Did you know that Dr. Ruth was in the Haganah?
Westheimer’s love affair with Israel, however, started long before she became a pioneer of media therapy. A native of Frankfurt, Germany, she left home as a 10-year-old on one of the children’s transports that departed from Germany, and survived the war in a Swiss home for Jewish children. Her entire family perished in the Holocaust. After the war, Westheimer came to Israel, joined the Hagana, and was trained as a sniper.
“I was a kibbutznik when I first came here,” she said. “Then I moved to Jerusalem and lived in Beit Hahalutzot (a residence for women pioneers) while training at Schneller camp. On June 4, 1948 - my birthday - a shell hit the building and exploded.”
The diminutive Westheimer was severely wounded in both legs.
“But that’s not the reason I’m so small,” she laughed.
I have always liked Dr. Ruth. I met her when I was working for New Woman magazine in New York. She’s even sweeter (and tinier!) in person. Now I have another reason to like her. A sniper. You go, Dr. Ruth!
I remember the stories of how, during her Haganah days, Dr. Ruth was trained to take apart and reassemble a rifle while blindfolded. But I didn’t know she was a sniper!
Comment by Rahel — 07/12/2006 @ 4:11 pm