OPINION - Theresa May: Jewish Nobel winners - extraordinary contributions

Prime Minister writes forward for book by Derek Taylor which reflects on the significance of Jewish Nobel winners

Today it is hard to imagine a world that does not reflect the influence of Einstein, Pinter, Wiesel and the more than 200 other Jewish men and women who have received Nobel Prizes in the 117 years since the first was awarded.

From making the scientific discoveries that explain the world around us to creating the literature that gives it meaning, and from pioneering the medical breakthroughs that save innumerable lives to leading the peace-making initiatives that save countless more, generations of Jewish Nobel laureates have made an immeasurable contribution to the world in which we all live.

It is one that is all the more remarkable given the relatively small number of Jewish people in the world – despite making up just 0.2 percent of the global population, Jewish laureates account for more than a fifth of all winners – and the unimaginable, unprecedented levels of discrimination, oppression and persecution they have been forced to overcome.

For those of us who have dedicated our lives to the idea that opportunity and success should never be limited by either an individual’s background or the prejudice of others, the story of the Jewish Nobel laureates is truly inspiring.

So I thank Derek Taylor for sharing it with us all, and for showing how a tiny ethnic minority, who have faced so many obstacles for so many generations, can still become the unlikely architects of their own success.