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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2010-06 > 1275727268


From: Vincent Vizachero <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Genetics of the Jews
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2010 04:41:08 -0400
References: <420734.69521.qm@web52104.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To: <420734.69521.qm@web52104.mail.re2.yahoo.com>


On Jun 5, 2010, at 12:35 AM, ellen Levy wrote:

>
> The study neither refutes nor supports the hypothesis that
> Ashkenazim, particularly those of Eastern European descent, descend
> in some part from an ancient Khazarian source. On that subject, the
> authors state: "Admixture with local populations, including Khazars
> and Slavs, may have occurred subsequently during the 1000 years (2nd
> millennium) history of the European Jews."

You did a great job of selectively omitting the author's conclusion
that contradicts you.

"Thus, the genetic proximity of these European/Syrian Jewish
populations, including Ashkenazi Jews, to each other and to French,
Northern Italian, and Sardinian populations favors the idea of non-
Semitic Mediterranean ancestry in the formation of the Euro- pean/
Syrian Jewish groups and is incompatible with theories that Ashkenazi
Jews are for the most part the direct lineal descendants of converted
Khazars or Slavs.

In other words, the idea that converted Khazars represent a major (or
THE major) source of ancestry for modern Jews is laid to rest.

That converted Khazars could represent "some part" of Jewish ancestry
remains a possibility, as they say, but other than legend it seems
that the Khazars played no more important role than any other recently
converted Eurasian source.

VV

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