[Talisker]

The high level of heterozygosity compared to the European average is not surprising in the slightest. In the medieval period, Ashkenazim were the most well-traveled people in the world.

Agreed. "The Wandering Jew" became almost a mythological label, they were driven away from towns and cities an a regular basis, laws were passed prohibiting them from participation in long lists of professions, and pogroms were enacted against them by numerous groups

If they now didn't have a spread of genetic diversity as a result, that would be the real surprise.

Although come to think of it, perhaps this article is a refutation of the Jewish insistence of genetic/racial purity?

[idov]

Wherever Jews lived for more than a few generations they absorbed the DNA of surrounding peoples. The Ethiopians came back to Israel looking like Ethiopians, the Indians looking like others in India, the Yemenites like the Yemenites, the Morrocans like the Morrocans and all those pale faces from Europe looking like the pale faces there. “Racial purity” is a concept of our enemies. Israelis marry Israelis no matter what their origin except perhaps in extreme fringe ultra-Orthodox groups who are out of step with the society in this and every other matter.

[wideawake]

Although come to think of it, perhaps this article is a refutation of the Jewish insistence of genetic/racial purity?

I'm not aware of any such claim being made by Jews.

The traditional Jewish claim is that all Jews are matrilineal descendants of Abraham except for the most recent converts.

That has little to do with any post-Enlightenment obsession with "racial purity" and more to do with the perennial notion of rightful inheritance.