[mommya]

I’ve just been learning about Ashkenazi Jews vs. other (original) Jews. I guess there is a controversy there. What do Freepers think? Are the Ashkenazi Jews the same as the original Jews or did a group of white Europeans choose to become Jews for religious and political reasons? Do these Jews feel superior to the others? Anyone care to touch this with a ten foot pole?

[Borges]

Arthur Koestler thought that an Asiatic Tribe called the Khazars converted to Judaism in the 10th century or so and that Ashkenazi Jews are descendant from them. He put forward the theory in the hopes that it would deflect accusations from Deicide from contemporary Jews who would have no connection to Roman era JEws. Today the theory is favored by Neo Nazis and Muslims as it also invalidates Jewish claims to the Holy Land.

[allmendream]

Genetic studies confirm that Ashkenazim Jews are descended from Middle Eastern peoples. They are lighter skin either due to sexual selection (being raised among a lighter skinned population might make them think that lighter skin was ‘sexy’) slight interbreeding, or natural selection for increased Vitamin D synthesis.