Naguib Mahfouz

Naguib Mahfouz, the celebrated Egyptian author, is perhaps best known for dragging Arabic literature, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century. His "Cairo Trilogy" alone is enough to earn him a spot in the pantheon of literary greats, exploring the lives of Cairene families with an almost un-Egyptian frankness.

Born into a Muslim family, Mahfouz's connection to Judaism seems to have been purely literary, if that. He wrote about Egyptian society, which, like most societies, contained Jewish people, but there's no indication he ever considered swapping his mosque for a synagogue. A regular at Cairo's intellectual cafes, he probably spent more time debating existentialism than davening.

Mahfouz snagged the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988, a feat that brought immense pride to the Arab world, and presumably, a little confusion to the Swedish Academy trying to pronounce his name. His work, which often grappled with themes of bureaucracy, religion, and modernity, resonated globally, proving that even a chronicler of a specific culture can achieve universal acclaim.

While his contributions to world literature are undeniable, making him highly "kvell-worthy" for pretty much anyone who appreciates a good read, his Jewish bona fides are, shall we say, non-existent. He was Egyptian, he was Muslim, and he was a brilliant writer. Let's not complicate things.