Gutmann discusses Jewish identity at 'Fireside Chat'

From her favorite Yiddish word — kibbitz — to her family history, Penn President Amy Gutmann discussed a wide range of topics in her “Fireside Chat” at Hillel.

On Thursday evening, in Hillel’s Shotel Dubin Auditorium, about 100 students and faculty participated in a Hanukkah celebration that consisted of food, a musical performance by the Shabbatones and an intimate chat with Gutmann.

The event was organized by Hillel Student President and College senior Naomi Kaplan, Vice President and College senior Rachel Cohen and a group of student leaders. In the past, Gutmann has come to Hillel during Hanukkah to light the menorah, recite the blessings and sing Hanukkah songs, but never before has she stayed to participate in a discussion with the students. This year, after lighting the menorah and saying the prayers, Gutmann sat down with Kaplan and answered questions that students had posed about her Jewish identity and her career.

“Being Jewish is an absolutely essential part of my identity,” Gutmann said, “And part of being Jewish is caring about people in need.”

This, she explained, is a very “Penn kind of mentality. Do well by doing good. Connect brains to your heart.” These ideas of compassion and community were themes of her discussion.

Before the event, Kaplan commented, “Dr. Gutmann is well-respected among students, and learning more about her background, personal goals and Jewish identity will help students relate to her on a more personal level.”

As predicted, many students said that the best part of the event was its intimacy. Before and after she spoke, Gutmann walked around, talking to all of the students who attended the event.

During her question-and-answer session, she spoke about personal details of her life, such as what it was like to be the daughter of German immigrants, to grow up as the only Jewish student in her elementary school in New York and to be part of the Jewish community at Radcliffe College.

Although the “Fireside Chat” was a celebration of Hanukkah, “there was a diverse crowd,” College senior Saraleah Cogan said. “There were a lot of people there who don’t usually go to Hillel.”

In fact, in her chat, Gutmann emphasized the value of the wide range of religions on campus and said she is proud of how the various religious groups have come together to make a community at Penn.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.