Jewish women had quite successful 2020(1) Olympics, winning gold in gymnastics, beach volleyball, and canoeing. (And even a bronze in taekwondo?!) But who is the first Jewish woman to win an Olympic medal?

As can be deduced from the subject of this profile, the answer is not one women, but multiple. We have to go back to the 1912 Games in Stockholm, the first time women were allowed to compete in swimming. They were included in only two events: the 100 meter freestyle (no Jews medalled), and the 4x100 relay, when Jews made up 3/4th of Austria's bronze-winning team: Margarete Adler, Klara Milch, and Josephine Sticker.

A couple of caveats before we raise the kvell level: there is some dispute if all three were Jewish (the fact that they all lived through the war does seem to speak against that), and... well, only four teams were involved in the race. Britain easily won, Germany finished second, and the Austrians outswam the last-place Swedes.

That being said, a medal is still a medal, and at the age of 16, Adler is still the youngest Austrian Olympic female medalist. Probably also the youngest Jewish Olympic female medalist? Perhaps a subject to research in another profile...