Noah Feldman

Noah Feldman, born in Boston, Massachusetts, is about as Jewish as they come, at least on paper. A Harvard Law School professor and a senior fellow at the Society of Fellows, his academic pedigree is, shall we say, impressive. He even clerked for Supreme Court Justice David Souter, which is practically pre-med for a certain type of Jewish mother.

His writings often delve into the intersection of law, religion, and politics, with a particular focus on the Middle East. One might say he's made a career out of unpacking complex issues, and frequently for The New York Times Magazine. It's almost as if he enjoys making everyone else feel intellectually inferior.

While his academic achievements are undeniable, his kvell-worthiness is a bit of a mixed bag. He's certainly successful, but his involvement in drafting the interim constitution of Iraq, a noble but ultimately fraught endeavor, probably evoked more head-scratching than outright nachas. Still, you can't fault a Jew for trying to fix the world, even if it's one complex legal document at a time.