Page 2 - September 2020

Dr. Ruth W
Dr. Ruth Westheimer - estheimer - A SelfA Self Made W Made Womanoman
Dr. Ruth Westheimer - A Self Made Woman
Dr. Ruth Westheimer - estheimer - A SelfA Self Made W Made Womanoman
Dr. Ruth W
better now and so does everyone who
Ruth Westheimer (born June 4, 1928, violence growing, so in January 1939 Dr. Ruth’s media career began in 1980
age 92), better known as Dr. Ruth, is they sent Westheimer on listens to my radio program.” Westheimer when her radio show, Sexually Speaking,
a German-American sex therapist, the Kindertransport to Switzerland. 11- joined the Haganah in Jerusalem. Because debuted on WYNY-FM in New York
media personality, author, radio, year-old Westheimer arrived at an of her diminutive height of 4 ft 7 in City. She was offered this opportunity after
television talk show host, orphanage of a Jewish charity (1.40 m), she was trained as she gave a lecture to New York
and Holocaust survivor. Her media in Heiden and took on the role of a a scout and sniper. Of this experience, she broadcasters about the need for sex
career began in 1980 with the radio caregiver and mother-like figure to the said, “I never killed anybody, but I know education programming to help deal with
show Sexually Speaking, which continued younger children there. Westheimer how to throw hand grenades and shoot.” [ issues of contraception and unwanted
until 1990. She has hosted several series was not allowed to take classes at the In 1948, Westheimer was seriously pregnancies. Betty Elam, the community
on the Lifetime Channel and other cable local school, but a fellow orphan boy wounded in action by an affairs manager at WYNY, was impressed
television networks from 1984 to 1993 would sneak his textbooks to exploding shell during the 1947–1949 with her talk and offered Westheimer $25
and is the author of 45 books on sex and Westheimer at night so she could learn Palestine war, and it was several months per week to make Sexually Speaking, which
sexuality. and continue her education. before she was able to walk again. started as a 15-minute show airing every
While at the orphanage, Westheimer In 1950, Westheimer moved to France, Sunday at midnight. By 1983 her show was
Early life and education corresponded with her mother and where she studied and then taught the top-rated radio show in the area, and in
Westheimer was born Karola Ruth grandmother via letters. When the psychology at the University of Paris. In 1984 NBC Radio began syndicating it
Siegel on June 4, 1928, in Wiesenfeld letters ceased in 1941, Westheimer knew 1956, she immigrated to the United States, nationwide as the Dr. Ruth Show. She went
(now part of Karlstadt am she would not hear from them again. settling in Washington Heights, on to produce her radio show until
Main), Germany, the only child The details of her parents’ deaths due to Manhattan. Westheimer earned 1990. Described as the “Sister Wendy of
of Orthodox Jews, Irma (née Hanauer), a the Holocaust are also included in the an M.A. degree in sociology from The New Sexuality”, Dr. Ruth helped to
housekeeper, and Julius Siegel, Hulu documentary about Westheimer School in 1959 and an Ed.D. degree revolutionize talk about sex and sexuality
a notions wholesaler and son of the titled Ask Dr. Ruth. Her father was from Teachers College, Columbia on radio and television, and she was noted
family for whom Irma worked. She killed in the Auschwitz concentration University in 1970. for having “an accent only a psychologist
[1]
was given an early grounding camp in 1942. Her mother was killed Westheimer became a naturalized U.S. could love”. She became known for being
in Judaism by her father, who took her during the Holocaust, but there is no citizen in 1965. She regained her German candid and funny, but respectful, and for
regularly to the synagogue in specific information about her death, or citizenship in 2007 through the German her tag phrase “Get some”. One journalist
the Nordend district of Frankfurt, about how and when she died. In the Citizenship Project that enabled described her unique voice as “a cross
where they lived. Her father was taken data base at the Yad Vashem World descendants of Germans deprived of their between Henry Kissinger and Minnie
away by the Nazis a week Holocaust Remembrance Center, citizenship during the Third Reich to Mouse”.
after Kristallnacht, or the Night of Westheimer’s mother is categorized by reclaim their citizenship without losing In 1984, Westheimer began hosting
Broken Glass, in 1938. Westheimer cried the word verschollen or ‘disappeared.’ the citizenship of their home country. several television programs on
while her father was taken away by Westheimer decided to emigrate to Early career the Lifetime TV network and one in
men in gloss-finished boots, while her British-controlled Mandatory Palestine. After receiving her Ed.D., she briefly syndication. Her first show was Good Sex!
grandmother gave the men money and There, at 17, she “first had sexual worked for Planned Parenthood and this With Dr. Ruth Westheimer, airing for a half
asked them to care for him. intercourse on a starry night, in a experience encouraged her to continue hour at 10 pm on weeknights. This show
Westheimer’s mother and grandmother haystack, without contraception.” She studying human sexuality. She went on to was expanded in 1985 to a full hour and its
decided that Germany was too later told The New York Times that “I am work as a postdoctoral name was changed to The Dr. Ruth Show. In
dangerous due to the tension and Nazi not happy about that, but I know much researcher for Helen Singer Kaplan at New 1987 she began a separate half hour
York-Presbyterian Hospital. She continued syndicated series on many broadcast
Elder Abuse to work there as an adjunct associate
HOTLINE professor for five years. She also taught stations called Ask Dr. Ruth which was co-
1-800-677-1116 at Lehman College, Brooklyn hosted by Larry Angelo. Dr. Ruth returned
Vol. 60, No. 9 College, Adelphi University, Columbia to the Lifetime network in 1988 with The
Amanda Blake Secola, Editor University and West Point. All New Dr. Ruth Show, which was followed
Editorial ELDER CARE LOCATOR Media career
phone 562-691-2509 www.eldercare.acl.gov Continued on page 4
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Tribute: In loving memory of Page 17 - Theater Options w/ Morna
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2 September 2020