The two-time Academy Award nominee was convicted in November of felony grand theft and vandalism for taking more than $5,500 worth of merchandise at the store last year.
"It is not my intention to make an example of you," Fox told Ryder. But he said she had disappointed many people and she would have to "confront certain issues" that led to her behavior. "You have refused to accept personal responsibility," the judge told Ryder.
Fox ordered Ryder to serve her community service by April 7, saying she would have to spend 240 hours at City of Hope, 120 hours at the Foundation for the Junior Blind, and 120 hours at the Caring for Babies With AIDS Foundation.
Ryder received a technical term of one day in jail but was given credit for the day she was booked.
Ryder's press agent, in a statement released Friday, said, "Winona Ryder accepts responsibility for what happened on December 12, 2001, and continuously tried to resolve this case without a trial. "She is thankful that the judge has allowed the community service to enable her continued work with children."
Friday's sentencing came after a fiery round of testimony by an attorney for Saks Fifth Avenue, prosecutor Ann Rundle and Ryder's lawyer, Mark Geragos.
Before announcing his ruling, the judge heard testimony from Ken Metzner, an attorney for Saks, who criticized the actress' conduct during the trial.
Metzner accused Ryder and her defense team of portraying the actress to the public as the victim in the crimes when, in fact, Saks and the employees involved in the shoplifting incident was the true victim.
Those employees have been "subjected to intense and malicious scrutiny simply because they had the misfortune of apprehending a movie star thief," Metzner told the court.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos took issue with Metzner's depiction and said Saks had benefited from the publicity, posting profits in their most recent quarterly report.
