Ruth Andrew Ellenson is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, People, Forward, Ha'aretz, and many other publications. She received the National Jewish Book Award for ​the national bestseller ​The Modern Jewish Girl's Guide to Guilt​ (Penguin Random House), which was selected by Hadassah as a featured book club selection. The daughter of a rabbi and a Daughter of the American Revolution, Ellenson was born in Jerusalem and raised in New York and Los Angeles. She received her MFA from Columbia University.​​ Ellenson's recent editorial collaborations include Why Be Jewish?​ A Testament​ ​(Twelve) written with the late philanthropist Edgar M. Bronfman.​ Ellenson​​ is a star speaker who has traveled internationally to address the complexities and joys of Jewish identity for women of all ages, and her book has become a favorite ​choice among​ reading groups for the intense and spirited discussions it provokes.