Hermann Oberth

Born in Transylvania, Hermann Oberth spent his life gazing at the stars, not, as it turns out, at the Torah. His groundbreaking theoretical work laid the foundation for modern rocketry, inspiring giants like Wernher von Braun, which, depending on your perspective, is either a kvell or a cringe.

Oberth’s contributions to astronautics are undeniable, earning him a reputation as one of the space age’s true visionaries. He theorized multi-stage rockets and even space stations, proving that you don't need a Bar Mitzvah to launch humanity towards the heavens.

Despite the occasional misguided assumption, perhaps fueled by the sheer number of Jewish intellectuals in, well, everything, Oberth was firmly Gentile. His legacy is firmly rooted in the mechanics of thrust and propulsion, not in the complexities of Jewish identity.