Recently published research in the field of molecular genetics –- the study of DNA sequences –- indicates that Jewish populations of the various Diaspora communities have retained their genetic identity throughout the exile. Despite large geographic distances between the communities and the passage of thousands of years, far removed Jewish communities share a similar genetic profile. This research confirms the common ancestry and common geographical origin of world Jewry.
Jewish men from communities which developed in the Near East –- Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Yemen -- and European Jews have very similar, almost identical genetic profiles.
"Despite their long-term residence in different countries and isolation from one another, most Jewish populations were not significantly different from one another at the genetic level. The results support the hypothesis that the paternal gene pools of Jewish communities from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East descended from a common Middle Eastern ancestral population, and suggest that most Jewish communities have remained relatively isolated from neighboring non-Jewish communities during and after the Diaspora."
(M.F. Hammer, Proc. Nat'l Academy of Science, May 9, 2000)
The basis of this new field of population research is the study of the Y-chromosome, which is passed virtually unchanged from father to son. The rare mutations -– which are changes in the non-coding portion of its DNA –- can serve as markers, which can distinguish peoples. By studying the genetic signatures of various groups, comparisons can be made to determine the genetic relationships between the groups.
Y-chromosome research of the Jewish people began as an outgrowth of the study of Cohanim –- the Jewish priestly family. These studies showed a very high genetic affinity among present-day Cohanim, indicating that they do have a common paternal ancestor, estimated to have lived some 3,000 years ago. (See The Cohanim/DNA Connection)
MOST RECENT RESEARCH
The most recent genetic research consists of obtaining DNA samples, and doing laboratory analysis and comparison of the DNA markers on the Y-chromosome –- which is passed from father to son, and on the mtDNA (mitrocondrial DNA) –- which is passed intact from mother to son and daughter. This genetic anthropology promises to be particularly informative for tracking the history of Jewish populations, and helping to resolve the debate on the origins and migrations of Jewish communities in the Diaspora.
The researchers proposed to answer the question whether the scattered groups of modern Jews can be identified as the descendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible, or whether their common ancestry has been diluted through influx of converts and through intermarriage so that little remains of their "Jewish genes."
The complex recorded history of dispersal from the Land of Israel and subsequent residence in and movements between various countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East is expected to produce a complex pattern of genetic relationships among Jewish populations as well as between them and the non-Jewish peoples among whom they lived.
The research was based on samples from 29 populations, 7 Jewish, categorized into five major divisions: Jews, Middle-Eastern non-Jews, Europeans, North Africans, and sub-Saharan Africans.
The findings were that most Jewish communities do indeed seem to be genetically similar.
The findings were that most Jewish communities -- long separated from one another in Europe, North Africa, the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula -- do indeed seem to be genetically similar and closely related to one another, sharing a common geographical origin.
These Jewish communities are more closely related to each other and to other Middle Eastern Semitic populations -– Palestinians, Syrians, and Druze -- than to their neighboring non-Jewish populations in the Diaspora.
The results also indicate a low level of admixture (intermarriage, conversion, rape, etc.) into the gene pool of these various Jewish communities.
Among the Jewish communities sampled, North Africans (Moroccans, etc.) were most closely related to Babylonian (Iraqi) Jews. These populations may best represent the paternal gene pool of the ancient Jewish/Hebrew population dating back to the First Temple period, before the Babylonian exile (approx. 2,500 years ago).
The Y-chromosome signatures of the Yemenite Jews are also similar to those of other Jewish and Semitic populations. In contrast, the paternal gene pool of Ethiopian Jews more closely resembles that of non-Jewish Ethiopian men.
ASHKENAZI LINKS
Although the Ashkenazi (European) Jewish community separated from their Mediterranean ancestors some 1,200 years ago and lived among Central and Eastern European gentiles, their paternal gene pool still resembles that of other Jewish and Semitic groups originating in the Middle East.
A low rate of intermarriage between Diaspora Jews and local gentiles was the key reason for this continuity. Since the Jews first settled in Europe more than 50 generations ago, the intermarriage rate was estimated to be only about 0.5% in each generation.
The findings oppose the suggestion that Ashkenazim are descended from the Kuzars.
The Ashkenazi paternal gene pool does not appear to be similar to that of present-day Turkish speakers. This finding opposes the suggestion that Ashkenazim are descended from the Kuzars, a Turkish-Asian empire that converted to Judaism en masse in or about the 8th century CE.
The researchers are continuing and expanding their studies particularly of the Ashkenazi community. They are hoping that by examining the DNA markers in Jewish populations from different parts of Europe, they will be able to infer the major historical and demographic patterns in Ashkenazi populations.
MIGRATION CLUES
In addition to questions of medical interest, there are many interesting possibilities concerning the origin of Ashkenazi populations and how they migrated in Europe. It seems likely that Jews began to arrive in Europe perhaps 1,000 to 1,200 years ago, when settlement was already sufficiently developed to provide them with opportunities to make a living.
One theory claims that the Jews of Eastern Europe derive predominantly from Jewish migrants from the Rhineland or from Italy, being fairly direct descendants of the original ancient Jewish/Hebrew populations.
A second theory suggests a northerly migration from the Balkans or from Central Asia, with the possibility of large-scale conversions of Slavs and/or Kuzars to Judaism.
This argument parallels the controversy over the origin and development of Yiddish -– the language of Eastern European Jews. One theory proposes that Jews, migrating from the Rhineland and neighboring regions spoke an old form of German which provided the basis of Yiddish.
Other scholars reject the German origin of Yiddish. These linguists see Yiddish grammar as fundamentally Slavonic, with modern Yiddish developed by incorporating large numbers of German and Hebrew words into the context of a basically Slavic grammar and syntax.
There has not been enough historical evidence to decide between such theories. Now, with the newly developed genetic methods, it is possible to test these ideas, for example to see if there was a significant Slavic contribution to modern Ashkenazic Jewry.
CONTINUING RESEARCH
The researchers plan to continue their research by investigating genetic variation in populations that can trace their Jewish ancestry to localized communities of Europe, in order to better understand the history and development of Ashkenazic Jewry.
The genetic research findings support Jewish tradition –- both written and oral.
These genetic research findings support Jewish tradition –- both written and oral.
After over 1,000 years of history in the Land of Israel, Jews dispersed to many and distant locations throughout the world. Some Jewish exile communities were relatively stable for two millennia -– such as in Babylonia (Iraq) and Persia (Iran). Others developed centuries later, following successive migrations to North Africa and Europe.
All of these communities maintained their Jewish customs and religious observance despite prolonged periods of persecution. Jews remained generally culturally isolated from their host communities. These genetic studies are a testimony to Jewish family faithfulness.
Only the Jewish people in the history of mankind has retained its genetic identity for over 100 generations, while being spread throughout the world –- truly unique and inspiring.
Perhaps, even more unique and inspiring, is that this most unlikely scenario was a prophecy and a promise.
And God shall scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth... (Deuteronomy 28:64)
And God shall return your captivity and be merciful to you, and will return and gather you from all the nations whither God has scattered you. (Deuteronomy 30:3)
As the natural laws are set before Me, so shall the seed of Israel never cease from being a nation before Me, forever. (Jeremiah 31:36)
(41) Anonymous, May 14, 2016 9:14 PM
Did my DNA but don't understand
What Hyplogroup W means?,I'm WW2 survivor/child/no family no birth certificate.
(40) KurdishJaff, March 28, 2014 3:24 PM
Where can this Jewish ancestry DNA test be done?
I've just been informed by my maternal grandmother that her maternal grandmother was of Jewish ancestry - in Iraq. Unfortunately, the government doesn't have any record of that far back and I am curious to know if this DNA test is accurate at all or where it can be done! I'm really curious now!
Adrienne Kuhn, March 17, 2015 12:35 AM
FTDNA Full Mitochondrial Sequence
I did the full mitochondrial sequence test at Family Tree DNA and came up with an Ashkenazi matriline, with deep Mizrahi ancestry. I asked a rabbi at Chabad.org if a Jewish court would then consider me Jewish, but was told that Judaism does not accept DNA evidence at this time and that I would need to find historic proof of Jewish background, My family originated in Ukraine, and given the ravages of the 20th century, this information could be difficult if not impossible to find. Please let me know if you hear any alternate views on this issue. Best regards. ?
Mike D., October 7, 2015 4:54 PM
DNA Test
I'm Iranian Jewish took the Ancestry DNA test and found I am only 6% Ashkenzi Jewish and the rest 55% native Iranian, 10% Italian, and rest Middle eastern. Looks like your DNA test is way more detailed will have to try it. I would say you have more Jewish genes then I do, frankly I would consider you as a Jew. It makes me angry that we don't accept more people into our arms and reconnect with there rightful heritage who belong because history and war got in the way. The orthodox rabbis get in the way of saying who is true Jew, no one should have that power. If your gene pool and your history say you are then you are, no one should ever have that right and their history taken away from them.
(39) Anonymous, September 18, 2013 3:29 PM
DNA results
My DNA results show 46% Ashkenazi Jew and how can this be? Both my parents and their parents and further back are all from the UK. Mothers fairly from the highlands of Scotland and fathers family from south west England. I am first generation born in USA. Confused.
Anonymous, October 17, 2013 10:49 PM
Possible conversion of English forebears
It's possible that during the English expulsion of Jews in ~1200's, your father's family converted to avoid persecution.
TMay, December 22, 2013 10:51 PM
adoption
it could be that somewhere along the line a child got adopted and it was not mentioned.
(38) Daniel Guy Luriw, August 19, 2013 4:37 AM
agree with everything said
Jews are hereditarily special as we we see if in nothing else than the number of Nobel Prizes won
(37) Exiled, September 7, 2012 6:22 PM
The Lemba tribe of South Africa you find the chromosomal type (Cohen modal haplotype) that is characteristic of the Jewish priesthood in a frequency that is similar to what you see in major Jewish populations. They also follow many Jewish traditions and have a oral history of how they arrived where they are.
(36) Anonymous, September 5, 2012 6:34 PM
Japanese
Haven't the Japanese maintained their gene line for 100 generations?
(35) Anonymous, February 23, 2012 2:26 PM
The origin of Yiddish
The problem with Yiddish in your article is that you make it sound like there is a serious debate about the origin of the language. While in fact, Yiddish is a Germanic language that was brought to Slavic countries much later, it has roots of archaic forms of German, and you can also see progression that fits perfectly the migration pattern from south-west.
(34) Anonymous, November 15, 2011 3:05 AM
Not Exactly
There have been numerous studies which have concluded that most Palestinian Arabs share a common ancestry with Jews. There are identical Y haplotypes found in both Ashkenazi and Palestinian Arab populations. A team lead by Almut Nebel at the Hebrew University concluded that Palestinian Arabs are an indigenous population with a small amount of admixture from the Arabian Peninsula. Certainly Palestinian Arabs have some Jewish ancestry. Some are aware of the fact, but would be afraid to admit it. Though the genetic similarities can partly be accounted for through the common ancestry of Semitic people in addition to conversion.
Anonymous, April 13, 2012 12:05 PM
Does that explain what Arabian Jew is?
What happens is : you might never know what it all means if there was nothing but oral tradition in existence. Is it even worth trying to find out?
(33) eSpirit, November 9, 2011 3:16 AM
And God shall return your captivity and be merciful to you, and will return and gather you from all the nations whither God has scattered you. (Deuteronomy 30:3) That is truly a work of God!
(32) Anonymous, June 28, 2011 11:20 AM
Maybe we can find the lost Yeminites.
I wounder if we can use this technology to track down the lost/kidnapped 1000's of Yeminite children that were taken from the hospitals and claimed to the parents that they died when Israel had just become a state.
(31) moe, December 28, 2010 3:52 AM
They should do definitive Khazar DNA study
How can they rule out Khazar origin if they haven't studied Khazar DNA? It would appear that the best way to rule out Ashkenazi-Khazarian linkages is to do a study that would compare the DNA of the two cultures. It would be easy to do, simply take a random sampling of about 1000 Ashkenazi Jews who can trace their origin to Europe and that of about 1000 people who can trace their ancestry to areas in and around the former empire of Khazaria, and study the results, Thats all. Instead we get studies of common genetic traits among all Jews, which is haphazard. We are after all one large human family, we share common genetic traits among a wide spectrum of cultures. The fact that Jews share some common genetic traits does not rule out a large descendance from a particular culture whose DNA has not been studied.
Anonymous, November 15, 2011 2:41 AM
They Did
As the article mentions, the Ashkenazi DNA was compared to modern Turkic populations. The Khazars were of nomadic Turkic origin. Taking the DNA of 1000 people who can trace their DNA to the region of Khazaria would not in fact be helpful. The Khazars were invaders from the east who established themselves as a ruling class. Since then, the region has seen numerous invasions and displacements of the local population. Demographically, the region has very little in common with its early medieval history.
(30) stefano445@hotmail.com, May 16, 2010 8:35 PM
Not Quite
The conclusion of the article--that various local populations of Jews are genetically similar--is not correct. It may be the case that Y-chromosomes are heavily represented by J1 and J2 genotypes, but people are the products of both parents, not just of their fathers. If an original Israelite from 1200 B.C.E. married a non-Israelite, and all subsequent male descendants, though calling themselves Israelite (or Judean or Jewish), also procreated with non-Israelite females, and assuming one generation every 20 years, then the male issue of these mixtures 3,200 years later would still have the J1 or J2 haplotype and yet be only 1/640 Israelite or Jewish. Mitochondrial DNA--from the mother--proves that all Jewish populations have enormous admixtures of non-Jewish blood. The Old Testament memorializes these admixtures repeatedly (Abraham with Hagar; David from Ruth the Moabitess, Solomon and his Egyptian, Ammonite, Moabite wives). If Jews from Kaifeng do not look like Jews from Kerala, who do not look like Jews from Cracow, there is a reason: They are of different racial backgrounds.
Anonymous, November 15, 2011 2:51 AM
Common origin is not the same as genetically similar in every way.
There is a high frequency of identical genetic haplotypes in varied Jewish populations indicating common origin. The estimate of 0.5% genetic admixture per generation is enough to account for similarities between Jewish and non-Jewish populations in any particular region. Nevertheless, that does not discount common origin. For example, 80% of Ashkenazi Y haplotypes are definitively of Middle Eastern origin. Strangely, only 40% of Ashkenazi mtDNA haplotypes are definitively of Middle Eastern origin which appears to indicate that considerably more European woman converted to Judaism as compared to men.
(29) Me, December 26, 2009 9:30 PM
Palestinians?
"These Jewish communities are more closely related to each other and to other Middle Eastern Semitic populations -– Palestinians, Syrians, and Druze..." Well, it's not politics but pure science -- there is no such nation as Palestinians, they are Arabs that migrated to the land of Israel in the early 20th century, their genes are of Arabs just like those who live in Egypt and Jordan.
(28) Ben, December 1, 2009 2:41 PM
culture not genes,arabs aren`t spiritual but genetic relatives
main questions was:community of J.genes,links to neighbours of diaspora and Middle East genes.As allways these links must be compeared to dispersions of J.genes-no iformation in the article just declarations.Jewishness isn`t racial but gene`s base of it wasn`t confirmed by the article.
(27) Anonymous, September 27, 2009 7:26 PM
thank you to the comment number 13 !!! I absolutely agree !!!!
(26) me, August 20, 2009 5:50 AM
A word of concern
For one, genes of course do not make a cultural identity or religoius identity. They can however show a link to a particular group of people. For example Tay-Sachs and Gaucher's disease-very common among Jews. Doesn't this show linkage to a common ancestor? Why is it so politically incorrect ask such questions? Can't I choose what I want to do with the scientific information given in this study and do what I want with it? Why are people still clinging to this idea that we are all created equal? We're not. We're all human, but do have differences. With that said, if you have an understanding of the scientific method, the human genome, and you except that the findings in this article have been tested and peer reviewed. You have no other alternative but to accept the idea that there are people who exist who have a common biological ancestor and share an identity in that way. That through genetics we can see similarities and differences among groups of people and that these differences are quantifiable. Yes, it is true that genetic testing can let us see a myopic view of the past through Y-chromosomal and mt-chromosomal DNA only, but it is a view. The article states that Jewish communities are in fact similar to one another to the exclusion of others. Why is this such a pill? Some corrections to previous comments: "a genotype is not phenotype" Although this statement is true, it's best understood that they are linked in that one is an expression of the other. "darker skin pigment is dominant"...this statement is complete fiction. It probably comes from the one-drop rule which states one drop of black blood makes a person black. Any research in genetics will disprove this incorrect. I urge people to not get there information from the internet. Don't even trust me. Please, please, please go to you library or better yet speak with an instructor preferably in Biology or Anthropology and find out for yourself where truth lies. Thanks.
(25) Jim, July 1, 2009 12:18 AM
Haplogroup J1
For those interested in this subject there in a haplogroup J1 group on facebook.com i am a J1 myself and live here in the good old USA. How did it happen? who knows really. there are many of us tested who ask that same question. But just because a person has the seed don't make them Jewish.
(24) THC, May 11, 2009 6:00 PM
I'm am generally fascinated by the search for racial identity in general.
The question of superiority and inferiority is disturbing at best, however- if only that it may give some who are obviously quite normal in nearly every way false reason to do unspeakable things to their fellow man- many of whom may in fact actually be superior to them. This pendulum may swing either way.
(23) JKale, January 24, 2009 10:58 PM
Interesting but irrelevant.
I think this study is fascinating from an anthropological and geaological standpoint, however as far as jewishness goes, it is absolutely irrelevant. So what if NO jews today have genetic roots in the middle east. It is not the flesh that makes the jew but the soul.
(22) Anonymous, June 24, 2008 11:56 AM
Y chromosome alone
The Y chromosome studies are useful when searching for descendants of Israelite tribes. In the Old Testament tribal identity was passed from father to son. For example, to this day, one cannot become a Levite or Cohes if one's father is not a Levite or Cohen. However, one can be a Levite or Cohen if one's mother is not a Levite or Cohen. As such when looking for descendants of the "The Lost Tribes of Israel" many are looking for men who married gentiles but share a patrilineal identity with the known sons of Abraham (descendants of Judah, Levi, Aaron, Samaritans, Bene Israel of India etc).
(21) Daniel Richter, April 29, 2008 6:10 PM
what's wrong with establishing a pedigree?
Personally I'd like to know, if possible, whether I am more of a Kuzar or a German or an ancient Israelite than the next guy. Then I will attach my own subjective meaning to those findings whether they be superiority or inferiority or indifference. I find it very insulting to hear people go on about how we're all basically the same.
They are the same people who kvell about their kids being dentists or living in Israel and studying at the Technion.
(20) Kevin, March 16, 2008 12:23 PM
Haplogroup Q runs at about 6-8 percent in the middle east. Remember there were 12 tribes of israel. As to where those other 10 tribes came from, nobody knows. And to be honest, I personally think it is difficult a lot of times to distinguish jews between mizrachi and ashkenazi origin. People thought my grandfather was yemenite jewish and father was iranian jewish. They all spoke yiddish. Go figure. You can't focus on one haplogroup. But, there is a common theme where there are x y and z haplogoups that run in the middle east (doesn't have to be J1 and J2) and ashkenazi populations. The only fact I know is that many dutch jews (from spain and portugal) intermixed with the dutch. As to why, I do not know.
(19) Steve Sconosciuto, October 20, 2007 10:12 PM
Fallacious Argument
Even if 40%-50% of Ashkenazic and/or Sephardic males display haplogroups J1 or J2, that in itself does not argue for relative genetic purity of the Jewish people. The Y chromosome is one of 46 in the genome. Excepting the X chromosome in males, the remaining 44 are subject to recombination. Suppose--as is undoubtedly the case in many communities, such as among the Jews of Africa and China--that Jewish merchants arrived in a locale and set up a trading post, as almost certainly happened with the Jews of Elephantine in southern Egypt. The males (who were certainly the majority of any trading expedition) then took local (i.e., non-Jewish) women as wives. Their sons would bear the Jewish paternal Y chromosome, but the remaining chromosomes would be 50% foreign. Their daughters would be 50% foreign since no Y chromosome was involved. Now these children have children. The sons of the sons still bear the paternal Jewish Y chromosome, but not the daughters of the sons and not the daughters of the daughters. In fact, ALL of the children and grandchildren would have maternal mitochondrial DNA as well as the admixed other maternal genes. Now, take the sons of the sons again. In the extreme case, each generation of sons could marry with non-Jewish women who converted to Judaism. Their sons would still bear the paternal Jewish Y chromosome, but it is obvious that their genetic make-up would be almost entirely non-Jewish. The African and Chinese Jews are phenotypic proof of this phenomenon, and in many instances, this is also true of the Ashkenazim, many of whom bear obvious Germanic and Slavic features. Thus, the common Middle Eastern origin of Diaspora populations is largely a matter of the Y chromosome alone, not of the entire Jewish genome.
(18) Gil Hassin, September 5, 2007 9:46 PM
Gegealogy
Good morning from Australia,
What a fabulous website, I discovered it today, intresting content, how refreshing!.
I was wondering if you were going to establish a Genealogy section?.
I was born in Alexandria Egypt, my parents were also born there of Moroccan/ Greek lineage. While the Moroccan side is Sephardi the Greek side is from Iraq or environs as far back as the year 70 where our paternal Grandmother's surname is recorded.
I am interested in hearing from anyone who knows of the Surnames Hassine, Negrin, Hakoun, Elderai and Benchetrit.
I look forward to hearing from you or any of your membership.
Regards,
Gil Hassin
(17) Steven Fink, February 22, 2007 12:24 PM
I recently read Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman's book "geneology and genetics"
I found it to be very intresting and decided to obtain the y-chromosome, and mtDNA tests.
The results of the y-DNA determined that many other jews like myself were of haplogroup Q.
I was also able to trace my fathers family back over three-hundred years to a town in Poland. So as far as i know my family has been jewish for a very long time.
As you know the Q haplogroup is not included in the ancient israelite DNA
Therefore the evidence of ashkenazi and sephardic jews being related is inconclusive. As much as i would love to be related to the ancient israelites, it is not a plausible determination that "most" jews are related to the ancient israelities.
(16) AlvaC.Goffigon, October 8, 2006 8:32 PM
Fascinating!
I find this intensely interesting. Thanks for contributing it.
(15) DanielShir, October 6, 2006 8:51 PM
Almost Makes Me Religious
After comparing biblical sayings and realizing how prophetic and true they are; it almost makes me want to be relgious. DNA testing is the proof we need to show the world how we are truly a nation. With it, we can contest those that wish to take away our history, our blood and our nation.
(14) An English reader, February 19, 2006 12:00 AM
Great stuff!
I think the whole area of tracing genetic origins is fascinating. Apparently Genghis Khan has 16 million descendants worldwide as tracked by Y chromosomes! (Not that he was a friendly person unfortunately).
If people understood better that they inherit resentments against genetically different people, they could then make the conscious choice to forgive (where appropriate) and accept those people. Choosing to be ignorant of our differences doesn't help.
(13) Anonymous, April 13, 2005 12:00 AM
It really makes me feel tired to realize that any people, anywhere, are trying to set themselves above, or separate from other people, by virtue of a bloodline. I have to agree with the comment one person made that this is what happened in Nazi Germany. Get over it. We're all just people. If you want to get technical about it, DNA studies also say that ALL people on this planet came from just two people. I repeat, just get over it. Concentrate on doing the right thing, instead of trying to make some sort of artificial separation between jews and everyone else. We're all the same before God. That's because God made all of us.
(12) Barry Zwick, September 26, 2004 12:00 AM
Absolutely fascinating!
Thanks so much! I had no idea such a book existed, even though I have participated in the studies. Riveting stuff!
(11) Annie, June 28, 2003 12:00 AM
Web site on Jewish DNA
Click on the Web site for research on Jewish and ethnic DNA at www.newswriting.net. Audio and Radio broadcasts, articles, and book excerpts from books on tracing your Jewish DNA--Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, Sephardi.
Annie
(10) Anonymous, March 28, 2002 12:00 AM
A word of caution
While these studies support the idea that two random Jews may have more genetic relatedness than a Jew and a non-Jew, it has little meaning beyond that. Genetic relatedness is useful for tracing genetic origins such as where did a particular allele begin. However, it does not mean much more than that. it does not confirm anything Jewish, unless to be Jewish is to have descended from a Jew, and that only begs the question of, who was the first Jew?
Often, Jews and non-Jews alike think of Judaism as a genetic fact. Evidence like this may even superficially add support to such an idea, but one need only ask the obvious question to dispel that idea: how do genes make a cultural or religious identity? The answer is, they don't. A geneotype is not a phenotype. Judaism is in cultural, religion, and ultimately, one's self-identity. It is not in genes.
(9) Anonymous, February 20, 2002 12:00 AM
Bias Focus
It appears that the objective of such a study is to further promote division and separatism among the Jews. Enough of this currently exist as it relates to the Jews of African descent. The only African Jews that appear to be readily accepted are those of Ethiopian descent. What about the West African Jews? Very little attention or focus are placed on them and the struggles of their descendants.
(8) Anonymous, October 27, 2001 12:00 AM
Conversions and Jewish DNA
Since a convert becomes a Jew, and since, after Abraham, for several years almost every "new" Jew was a convert, do you have a hypothesis about whether the converts' genetic profile both changed and merged into the theretofore Jewish DNA? Could there be more than one 'stream' of Jewish DNA?
(7) Anonymous, August 12, 2001 12:00 AM
Ashkinazi's always assumed to have intermarried?
Why is it that people always make the assumption, as the Kuzari commenter did, that the Ashkinazi Jews are the ones who have intermarried? Why not make the very same assumption of the Sephardim? Is it not highly likely that both populations have some of the blood of some converts in them and that to some extent both groups have changed somewhat? To me, this seems a likely possibility.
If you have ever looked at the non-Jewish population in Syria or Lebanon, they are not nearly as darkly pigmented as the non-Jewish population of Yemin. Some have assumed the Europen Jews have lightened significantly, but we look very much, with individual exceptions, like other Mediteranian peoples. I believe there was little intermarriage, little conversion in (for obvious reasons, it was not permitted by the Church), and little rape there. I also know that darker skin pigmentation is dominant, so it would not take many converts (and we know historically there were communities in Arabia who had converts and who fled to Yemin during Mohammed's life), to darken the skin pigmentation of the Yemini Jews.
While both populations changed somewhat, we both retained our Jewish DNA, indicating that our changes were not as significant as some want to believe. We are, after all, one big family.
(6) , January 17, 2001 12:00 AM
A word of caution
A word of caution about getting too caught up in racial purity and a genetic basis for identifying and discriminating between people-- We must remember how Hitler and the Natzis perverted this type of thinking to discount human life. It is an interesting topic as far as learning about history but, in the scheme of things, preserving a little strand of non-coded DNA isn't such a big deal. Far more important is that we treat all people with respect and appretiation and that we live an honorable life.
(5) Judd Serotta, January 11, 2001 12:00 AM
We look different
If Jews of Sephardic and Ashkenazic descent appear to come from very similar gene pools, why do we look so different? To the non-scientist (like me), it would appear that the Ashkenaz Jews married local light-skinned people, and the Sephards married local dark-skinned people (unless they were originally dark-skinned, in which case they could have been separated). But what accounts for the difference in appearance between Ashkenazic Jews and Sephardic Jews?
Josef, March 2, 2012 9:07 AM
Not all Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews necessarily look so different
You conjecture that Ashkenazim are light-skinned because their ancestors mated with lighter-skinned peoples and that Sephardi ancestors mingled with darker-skinned peoples, that's true to an extent, but it's not always the case that Sephardim are dark and Ashkenazim are light. Often Sephardim descended from Spanish exiles who settled in the Balkans and Anatolia (e.g., Sephardim from Greece, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Turkey) are very fair, so are many Syrian Jews. Even some Moroccan, Tunisian, Iraqi and Iranian Jews can be light-skinned with blond-hair and blue eyes--just like some of the non-Jews from all these countries. (In my experience though Yemenite Jews always tend to be darker-skinned.) Additionally, there are plenty of olive-skinned, swarthy Ashkenazi Jews whsoe ancestors lievd in countries like Poland, Germany, Russia, etc. It's not at all clear-cut. My father is Ashkenazi and he looks very Mediterranean, despite the fact that his ancestors lived in present-day Ukraine and Poland before they came to the US, many of my mother's Syrian/Lebanese-Jewish cousins have red hair and light skin.
(4) Jennifer Schjolberg, December 10, 2000 12:00 AM
African Jews
I am doing research on Jews living in Africa. I thought the topic was rather obscure, and it would be difficult to find enough information to do a thorough paper, but thanks to this article I now have a scientific portion that can be incorporated into my study.
(3) Kevin Brook, September 18, 2000 12:00 AM
Dr. Hammer's study is not the final word
The genetics study cited above is interesting but incomplete. For instance, I am not aware of any study that attempts to compare the genes of
Khazar skeletons or modern North Caucasian Turks (especially Kumuks and
Karachays) with European Jews, which essentially leaves the Khazar question untested. Also, the study only tests some portions of Jewish genes. The Khazars are certainly not to be ruled out entirely. A statistical analysis of the study has been conducted by Daniel Friedman at http://www.khazaria.com/genetics/friedman.html, who concludes that there are both Israelite and non-Israelite elements in European Jews. Also, there are other genetics studies you can read about at http://www.khazaria.com/genetics/abstracts.html
It is rather obvious that converts and intermarriages represent some of the ancestry of Ashkenazi Jews. Dismissing the Jewish Khazars from our history entirely is unwise, considering that new evidence for their Judaism has come to light. I look forward to additional genetics studies like this one that can help trace our roots to its various origins.
(2) , August 26, 2000 12:00 AM
"in thee and in thy seed shall of the families of the earth be blessed." Gen 28:14
Fascinating research with many ramifications! Not least of these is its contribution to the verification of the credibility of Jewish historical traditions / lineages(as found in the Bible, Haggadah, Talmud etc). Further, the research enhances the significance of the fact that while Jews have contributed enormously to the cultural and economic well-being of countless nations (despite continued mistrust and persecution)they have still maintained their genetic, cultural and religious distinctiveness. Jews are indeed a marvel and a wonder to the Nations - evidence of God's hand at work if ever such evidence was needed.
(1) malka dennis, July 15, 2000 12:00 AM
who's most jewish
The research is interesting and an inspirational testament to the faithfulness of the Jewish people to their laws and traditions. It makes me wonder what could I learn about my family history from my genes? I hope genetic information will not become a vehicle for some of us to say, "I am more Jewish (or a better Jew) than you because I have a Hebrew pedigree."