Six shortlisted for ‘Jewish Nobel’ include Sacha Baron Cohen and head of Pfizer

Sacha Baron Cohen, Scarlett Johannson and the head of Pfizer are among six people vying to win the ‘Jewish Nobel’ 2022.

Voting for the annual $1m Genesis Prize award opened to the global public on Monday with six finalists announced by the Genesis Prize Foundation.

The gong honours individuals for their achievements, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish values, with legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg scooping 2021’s prize, for his work on Shoah education.

Finalists include, Albert Bourla , chairman and CEO of Pfizer, which helped vaccinate the world against Covid. Actors Sacha Baron Cohen and Scarlett Johansson are also in the running, alongside US fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg, and UK-based best-selling Israeli author and academic, Yuval Noah Harari. The sixth name on the list is Legendary Nazi hunter and human rights activist, Serge Klarsfeld of France.

Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation, said it is “is an invitation to reflect on the meaning of Jewish achievement, how it impacts the world and shapes our modern identity,”

“Six extraordinary finalists represent Jewish talent in all its diversity: age, gender, geography, and professional achievement. We invite you to make your voice heard and vote for the 2022 Genesis Prize Laureate.”

Last year, two hundred thousand Jews on six continents cast votes for one of the 2021 finalists, before the Genesis Prize Committee has the ultimate discretion in selecting the Laureate.

The 2022 Laureate will be announced early in 2022, with a ceremony in the middle of next year, Covid-permitting. .

Link to the voting page: https://bit.ly/GPVote21JewishRel

Link to brief videos on each candidate: https://bit.ly/GPVote21VideoAnchor