Born Pauline Friedman, Abigail Van Buren was best known for her “Dear Abby” column and the witty, commonsense advice she gave hundreds of millions of readers.
Hannah Rachel Verbermacher, one of the early precursors of women rabbis, was known as the Maid of Ludomir and was alternately revered for her wisdom and reviled for taking on a traditionally male role.
Although she made her Broadway debut with Indecent in 2016, playwright Paula Vogel has long been hailed for her unflinching exploration of taboo topics, from the AIDS crisis to child abuse.