GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2010-06 > 1275837939


From: "Lawrence Mayka" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Genetics of the Jews
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2010 10:25:39 -0500
References: <427693.26713.qm@web52102.mail.re2.yahoo.com><78784C20-3855-410F-AC69-E888EAA45224@vizachero.com>
In-Reply-To: <78784C20-3855-410F-AC69-E888EAA45224@vizachero.com>


The authors have no specific grounds to say that, because they did not
compare Ashkenazi Jewish DNA to any of the Slavic populations (Polish,
Belarusian, and Ukrainian) where the A-J community experienced its
"demographic miracle."

The Khazar issue is even more problematic because we don't know for sure who
all they comprised (genetically or even ethnically), who their ancestors
were, or who their descendants are. The authors made no attempt to compare
Ashkenazi Jewish DNA against the most likely candidates. (Hint: The Adygei
or Adyghe people are not.) The situation is further clouded by the common
hypothesis that, like many other steppe empires, the Khazar royalty and
nobility remained ethnically and perhaps genetically distinct from their
subject populations.

Thus, I don't see how the study itself adds anything of substance to this
issue except to establish an upper bound: If Ashkenazi Jewish DNA appears
to be at least 50% Middle Eastern, then clearly it cannot be numerically
more than 50% Slavic or Khazarian or whatever.

I regret that I may appear to be a "wet blanket" about studies like this,
but I continue to hold that researchers should not jump to detailed
conclusions about Central-Eastern Europeans without actually studying them.

> From: [mailto:genealogy-dna-
> ] On Behalf Of Vincent Vizachero
> Well the authors (and I) disagree with you. The study demonstrates
> pretty clearly that the potential contribution of Slavic or Khazarian
> ancestors to current Jewish populations - as a whole - was decidedly
> minor.

This thread: