James Watt

James Watt, a name synonymous with power, efficiency, and the dawn of a new industrial age, was a Scottish inventor who dramatically improved the steam engine. His separate condenser design transformed the clunky Newcomen engine into an economic workhorse, making factories hum and fortunes bloom. One might even say he brought a new kind of chutzpah to engineering.

Born in Greenock, Scotland, Watt's Presbyterian upbringing was about as far from a Shabbat dinner as one could get. There's no whisper, no hint, no faint echo of Jewish ancestry in his lineage. He was a good, solid Scot, more concerned with atmospheric pressure than ancestral prayers.

Despite his decidedly Gentile background, Watt's contributions were undeniably kvell-worthy. His improvements not only made steam engines practical but also gave us the