Genes set Jews apart, study finds (European Jews Descended from Ancient Roman Converts?)

LA Times ^ | June 3, 2010 | Thomas H. Maugh II

[GOPGuide]

The Jewish people, according to archaeologists, originated in Babylon and Persia between the 4th and 6th centuries BC. The modern-day Jews most closely related to that original population are those in Iran, Iraq and Syria, whose closest non-Jewish relatives are the Druze, Bedouins and Palestinians, the study found.

Sometime in that period, the Middle Eastern and European Jews diverged and the European branch began actively proselytizing for converts.

At the height of the Roman Empire, about 10% of the empire's population was Jewish, although the bulk of them were converts. Some Khazars were also incorporated during this period.

"That explains why so many European and Syrian Jews have blue eyes and blond hair," Ostrer says. It also explains another of the team's findings — that the population most closely related genetically to European Jews are Italians.

[Genoa]

That's Anglo-Israelism, which asserts that Israel (the 10 tribes) migrated to Britain. It asserts that Ephraim is English and Manasseh is American. It proposes biblical support for Anglo-American superiority. Herbert W. Armstrong was a big proponent. The actual historical evidence is mighty thin.

It also maintains that the British royal family is directly descended from King David by way of Scotland, and that they are the rightful occupants of David's throne. If this is true, then one look at Prince Charles tells me right away that there must have been some extensive admixture.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I once read that in medieval Germany, Jews were required to assume German names, having to pay for the “privilege”. More desirable or pleasant sounding names, e.g., “Rosenthal”, Rosedale or Rose Valley were priced higher than less appealing names like Schmutz (dirt).

[cdcdawg]

Thanks, that’s what I thought. I have known very few blond and/or blue-eyed Jews. A few redheads. That’s why “so many” in the article stuck me as odd.

[wardaddy]

That can be a wedge for antisemitism

there is some validity to that but in a cultural tradition whereby being in the tribe is mostly a birthright it comes with the territory and for no small reason academia in Israel spends a lot of time and money on this subject

[masadaman]

"Junk study" is a bit harsh as it was a study to find markers for inherited disease traits. But to the extent the study results are used politically instead of for science then it is worse than junk.

Columbus, based on several biographies, was from Genoa. And an often used shorthand, Genevoese, referring to Jewish Italians is common, yet I believe that there isn't any evidence that he was Jewish. Will Durant in his "Story of Philosophy" speculated on this as well suggesting that 1492's Voyage to the New World was not a search for riches but for a refuge for the Jews as the date coincided with the beginning of the Inquisition in Spain. Would appreciate references for Columbus and DaVinci as well.

[Adder]

Sure...Rome was known as Hymietown [Hymianus Urbs...]

:]

[ccmay]

The blond hair and blue eyes are because Jewish women have for centuries been the object of cruelties at the hands of the minions of many emperors, chieftains, sultans, boyars, kings, czars, and fuehrers.

There is a sad but pragmatic reason that Jews trace their ancestry matrilineally.

[spyone]

Whenever you see the Rothschild’s name brought up, you know you’re dealing with a crackpot.

[Rodm]

The Jewish people, according to(ignorant) archaeologists, originated in Babylon and Persia between the 4th and 6th centuries BC.

No, the Jews were descendants of Abraham (2000 BC) and he originated from Ur in Chaldea (whey they are genetically close to Persians). The Exodus is 490 years later, and King David approx.900 BC.

The professor asked,”Oh my, what do they teach in schools these days?”

[wardaddy]

Jews adopted matrilineal descent prior to the diaspora...sometime around Augustus I think

btw...

all women were subject to the sexual whims of the nobility and conquerers

not just Jewish women

my own ancestors too I’d reckon

Celts by Romans..

then Pax Romana Britons by Saxons

then Saxons by Danes

then all by Normans and so forth

I’ve seen studies that Med peoples were fairer in Biblical times than now....Romans and Greeks for sure and Phonecian type and Jews too possibly..who knows

[wardaddy]

the wackiest is that Iceland is really the Lost Tribe of Benjamen

http://www.artisanpublishers.com/icelands-great-inheritance-reprint-1937-p-25742.html

some of these folks are sincere...some are Pete Peters.

not too hard to distinguish

[Sender]

I still struggle to understand the concept of Jewishness. At times it seems like a genetic lineage, at other times it seems like a faith. I could convert to orthodox Judaism, but since I have no Jewish ancestry (that I know of), it seems that I would still not really be part of the “tribe”. As for genetic lineage, it seems that a completely nonobservant Jew with the proper ancestry is still a Jew. In Islam, the lineage comes from the father but if a child rejects Islam, they are not only infidels but apostates worthy of death. In most other faiths, genetics has nothing to do with them. You either adopt the faith or don’t.

[Genoa]

Yes, and the Danish are supposed to be from Dan. Dan-ish.

[Genoa]

In Islam, the lineage comes from the father but if a child rejects Islam, they are not only infidels but apostates worthy of death.

Where does this leave Barack??

[fish hawk]

I wondered how many posts I would have to scroll down on before someone pointed this out. Once again science proves the Word of God.

[BnBlFlag]

Hey there! I havn’t noticed you posting lately. A Freeper asked me today about whatever happened to Laurie Dhue. I told him I didn’t know but I remembered a Freeper named “Do the Dhue”! LOL!

[colorado tanker]

Ping.

[stefanbatory]

I would take a gander and say that was because of the conquering Ottomans...

[blam]

3.5 million Ashkenazi Jews 'traced to four female ancestors'

[drpix]

The most recent evidence published in two books ("Was Leonardo's Mother a Slave?" and "Leonardo's Family Tree," both edited by da Vinci scholars Agnese Sabato and Alessandro Vezzosi) concerning Da Vinci's mother is that 1) She was a slave (not a local peasant). 2) Most of the slaves in Florence at that time were from the Middle East and the Balkans. 3) The slaves from those areas also included Muslims.

Here's a LINK to one of many online articles based on those 2 books.

As for Jawabac's swipe against America - "residents of Iroquois territory" - the Iroquois nation was itself built on warfare against other tribes, enslavement of the conquered and occupation of their lands. Many other Native American tribes were wiped out by the Iroquois. They make a poor choice for poster children against the morality of colonial European Americans.