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Bragging Rights
Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology/medicine, literature, and peace on this date in 1895 by signing his last will and testament. Nobel thereby gave rise to obnoxious Jewish bragging throughout the 20th century. Here’s the tally: With an international Jewish population that amounts to only one quarter of one percent of humanity, a little more than 20 percent of all Nobel recipients between 1901, the first year prizes were awarded, and today, have been Jews or had at least one Jewish parent, including 37 percent of American recipients. The greatest concentration has been in economics (the economics prize was established in 1968; 38% of the winners have been Jewish or half-Jewish) and physiology/medicine (29 percent). Of peace prize winners, nine have been Jews — including, appallingly enough, Henry Kissinger (1973).
“Nobel Peace, my ass! If Henry Kiss-of-Death deserves it, so do I!” —Bill Horwitz
Lawrence Bush edited Jewish Currents from 2003 until 2018. He is the author of Bessie: A Novel of Love and Revolution and Waiting for God: The Spiritual Explorations of a Reluctant Atheist, among other books. His new volume of illustrated Torah commentaries, American Torah Toons 2, is scheduled for publication this year.
