan as the director would like you to believe.
The reason why I didn't give it a 5 star rating is because even though I love Himsel's writing style so much I just did not find the content of her story that interesting. While she definitely had interesting experiences, I am not a religious person and religion does not interest me all that much. So even though she had many great experiences and wrote about them in an engaging way, the whole point was about her finding a way out of her doomsday cult and into the open arms of Judaism, I think that is great I have no problem with that. It just is not something I personally care much about. Going into the book I thought it would be all about how she uncovered the crazy things about the doomsday cult her parents raised her in and overall I thought it would be much more dramatic and gripping in that regard. There was some stuff about it, but it was more of a side note. Not a big deal, just not my cup of tea as the saying goes.
My favorite quote from the book is “God created a role for everything in the universe! Just think what would happen if a river thought it could be a tree!”. For one it is the title of the book, and how can you not love when they say the name of the movie/book in the movie/book. It's like when Morbius said it's morbin time. Also it is a lot more than just the title of the book, this quote represents Himsel's penchant to question everything around her, which is one of the most important parts of the book and her as a person. Her curiosity is what got her to a place in life where she could really be happy rather than questioning if she and everyone she ever loved were going to die in a horrific tragedy. Or worse, send a percent of her income to some rich a hole for the rest of her life. I think a large part of why she wrote this book is to tell her readers that it is ok to question things, in fact they should be questioning everything. Because that is how you learn.
To sum up the whole book, Himsel just narrates her whole life. It starts with her being a child in Indiana and graduating highschool there. She then goes to college. While in college she elects to do a semester abroad, but instead of choosing to go to Germany she instead goes to Israel. Spoiler, this is a huge turning point in her life and basically the most important part of the book. While it was hugely important I think her gushing about how great Israel is got kind of old, I saw Rambo 3, I get it. Little known fact that movie was actually shot mostly in Israel not Afghanistan as the director would like you to believe.
October 14, 2022
Along this time around, I chose to read A River Could Be A Tree by Angela Himsel. The book initially striked me as she references her dilemma throughout her pathway and perspective on faith. Angela was raised in a German family where faith was the center of their morals and values. From altering between their generational discernment and obligation to abiding by their cultural standards, the Himsel family struggled to feel at peace with either Lutheran or Catholicism values. Being in a family of 9 other siblings, Angela felt a divide of conflict where she did not feel as if she belonged to either side of religion. Her family eventually fell into a new discovered “religion” called “The Worldwide Church of God” in which it illustrated a reformed cycle of Christianity. Her father, James, believed that this newly refounded church would provide the answer to all things visible and invisible. Angela was forced to grow up, not as a child, but more so a person trapped in a box, the box being the Church’s unjust laws. Her sister, Abby, had fallen ill and because of their absurd laws, the leader of the church restricted any medical attention as they relied heavily on prayer. Abby later died as she received no medical help with the limitations of the Worldwide Church of God. Abby’s death pushed Angela over the edge in which she sought to find her way out of the inflamed church. She eventually decided to start her religious expedition on which she studied abroad at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Although it took her nineteen years to find the courage to separate herself from the troubles of her past, her courage and determination for her true self discovery motivates the audience to explore their own path to self appreciation. She had always had the idea of wanting to see God in the light that would bring her a sense of treasure. Readers can illustrate the perception that one should abide by their own rules and defeat the odds for no one should be confined to their ability to be themselves.
Through her brawls on her individuality, uncertainties, and self-realization, the audience will uncover a greater esteem for the wonders around them. “We’d decided to leave, taking a chance that we would be free to make our own choices. Reinvent ourselves. Become who we wanted to be”. Life is worth exploring so go beyond your personal ambitions and accomplish what seems impossible and untamed to you. A River Could Be A Tree is definitely worth reading if one is having trouble finding their true passions and aspirations to further their individuality.
Although it took her nineteen years to find the courage to separate herself from the troubles of her past, her courage and determination for her true self discovery motivates the audience to explore their own path to self appreciation. She had always had the idea of wanting to see God in the light that would bring her a sense of treasure. Readers can illustrate the perception that one should abide by their own rules and defeat the odds for no one should be confined to their ability to be themselves.
Through her brawls on her individuality, uncertainties, and self-realization, the audience will uncover a greater esteem for the wonders around them. “We’d decided to leave, taking a chance that we would be free to make our own choices. Reinvent ourselves. Become who we wanted to be”. Life is worth exploring so go beyond your personal ambitions and accomplish what seems impossible and untamed to you. A River Could Be A Tree is definitely worth reading if one is having trouble finding their true passions and aspirations to further their individuality.
November 13, 2022
I thought the book A River Could be a Tree was a good book in terms of the things I learned and it had a few really good stories but in general I thought the book had lot of unneeded commentary that I found to be boring. Some of the things I liked a lot about this book is learning about Christianity and was the religion is like it was very eye opening to learn about someone who´s family was very religious and how they were treated by others as well as what its like to be sheltered from the world and be completely controlled or tricked by your family not knowing you are growing up in a ¨cult¨. The book also had a lot of interesting stories about her life and how she came to the realization about her life and how it was a lie. Also learning about other cultures such as cultures in Israel was very interesting to me and while I was reading it I was comparing it to the time I lived and Russia and what that was like.
One of the things I didn't like about the book was the book was that before I read the book it talked about how she was in a cult but the only cult aspects were that a guy is promising salvation if you pay them money and that was as far as it went. I was very disappointed because I was hoping it would be a lot more culty and it wasn't, she was able to to everything any other person could like go to school or extra curricular activates things normal kids would do. The book only talks about it in the beginning and then she goes and discovers herself and lives her life how she wanted
My favorite quote in this book was ¨ Id started to get used to the loud talking and screaming in Israel in general. It was not necessarily rude, but rather an effective means of making your needs known and speaking up for yourself or for others¨.(page 118, paragraph 6) Even thought this quote has nothing to do with the book or has any significance to the book but it really stood out to me and reminded me of living in Russia and having to get used to living there and learning how different people are. This quote is just relatable to me and really stood out to me so much that when I was done reading and had to think of a quote thats what I thought of.
One of the things I didn't like about the book was the book was that before I read the book it talked about how she was in a cult but the only cult aspects were that a guy is promising salvation if you pay them money and that was as far as it went. I was very disappointed because I was hoping it would be a lot more culty and it wasn't, she was able to to everything any other person could like go to school or extra curricular activates things normal kids would do. The book only talks about it in the beginning and then she goes and discovers herself and lives her life how she wanted
My favorite quote in this book was ¨ Id started to get used to the loud talking and screaming in Israel in general. It was not necessarily rude, but rather an effective means of making your needs known and speaking up for yourself or for others¨.(page 118, paragraph 6) Even thought this quote has nothing to do with the book or has any significance to the book but it really stood out to me and reminded me of living in Russia and having to get used to living there and learning how different people are. This quote is just relatable to me and really stood out to me so much that when I was done reading and had to think of a quote thats what I thought of.
December 27, 2020
Some people Play pretty fast and lose with the term “cult.” I bought into this book believing the author was a member of a cult, where “getting free” meant leaving home & family, adapting to a life on the “outside,” and maybe searching for a purpose beyond that.
The “cult” this author belonged to seemed to me to be basically just another get-rich-quick charlatan-run organization that somehow seem to plague Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. There’s an old dude who is the leader, one who promises salvation if you just belong to his church, and then takes all your money and property, forcing you into poverty. All resemblance to a “cult” ends here, in the author’s church of her childhood. Sure, there are a strict set of rules the members follow, but they are allowed to: Go to public schools, engage in extra curricular activities, like sports & acting; miss worship to participate in these activities, attend secular colleges and universities, and study whatever they choose to study. When this cult bans make-up, most of the women keep wearing it anyway, and there are no reprisals. Try getting away with THAT in Jonestown or Waco.
There’s an air of enlightened condescension the author exhibits in comparing the great and glorious modern and advanced state of Israel to the bucolic farmlands of Indiana where she was raised; there’s a definite air of superiority as her “spiritual journey” encompasses the academic, intellectual, and more “authentic” lure of modern Judaism in comparison to the paleo-Christianity she’d been raised in in Indiana, a faith embraced by barely literate farmers and German immigrants. Her journey to adopt Judaism as her spiritual identity was interesting, as was her cherry-picking the tenets of Judaism she felt were correct for her to follow. She never resolves the recurring question in her memoir, though—finding the Holy Spirit. Though she eventually finds some restless detente with Judaism, she never mentions that this is where her “inner fire,” if you will, was lit.
The “cult” this author belonged to seemed to me to be basically just another get-rich-quick charlatan-run organization that somehow seem to plague Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. There’s an old dude who is the leader, one who promises salvation if you just belong to his church, and then takes all your money and property, forcing you into poverty. All resemblance to a “cult” ends here, in the author’s church of her childhood. Sure, there are a strict set of rules the members follow, but they are allowed to: Go to public schools, engage in extra curricular activities, like sports & acting; miss worship to participate in these activities, attend secular colleges and universities, and study whatever they choose to study. When this cult bans make-up, most of the women keep wearing it anyway, and there are no reprisals. Try getting away with THAT in Jonestown or Waco.
There’s an air of enlightened condescension the author exhibits in comparing the great and glorious modern and advanced state of Israel to the bucolic farmlands of Indiana where she was raised; there’s a definite air of superiority as her “spiritual journey” encompasses the academic, intellectual, and more “authentic” lure of modern Judaism in comparison to the paleo-Christianity she’d been raised in in Indiana, a faith embraced by barely literate farmers and German immigrants. Her journey to adopt Judaism as her spiritual identity was interesting, as was her cherry-picking the tenets of Judaism she felt were correct for her to follow. She never resolves the recurring question in her memoir, though—finding the Holy Spirit. Though she eventually finds some restless detente with Judaism, she never mentions that this is where her “inner fire,” if you will, was lit.
January 23, 2023
I am a sucker for a good memoir, but a good memoir, that part of my soul is able to relate to is even better. Angela Himsel, found herself growing up in the stronghold of a religious cult, originally born one of 11 to a Catholic and a Lutheran, who later converted the entire family to a Christian cult. Angela was able to find escape during her formative college years, by studying abroad in Israel, and later converting to Judaism.
As someone who was born myself to a Catholic and a Lutheran, I deeply related to her explanations of the hatreds between the religions, and the questionings of her grandparents about the union between these opposing religions, especially at that period in history, whereas, I was born to a mixed-religion household in the late '90s. Although, myself, never growing up in a religious cult, suffered a different kind of religious purgatory that strongly contrasts Angela's, which allowed me to connect with her story in a different, more personal, way.
As much as I wanted to rate this 4 stars, rather than 3, the beginning of the book was great, the recounting of her life in Indiana, and the struggles with her sick sister who was refused medical treatment, and the teachings of the church. I found the middle parts of the book, her recounting her time in Israel, and then the issues trying to marry a Jewish man, and eventually converting to Judaism, as dull, and lacking pace. Also, was this story more of a "I fell out of a cult," or a "I made a conscious choice to leave," I was left wondering, and wanting more of an explanation at the end. The events of her life, seemed as though they led her to become Jewish, maybe not out of her own free will, but because she became pregnant with a Jewish man, out of wedlock, and her future in-laws would not consider or fully accept her child had she not converted to Judaism, is this really a choice to leave a cult? Especially, when she talks for a while of being extremely conflicted about converting to Judaism, and not just Judaism, but Orthodox Judaism, with its strict rules and extreme adherence to doctrine. Overall, however, the recounting of her life left me feeling sad, happy, disappointed, and proud of her throughout the course of her life.
As someone who was born myself to a Catholic and a Lutheran, I deeply related to her explanations of the hatreds between the religions, and the questionings of her grandparents about the union between these opposing religions, especially at that period in history, whereas, I was born to a mixed-religion household in the late '90s. Although, myself, never growing up in a religious cult, suffered a different kind of religious purgatory that strongly contrasts Angela's, which allowed me to connect with her story in a different, more personal, way.
As much as I wanted to rate this 4 stars, rather than 3, the beginning of the book was great, the recounting of her life in Indiana, and the struggles with her sick sister who was refused medical treatment, and the teachings of the church. I found the middle parts of the book, her recounting her time in Israel, and then the issues trying to marry a Jewish man, and eventually converting to Judaism, as dull, and lacking pace. Also, was this story more of a "I fell out of a cult," or a "I made a conscious choice to leave," I was left wondering, and wanting more of an explanation at the end. The events of her life, seemed as though they led her to become Jewish, maybe not out of her own free will, but because she became pregnant with a Jewish man, out of wedlock, and her future in-laws would not consider or fully accept her child had she not converted to Judaism, is this really a choice to leave a cult? Especially, when she talks for a while of being extremely conflicted about converting to Judaism, and not just Judaism, but Orthodox Judaism, with its strict rules and extreme adherence to doctrine. Overall, however, the recounting of her life left me feeling sad, happy, disappointed, and proud of her throughout the course of her life.
September 22, 2022
As someone who has known Angela and her family for a while, this was a side of her I had never known about, and it was an absolutely fascinating read.
I’ve heard of people who were raised in the church and became atheists. I’ve never read the story of a person who asked similar questions as me and found a peace in converting.
This book is a wonderful way of reminding us that while our beliefs can shape who we are, at some point we can choose to reshape ourselves if we reject our previous beliefs. What would you do if you were told the world could end any day? How would you feel preparing for the worst? How could you balance what you were told to believe with what you were choosing to believe?
This story answers those questions. Angela’s telling of her journey takes us to the pivotal moments in her life as she questions what was and what lies ahead. It’s not preachy. It’s not overbearing. It’s one person sharing very personal and life changing experiences.
I’ve heard of people who were raised in the church and became atheists. I’ve never read the story of a person who asked similar questions as me and found a peace in converting.
This book is a wonderful way of reminding us that while our beliefs can shape who we are, at some point we can choose to reshape ourselves if we reject our previous beliefs. What would you do if you were told the world could end any day? How would you feel preparing for the worst? How could you balance what you were told to believe with what you were choosing to believe?
This story answers those questions. Angela’s telling of her journey takes us to the pivotal moments in her life as she questions what was and what lies ahead. It’s not preachy. It’s not overbearing. It’s one person sharing very personal and life changing experiences.
September 11, 2018
As a fundamental Christian, a believer in Christ & the Holy Bible, I found reading this book to be a page turner in being hopeful that Angela would finally understand the simplicity of becoming a Christian. Not based on legalistic ideas of doing good works, wearing certain clothing, no make- up, required church attendance & giving, searching for the Holy Spirit, and especially not following a cult leader and founder of the Worldwide Church of God, led by a deceptive man, Herbert W. Armstrong. Finally the catylist in changing Angela's religious following and unifying families lives was brought about by a new life that she brought into this world. If you have any interest in what a Jew is, getting to know the terminology, ceremonies & holidays involved, and its teachings this book is a must read for you.
March 17, 2019
Sometimes a person’s cultural identity is set when they’re very young. These people feel comfortable within the personal/religious/national identification offered them by family and the surrounding culture. Others struggle with their identities – exploring different options in order to find a place that feels like home. The writers of two recent memoirs belong to this second category: Ilana M. Blumberg examines how her experiences as a teacher led her to move her family to Israel in “Open Your Hand: Teaching as a Jew, Teaching as an American” (Rutger’s University Press), while in “A River Could Be a Tree: A Memoir” (Fig Tree Books), Angela Himsel chronicles her travels from evangelical Christianity to Judaism. Both writers portray the difficulties and joys of their spiritual journeys.
See the rest of my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
See the rest of my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
April 30, 2019
I always enjoy books of people being raised in extreme religions/cults and getting out and what their lives are like both before and after. I had listened to the Heaven's Gate podcast so was super interesting in the Worldwide Church and Orthodox Judaism is a topic I have always found fascinating so this book was 100% a natural draw for me when I heard about it but somehow the writing fell a little flat for me. I enjoyed it because it was topics that are interesting to me but I didnt care about Angela and her journey and that made it hard for me to enjoy this book.
I also couldn't help but compare this book to Educated only less captivating.
I also couldn't help but compare this book to Educated only less captivating.
October 13, 2019
A friend recommended this book. It was an interesting memoir of a Christian woman who slowly questions the faith she's raised within and ultimately converts to Judaism. The views of her upbringing in a cultish offshoot of apocalyptic Christianity was interesting. The descriptions of her conversion classes were brief and there's little about how she grows within her Jewish life after conversion.
I'd still recommend this book, but it's not what I expected.
There's an interesting forward by Shulem Deen which provides a very different view of his long journey leaving orthodox Judaism than that presented in his book.
Read both with your eyes and mind wide open.
I'd still recommend this book, but it's not what I expected.
There's an interesting forward by Shulem Deen which provides a very different view of his long journey leaving orthodox Judaism than that presented in his book.
Read both with your eyes and mind wide open.
April 19, 2022
Angela Himsel's story is well told and she is very honest about herself in a sort of self-deprecating way.
This is an honest account of her path towards Judaism and out of the more or less doomsday cult her parents had followed.
Given my own prejudice against a Christian Doomsday cult, you might think I would be more of a fan of this story, but I found the spiritual revelations rather lacking. No fault to the author; she is telling her truth, but I was hoping for some sort of deep revelation where she found the TRVTH and that isn't her story. So I guess the low marks are for it being an honest autobiography and not a deep spiritual journey. My bad.
This is an honest account of her path towards Judaism and out of the more or less doomsday cult her parents had followed.
Given my own prejudice against a Christian Doomsday cult, you might think I would be more of a fan of this story, but I found the spiritual revelations rather lacking. No fault to the author; she is telling her truth, but I was hoping for some sort of deep revelation where she found the TRVTH and that isn't her story. So I guess the low marks are for it being an honest autobiography and not a deep spiritual journey. My bad.
January 13, 2021
This is quite an astonishing story. Angela Himsel writes beautifully and you can really picture the vastly different worlds of growing up in a Fundamentalist Christian cult in Indiana, Israel with its mixture of so many cultures and beliefs, Germany, the country of her ancestry and New York, another boiling pot. Her search to find meaning leads her to Judaism which she approaches in a level headed way leaving behind the fanaticism of her upbringing.
May 15, 2025
This book is about a woman who grew up in the Worldwide Church of God and became a Jew. I was particularly interested in reading it because I grew up as a Jew and for a while was a member of the Worldwide Church of God and went to their college in Pasadena, Ambassador College for two years. I have since then disassociated myself from them and returned to my Jewish roots. I made contact with the author and she was very generous in her messages to me.
December 9, 2018
Disclosure -- I know Angela as she is a member of our synagogue. I knew she was a convert but never knew this whole story which is beyond fascinating. Her religious knowledge is amazing and her journey is an eye-opening experience for people of all faiths. Her ability to share her thoughts and experiences was a beautiful read and experience.
October 28, 2019
I decided to read this book because the author is doing a reading, locally, in a few weeks. I was surprised by both differences and similarities of this book and Educated.
I appreciated how eloquently and transparently the author shared her personal and spiritual journey.
There were few parts of the book I found myself merely skimming but for the most part I was fully engaged.
I appreciated how eloquently and transparently the author shared her personal and spiritual journey.
There were few parts of the book I found myself merely skimming but for the most part I was fully engaged.
August 15, 2019
I just happened upon this book at the library & it was exactly what I needed to read right now. Thank you so much Ms. Hinsel for sharing your honest journey with faith & religion. It was wonderful to read.
August 15, 2019
Beautifully written, this unusual memoir follows Angela, a girl from Indiana in a fundamentalist cult like Christian religion, through her eventual embrace of Judaism. Not just interesting, but thought provoking and spiritually conscious.
April 27, 2021
Beautifully written and intriguing. I felt like I was watching biographical fiction with whimsical moments and memorable characters. Angela is very articulate and engaging in her memoir and insight into her childhood and adult experiences making an interesting, educational, and inspiring read.
October 10, 2025
The author tells the story of her life growing up in a fundamentalist Christian family near Jasper, Indiana. It is interesting to find out how she wound up in New York City married to an Orthodox Jew and raising her own family there. It is quite an interesting story.
January 20, 2019
Beautifully written memoir. Angela is a born author and events flow naturally in this memoir.
February 6, 2019
Fascinating memoir about a woman raised in a strict cultish Christian church, who ultimately converted to Judaism.
February 20, 2019
3.5 actually
March 7, 2019
I enjoy Jewish journey memoirs. It wasn’t until I was a few pages from the end that I realized I know the author’s daughter! Small world!
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