Well before the Jews gave birth to Christianity, they were heartily disliked by many who came into contact with them. The Greeks and Romans felt mortally offended by their determination to cling to their own traditions. These included a devotion to reading sacred texts that ensured that, for millennia, almost all were literate and respected learning when most other people had little interest in such pursuits.
This meant that in the 19th century, when Jews were finally allowed to participate fully in public life in Western European countries, many quickly made their mark in universities, political organisations, commercial undertakings and government bureaucracies. They also made noteworthy contributions to their nation’s culture, especially in science; Jews amount to a mere 0.2 percent of the world’s population, but they have won about 20 percent of the Nobel Prizes awarded for chemistry and a quarter of those for physics and medicine.
Though there has never been any shortage of reasons to persecute Jews, the chief one which underlies most others is envy. Had Jews remained a nondescript minority that rarely produced high-flyers, few would have taken much notice of them, but unfortunately for many millions who were done to death simply because they were considered Jews, even if they or their forefathers had become Christians, an unfair proportion has always been exceptionally talented. Naturally enough, their remarkable achievements in so many fields soon greatly annoyed t.