Doris Lessing

Born Doris May Tayler in Persia (modern-day Iran) to British parents, Lessing's father, Alfred Cook Tayler, was a British captain who lost a leg in World War I, and her mother, Emily Maude Tayler, was a nurse. Neither parent had any known Jewish background, though her father did have a German family name, "Tayler," which is not inherently Jewish.

The family moved to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) when Doris was young, where she grew up. While she had no personal Jewish identity or practice, and certainly no Jewish ancestry that has ever been publicly noted, her literary career often explored themes of outsiders, displacement, and political engagement, which resonate with many Jewish experiences.

Lessing achieved global acclaim, culminating in the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2007, an honor that undeniably brings nachas to anyone who appreciates good writing. Her prolific output included novels like "The Golden Notebook," short stories, and even opera librettos, making her one of the 20th century's most significant literary voices.