Two former OSRUI campers and staff members were recently featured in the news: Zoe Gutterman was featured in the Washington Jewish Week; she currently works as a midwife in Washington, DC, where she lives with her husband, OSRUI Alum Marc Friend. Naomi Segal was Jewish Person of the Week on ChiTribe.org; she is the NFTY Chicago Area Region Director and OSRUI Assistant Director, and is engaged to OSRUI Alum Max Looper.
You Should Know … Zoe Gutterman
Zoe Gutterman’s job is never done. As a midwife at Unity Public Health Care and at Howard University Labor and Delivery Unit, the 30 year old spends her days assisting women give birth and giving them reproductive healthcare advice. A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., she migrated to Washington in 2010 with a group of camp buddies — including her now-husband, Marc Friend.
Why did you decide to become a midwife?
In college, I was really interested in sexual health and reproductive health. I thought that birth would be something I would be interested in. So, I went my senior year and shadowed a midwife in Ann Arbor, where I’m from, and saw a birth. My life was changed. It was the most magical thing I had ever seen. And I knew that I needed to do that. And I never had a moment of clarity like that before.
Jewish Person of the Week Naomi Segal
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Oak Park and was very involved with Oak Park Temple my entire life.
What did you do Jewish growing up?
I did a lot growing up Jewish. I went to two incredible URJ camps, Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) and Kutz. Both camps enhanced my passion for Reform Judaism. I was incredibly involved in everything Oak Park Temple has to offer the community. I taught there from 7th-12th grade and worked at Camp Shalom, Oak Park Temple’s summer day camp. As a teenager, I was in OPTY, Oak Park Temple’s youth group, and also served on the NFTY-CAR board.