Meet Dr. Ruth Westheimer and join her 94th birthday celebration! Born as Karola Ruth Siegel on June 4, 1928, in Frankfurt, Germany, she grew up as the only child in a privileged Orthodox Jewish family. However, her carefree childhood was shattered in 1938 when the SS arrested her father. She was soon sent on a Kindertransport to Switzerland, never to see her parents again. After the war she emigrated to pre-state Israel, became known as Ruth Siegel (dropping the German-sounding Karola) and became a sniper and scout for the Haganah.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer has received many awards for her work, including an honorary doctorate degree from Trinity College and the Medal for Distinguished Service from Columbia University. Still active as ever, she has a strong social media following and continues to write books, teach, and give great advice. The Library of Congress has chosen to house her collected papers, joining the distinguished collections of other celebrated figures in her field — from Margaret Sanger to Sigmund Freud.
Sign up to meet her and then, as a free bonus, see a film about her amazing and inspirational life!
Dr. Jud Newborn, who served as the Founding Historian and co-creator of New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage will interview Dr. Ruth.
To get tickets for this online event, a benefit for the Sousa Mendes Foundation, click here