Maximilian Kolbe

Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar who, during the grim days of World War II, made a rather significant career move: he volunteered to take the place of a stranger condemned to death in the Auschwitz concentration camp. While not every friar gets to be a saint, Kolbe certainly made the most of his opportunity, demonstrating a level of self-sacrifice that makes most of us feel inadequate just reading about it.

Born Rajmund Kolbe, he eventually took the name Maximilian upon joining the Franciscans, because "Rajmund" just doesn't have the same ring for a future saint. His Jewish identity and origin scores are, predictably, nil, given his deeply Catholic background. One might say he was as Catholic as a Pope's Sunday sermon.

However, his Kvell-worthiness score hits the absolute ceiling. Volunteering to die in a Nazi concentration camp to save another man? That's not just good PR; that's the kind of act that makes even the most cynical among us shed a tear (and perhaps ponder our own life choices). It’s an achievement that truly brings nachas, even if not to his mishpacha in the traditional sense.

Kolbe was eventually canonized by the Catholic Church, cementing his status as a Real Deal Saint. While he doesn't fit the "Jew" criteria, his actions transcend religious boundaries, offering a universal example of profound humanity. So, no, not a Jew, but definitely a mensch of the highest order.