Sally Ride

Sally Ride, a woman whose name, if you say it fast enough, almost sounds like an amusement park ride. But instead of cotton candy and rollercoasters, she was all about rocket science and zero gravity. Born in Los Angeles, she achieved what many only dreamed of: a trip to space. More than that, she was the first American woman to do so, blazing a trail that countless women have since followed.

While her achievements were undeniably out of this world, literally, her Jewish bona fides remain firmly on the ground. Despite a rather compelling surname that could, in a pinch, pass for something a cantor might belt out, research indicates a distinct lack of menorahs in her family history. Her parents were of Norwegian and English descent, which, last we checked, isn't exactly a high-scoring category on the gefilte fish scale.

So, while we can't exactly kvell over her Shabbat observance, we can certainly acknowledge her contributions to science and space exploration. She broke barriers, inspired millions, and probably had a pretty good view of Earth from her office. For that alone, she rates a decent K score, even if her I and O scores are as empty as, well, space.