In this volume, contemporary scholars, educators, and community leaders offer their readings of Ruth and insights into its themes, through the prisms of their respective academic interests and professional fields. The topics of these essays range from poetry to populism, social work to American history, elder care to conversion to contemporary immigration. They demonstrate how our perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of our era ƒ‚‚"ƒ‚‚€ƒ‚‚" and on the Book of Ruth itself ƒ‚‚"ƒ‚‚€ƒ‚‚" can benefit from the synthesis of Torah Umadda (Torah and general wisdom).