AMBASSADOR AMY GUTMANN - SCHOLAR, DIPLOMAT, LEADER, AND PENN PRESIDENT EMERITA - SELECTED TO RECEIVE ONLY IN AMERICA® AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO JEWISH AMERICAN COMMUNITY
The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History's Annual Gala and Award Presentation Takes Place on November 5 in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 5, Ambassador Amy Gutmann will receive the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History's Only in America® Award, given to Jewish Americans who have made enormous contributions to our world.
As the country's only museum dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience, The Weitzman's signature award recognizes the achievements and contributions of American Jews who have significantly impacted American society and culture, often despite facing antisemitism and prejudice. Recent Only in America® Award recipients include former commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig; the first woman to head a major film studio, Sherry Lansing; the second woman and first Jewish woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg z"l; CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer; Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider z"l; and Steve Cozen z"l, founder of Cozen O'Connor, among others.
As one of the most accomplished people in the world today, Ambassador Gutmann served as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 2022-2024, and as the University of Pennsylvania's longest serving President from 2004-2022. She is a scholar of democracy, having written more than a dozen books – her scholarship has helped shape civic discourse in the U.S., reflecting the Jewish and American values of justice (tzedek), education (limmud), and social responsibility (tikkun olam). Throughout her career, she has been forceful in standing up and speaking out against antisemitism, the importance of Holocaust remembrance, and promoting tolerance and respect. Gutmann's father escaped Nazi Germany in 1934 and his experience has deeply influenced her leadership and impact throughout her career.
As Penn's president, Gutmann's contributions and success cannot be understated. She championed innovation, impact, and access to higher education for all. Former Governor Edward G. Rendell has said that her "leadership evolved the university into a global powerhouse." Colleagues have praised her drive, passion, and collaborative spirit that led to Penn's worldwide distinction, economic impact, and incredible reach.
A testament to Dr. Gutmann's inspiration, many of America's most prominent Jewish American leaders have enthusiastically volunteered to support this event. The event's chairs to date include David L. Cohen, former senior executive vice president and senior advisor to the CEO at Comcast NBCUniversal and U.S. Ambassador to Canada; Andrea Mitchell, veteran NBC News journalist; Philip Darivoff, Weitzman Chair Emeritus and Capital Campaign Chair; Sharon Tobin Kestenbaum, Weitzman Board Co-Chair; Joseph Zuritsky, Weitzman Chair Emeritus; Lyn M. Ross, Weitzman Honorary Chair, Garrett Snider and Lindy Snider, Weitzman board members and Honorary Chairs, Jane and Stuart Weitzman.*
"Dr. Gutmann was the first in her family to graduate college, the first Jewish female ambassador to Germany, and Penn's longest serving President," said Sharon Tobin Kestenbaum, co-chair of the Weitzman's Board of Trustees, and a 1983 and 1988 Wharton graduate. "Her father fled Nazi Germany and rescued his entire family. Hers is a quintessential only-in-America story – her journey mirrors the stories that The Weitzman tells about luminary figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Steven Spielberg. We are proud to recognize her contributions with this award."
"I am deeply honored to receive the Weitzman's Only In America® Award recognizing the rich and resilient story of Jewish Americans—a story that is also my own," Gutmann shared. "My father fled Nazi Germany in 1934, seeking refuge from Nazi persecution and ultimately finding hope in the promise of freedom in America. His journey, like so many others, is a testament to the strength, perseverance, and enduring contributions of Jewish Americans to our nation's fabric, and it has deeply influenced my entire career. To share and elevate these stories is not only a privilege—it is a responsibility. By remembering and honoring our past, we light the way forward. We do so at a time when understanding Jewish history and experience is more essential than ever."
"Amy Gutmann's story is deeply personal, powerfully American, and profoundly Jewish. Her career is a masterclass in visionary leadership, fierce intellect, and moral courage," said event chair David L. Cohen. "From leading one of America's greatest universities to representing our nation in Germany, she has consistently elevated dialogue, advanced equity, and honored her heritage. She embodies the very ideals the Only in America® Award was created to celebrate, and it has been my privilege to work so closely together with her to benefit humanity."
"Dr. Gutmann is a force for good in the world," said Dan Tadmor, Weitzman President & CEO. "She is a friend of Israel and the Jewish American community. She is deeply connected to Philadelphia, while taking a national and global approach to her work. As one of the most thoughtful and effective Jewish leaders in America today, it's our honor to bestow her with the Only in America® Award."
The award will be presented during the Weitzman's annual Only in America® Gala at the Museum on Wednesday, November 5.
To register and/or make a tribute gift in honor of Dr. Gutmann, visit https://www.classy.org/event/2025-only-in-america-amy-gutmann/e673959.
Only in America®
The event takes its name from the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame in the Museum, which celebrates stories that represent the pinnacle of American freedom. It features iconic Jewish Americans, including Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Louis Brandeis, Albert Einstein, Sandy Koufax, Estée Lauder, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jonas Salk, and Harry Houdini, among others. Only in America® brings the stories of hard work and aspiration, courage and imagination, leadership and service to life through a combination of original artifacts, original films, and multimedia elements.
ABOUT THE WEITZMAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY
Established in 1976, and situated on Philadelphia's Independence Mall, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History is the only museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience. The Weitzman presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore, and celebrate the history of Jews in America. It proudly stewards one of the largest collections of Jewish Americana in the nation. Standing as a joyful bulwark against antisemitism, bigotry, and hate, The Weitzman serves to connect Jews more closely to their heritage and to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American Jewish experience and the freedoms to which Americans aspire.www.theweitzman.org
*In formation
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ambassador-amy-gutmann--scholar-diplomat-leader-and-penn-president-emerita--selected-to-receive-only-in-america-award-for-contributions-to-jewish-american-community-302486673.html
SOURCE National Museum of American Jewish History