Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai, a name that echoes through the halls of global activism, burst onto the international scene not by choice, but by necessity. Born in Pakistan, her early life was marked by the Taliban's oppressive regime, which sought to deny girls the fundamental right to an education. Undeterred, she began blogging about her experiences and advocating for schooling, a move that would ultimately put a target on her back.

Her bravery, or perhaps her sheer stubbornness, caught the attention of the Taliban, who attempted to silence her with a bullet. Spoiler alert: it didn't work. After surviving a horrific attack, Malala's voice only grew louder, amplified by the worldwide outrage and admiration she garnered. It's almost as if shooting a child for wanting to learn is bad PR.

She went on to become the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, continuing her work with the Malala Fund, ensuring that millions of girls have access to education. She even studied at Oxford, proving that a little bit of attempted murder can really motivate a person.

While her commitment to global education is undeniable, and frankly, quite impressive, there's no indication she's swapped out her Pakistani heritage for gefilte fish or a bat mitzvah. Her fight for universal education, however, could be seen as a universal kvell, even if it's not specifically Jewish.