Across American pulpits, rabbis have long navigated complex moral, social and professional challenges while serving as spiritual leaders for their communities. Murray Polner's "Rabbi: The American Experience" captures this reality through intimate portraits of Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox rabbis in settings ranging from suburban enclaves to small Southern towns. The work's most gripping analysis focuses on Southern rabbis during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, revealing their moral courage as they balanced pressures from White Citizens Councils, their own moderate convictions, and expectations from Northern Jewish communities. Rabbi Perry Nussbaum's experience in Jackson, Mississippi exemplifies these tensions - his vocal opposition to church bombings led directly to attacks on his temple and home. Through case studies across denominational and geographical lines, Polner illuminates both the profound influence and personal vulnerabilities of American rabbis. While the book offers valuable insights into rabbinical life, it is weakened by an overabundance of trivial details and uneven coverage across movements, particularly regarding Conservative Judaism. Though this pioneering study of the American rabbinate leaves critical issues unexplored - including professional isolation, family impacts, and competing demands - it provides an essential foundation for understanding these complex religious leaders and their congregational experiences.