Letters from Europe (and Elsewhere). Austeria, 2008

A collection of essays — “letters” — by Ruth, regularly published in the magazine The New Leader, from 1997-2007. Letters from places ranging from Budapest, Paris, Sarajevo, and Warsaw, to tiny villages in Italy, and “on the road” elsewhere…..

National Geographic Jewish heritage Travel: A Guide to Eastern Europe. Washington: National Geographic, 2007

Fourth edition of trail-blazing travel guide first published in 1992.

Virtually Jewish: Reinventing Jewish Culture in Europe. University of California Press, 2002

Ruth coined the term “Virtually Jewish” to describe the way the so-called “Jewish space” in Europe is often filled by non-Jews: klezmer music, culture festivals, museums, tourism, and kitsch as well as serious and sensitive study and involvement.

“This thoughtful narrative is rich in documentation and provocative in the issues it poses.” — Publishers Weekly

Upon the Doorposts of Thy House: Jewish Life in East-Central Europe, Yesterday and Today. John Wiley  Sons, 1994