Dr. Ruth’s Death: What Was the Sex Therapist’s Net Worth?

Ruth Westheimer, the renowned sex therapist who transformed the way we talk about sexuality, has passed away at the age of 96.

Known affectionately as “Dr. Ruth,” Westheimer was a pioneering figure who rose to fame as a radio host before becoming a celebrated sex expert. She started her career in her 50s by answering listener questions on WYNY, a public radio station in New York. Her show gained rapid popularity, lasting a decade and turning her into a household name.

“Sexually Speaking,” which aired on Sunday nights, quickly attracted a massive audience of 250,000 weekly listeners just a year after its launch. By 1983, it was one of New York’s top-rated radio shows.

Westheimer didn’t stop at radio; she expanded to television with “The Dr. Ruth Show,” which drew two million viewers weekly by 1985. She hosted other TV programs, including “Ask Dr. Ruth”, “The All New Dr. Ruth Show”, “What’s Up, Dr. Ruth?” for teens, and “You’re on the Air with Dr. Ruth”. She also frequently appeared on popular late-night TV shows such as “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and “Late Night with David Letterman.”

Throughout her career, Westheimer authored 45 books on sex and sexuality, including notable works like “Sex For Dummies” and “Sexually Speaking: What Every Woman Needs To Know About Sexual Health”.

Westheimer’s journey to fame was anything but ordinary. Born Karola Ruth Siegel in Germany in 1928 to religious Jewish parents, she faced immense hardship early in life. Her father was arrested by Nazis, and at age 10, she was sent to an orphanage in Switzerland. Tragically, she lost her entire family during the Holocaust.

After World War II, she moved to British-controlled Palestine and served as a sniper in a Jewish paramilitary group in Jerusalem.

In 1950, Westheimer relocated to France to study psychology at the Sorbonne. Six years later, she moved to the United States, earned a master’s degree in sociology from The New School, and received a doctorate in education from Columbia University in 1970. She trained as a sex therapist at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.

Her dedication to sex education began during her training at Planned Parenthood in Harlem, where she discovered a passion for teaching others about sexuality. Over the years, she taught at several prestigious institutions, including Lehman College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, Columbia University, Yale University, Princeton University, and New York University.

Westheimer was married three times. While her first two marriages were brief, her third marriage to fellow Holocaust survivor Manfred “Fred” Westheimer lasted 36 years until his death in 1997.

She is survived by her two children, daughter Miriam Yael Westheimer and son Joel Westheimer, as well as four grandchildren. With nearly 50 published books and a lasting legacy in sex education, Dr. Ruth Westheimer leaves behind a monumental impact on the field.

Source: The Independent