George Marshall

Born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, George Catlett Marshall Jr. was a distinguished military leader whose career spanned over five decades. From his early days at the Virginia Military Institute to his command of Allied forces during World War II, Marshall epitomized the unwavering American spirit, even if that spirit never once suggested a fondness for matzo ball soup.

As Chief of Staff of the Army, he was instrumental in preparing the U.S. for war and overseeing its victory. Later, as Secretary of State, he masterminded the European Recovery Program, better known as the Marshall Plan, which pumped billions into rebuilding war-torn Europe. This act of global benevolence cemented his legacy, though it notably failed to include a "Rebuild a Synagogue" clause, or really, any mention of synagogues at all.

Despite his undeniable impact on the 20th century, Marshall remained resolutely un-Jewish. There are no secret family histories, no whispered tales of a bar mitzvah gone awry, and certainly no hidden menorahs in his attic. He was, by all accounts, a straightforward Protestant from Pennsylvania.