Ida Tarbell

Ida Minerva Tarbell, a woman whose name now graces numerous journalism awards, was not, as far as historical records indicate, Jewish. Born in rural Pennsylvania, her Quaker and Protestant heritage seems rather firmly established, meaning her only connection to anything resembling a menorah was likely purely decorative.

However, what she lacked in tribal affiliation, she more than made up for in sheer, unadulterated kvell-worthiness. Her 1904 opus, "The History of the Standard Oil Company," was less a book and more a journalistic atomic bomb, meticulously detailing the cutthroat practices of John D. Rockefeller's empire. It single-handedly changed the landscape of American business and regulation, proving that a pen could indeed be mightier than the trust fund.

While she never identified with the tribe, her relentless pursuit of truth and justice against overwhelming odds—and her willingness to take on the most powerful man in America—are certainly qualities any Jewish mother would boast about. We’ll just have to settle for kvelling over her literary prowess and unwavering moral compass instead of her synagogue attendance.