In Ruth’s Footsteps: Widowhood—Loss, Loneliness, and Renewal

All three of the women figures in the Book of Ruth suffer the pain of widowhood in a culture where women’s safety and position were dependent upon their marital status. Each deals with the loss in her own way; ultimately, this tale of grief becomes one of messianic redemption. What does our tradition teach us about the vulnerabilities and potencies of widowhood? What is shattered and what possibilities open as one grapples with this new state of being? We’ll explore these questions through biblical and rabbinic texts, contemporary poetry, and the heart of our own experience. Rabbi Diane Elliot (she/her) is a teacher, ritual leader, and spiritual director based in the Bay Area who inspires her students and directees to become clearer channels for Presence through awareness and movement practices, chant, and nuanced interpretations of Jewish sacred text. She came to the rabbinate some 25 years ago, after a career as a modern dancer and somatic movement therapist. Rabbi Diane directs ALEPH’s Embodying Spirit programs, leads a weekly on-line Healing Circle, and serves on the Spiritual Direction Faculty of the ALEPH Ordination Programs. She has authored four books of poetry, most recently Traces. Learn more about her work at www.whollypresent.org.