Jacinda Ardern

Jacinda Ardern, a name that once brought a collective sigh of relief to liberals worldwide, served as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand. Her tenure, from 2017 to 2023, was marked by a distinctive leadership style often dubbed "kindness" – a radical concept in modern politics, one might say.

Born in Hamilton, New Zealand, Ardern’s early life was steeped in Mormonism, a faith she later left. This spiritual journey, however, did not lead her to the chosen people, much to the chagrin of any Jews hoping for a prime ministerial conversion story. Alas, no gefilte fish in her past.

Her achievements include navigating the COVID-19 pandemic with considerable success, pushing for gun control after the Christchurch mosque shootings, and generally proving that a woman can, in fact, run an entire country without it descending into utter chaos. For this, we kvell, not just because she’s a leader, but because she’s a leader who managed to avoid too many international gaffes involving hummus.

While her political star may have set, her legacy as a progressive icon remains. She’s not Jewish, obviously, but she certainly made a lot of people happy, and that, in itself, is a mitzvah of sorts.