Jewish DNA Mysteries

I came across an interesting article which I thought touches on several controversial subjects discussed on ATS, among them Religion, Judaism, Racial and Cultural Identity, anti-semitism...and for me the ever-lingering question of why I wasnt taught much of anything interesting in school. For Discussion the whole article should be read, but I´ll quote the most interesting snippets here.

The Cohen / DNA Connection

It is always fascinating when ancient religious teachings are confirmed by modern scientific research...

Dr. Karl Skorecki, a Cohen of Eastern European parents, was attending synagogue one morning. The Cohen called up for the Torah reading that morning was a Jew of Sephardic background, whose parents were born in North Africa. Dr. Skorecki looked at the Sephardi Cohen’s physical features and considered his own physical features. They were significantly different in stature, skin coloration and hair and eye color. Yet both had a tradition of being Cohanim, direct descendants of one man—Aaron, the brother of Moses.

Jewish tradition, based on the Torah, is that all Cohanim are direct descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. The Cohen line is patrilineal—passed from father to son without interruption for 3,300 years, or more than 100 generations.

Dr. Skorecki considered a hypothesis: if the Cohanim are descendants of one man, they should have a common set of genetic markers—a common haplotype—that of their common ancestor. In our case, Aaron HaCohen.

In the first study, as reported in the prestigious British science journal, Nature (January 2, 1997), 188 Jewish males were asked to contribute some cheek cells from which their DNA was extracted for study. Participants from Israel, England and North America were asked to identify whether they were a Cohen, Levi or Israelite, and to identify their family background.

Modern "politically correct" schooling says that "Jews are not a Race/Ethnicity, they are a Religion", but...

The results of the analysis of the Y chromosome markers of the Cohanim and non-Cohanim were indeed significant. A particular marker, (YAP-) was detected in 98.5 percent of the Cohanim, and in a significantly lower percentage of non-Cohanim.

The core message of the article:

In a second study, Dr. Skorecki and associates gathered more DNA samples and expanded their selection of Y chromosome markers. Solidifying their hypothesis of the Cohens’ common ancestor, they found that a particular array of six chromosomal markers was found in 97 of the 106 Cohens tested. This collection of markers has come to be known as the Cohen Modal Hapoltype (CMH)—the standard genetic signature of the Jewish priestly family. The chances of these findings happening at random is greater than one in 10,000.

The finding of a common set of genetic markers in both Ashkenazi and Sephardi Cohanim worldwide clearly indicates an origin pre-dating the separate development of the two communities around 1000 CE. Date calculation based on the variation of the mutations among Cohanim today yields a time frame of 106 generations from the ancestral founder of the line, some 3,300 years—the approximate time of the Exodus from Egypt, the lifetime of Aaron HaCohen.

Apparently there is something to be said for the value of loyalty:

Stated Dr. David Goldstein of Oxford University:

“For more than 90 percent of the Cohens to share the same genetic markers after such a period of time is a testament to the devotion of the wives of the Cohens over the years. Even a low rate of infidelity would have dramatically lowered the percentage.”

Anti-Semitic literature claims that the Ashkenazi are Kuzars rather than Hebrews, but...

This genetic research has clearly refuted the libel that the Ashkenazi Jews are not related to the ancient Hebrews, but are descendants of the Kuzar tribe—a pre-10th century Turko-Asian empire which reportedly converted en masse to Judaism. Researchers compared the DNA signature of the Ashkenazi Jews against those of Turkish-derived people, and found no correspondence.

Read the rest of the article here.

I understand that this topic is "controversial" for many who have agendas to prove that "jews are evil" or "jews are the chosen ones" or "jews are no ethnicity" etc. If you decide to discuss this, please do your best to be respectful and attack opinions, not posters.

[edit on 15-5-2010 by Skyfloating]

A related, even more controversial article:

Jewish DNA

Recently published research in the field of molecular genetics—the study of DNA sequences—indicates that Jewish populations of the various Diaspora communities have retained their genetic identity throughout the exile. Despite large geographic distances between the communities and the passage of thousands of years, far removed Jewish communities share a similar genetic profile. This research confirms the common ancestry and common geographical origin of world Jewry.

Well this is going to blow my Aunt's side of the family away! My aunt married a Cohen and they are great people. The father of my cousins, the Cohen, is a very intelligent man that majored in Philosophy and worked for the Pentagon, also he tried to get on Jeopardy but his personality kept him from getting on (lack of personality that is)!

This is awesome news for my family. I am not a Cohen my self but my beloved Cousins are. I will happily pass this information to them! They are both teachers and one of them is a professional Baroque trumpet. (edit: LOL my cousin is not a pro. Baroque Trumpet, he is a trumpet player!)

Thank you and i just recently posted a thread about a descendant of Jesus trying to break into a tomb that she thinks is Jesus that is in India! Now i must admit my thread could be BS but i find it interesting that these 2 threads will go on at the same time!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 15-5-2010 by BeastMaster2012]

I find this interesting. I would like to add, I grew up in an area of the Chicago suburbs that was predominently Jewish.

I had next door neighbors that were Christians, with the last name of Cohen.

I wonder if they show these markers, as well.

reply to post by BeastMaster2012


You're welcome. The more I learn the more I see how little I know.

And nice thread about Jesus in India

The parents of one of my friends, when I was growing up, claimed to be Cohanim, though we always thought their claim was likely bogus and they used it as an excuse to avoid funerals. Cohanim are, apparently, supposed to keep ritually pure and thus are not supposed to attend funerals unless it's close family. They were the only people I knew who claimed to be Cohanim, even my friends named "Cohen" never claimed this exemption (this family who did was named "Katz," as it happens). I'd be interested to find out if their family actually has the Cohanim genetic markers.

This is interesting stuff. I noted in another thread, just in the last couple of days, about an African tribe way down in South Africa who long claimed to have been descendants of one of the tribes of Israel. People thought their tale of their long journey as a group had to be bogus, but when genetic testing was done they were found to have a number of genetic markers specific to other Jewish groups and no one else, so the blood connection was proven.

[edit on 5/15/2010 by LifeInDeath]

reply to post by LifeInDeath


Do you have any info on this South African tribe? A link or something?

I had friends in both the IDF and the Israeli Space Agency, and one night in Cocoa Beach, after a couple of glasses of wine, they mentioned some interesting areas of research. They are actually doing genetic testing on everyone in the IDF, which is most everyone, identifying a number of such clues to the heritage of their people. They know a lot about these types of findings. Being the IDF, it is unclear which things they intend to disclose.

reply to post by Truth1000


I don't see why they wouldn't do this. I have a family member in the Israeli army, i will try to find out if he knows anything about this, it will take a while though.

reply to post by Truth1000


Thats really interesting. I guess they really are in search of some kind of Cultural Identity. Maybe you`ll find out more about it.

i thought more people would be interested in this but i guess not Oh well i think it's awesome! Not all jews are bad people. Just because a few of them are really bad, doesn't make them all bad.

I was talking to a friend about the CIA and how messed up the CIA Contra situation was. He agreed but told me don't get too down on it because in almost every single situation in life, if people are given power they may abuse it.

Originally posted by BeastMaster2012
i thought more people would be interested in this but i guess not

Oh well i think it's awesome!

I thought so too, because it touches on many subjects discussed here - but maybe not from an angle prefered by most...

reply to post by BeastMaster2012


Jesus was the last line of David , since he had no kids, is the Messiah, resurrected from the dead and now is in Heaven he has no descendants.

The truth about Jews?

Jews are not a "race" no. They are several different ethnic groups that are creoles of ancient Hebrews and the native people.

The most common Jewish group, the Ashkenazi, are a mix of Hebrews and Germans.

The religion is the faith of the Jewish nations, and anyone who joins the faith becomes a part of the nation as well.

Originally posted by Donnie Darko
Jews are not a "race" no.

So you're saying the evidence presented iin the research shown in the OP is wrong?

If so on what counter-evidence?

reply to post by Skyfloating


Professor Tudor Parfitt wrote is book on hsi studies.

Here is a wiki link

en.wikipedia.org...

You know what i am dying to know? Are the Cochin Jews from India related to the Cohens?

en.wikipedia.org...

The oldest of the Indian Jewish communities is in Cochin. The traditional account is that traders from Judea arrived in the city of Cochin, in what is now Kerala, in 562 BC, and that more Jews came as exiles from Israel in the year 70 C.E. after the destruction of the Second Temple during the Exodus.[2] The distinct Jewish community was called Anjuvannam. The still-functioning synagogue in Mattancherry belongs to the Paradesi Jews, the descendants of Sephardim that were expelled from Spain in 1492.[3]

In 379 CE, The Hindu king Sira Primal who was also known as Iru Brahman, issued what was engraved on a tablet of brass, his permission to Jews to live freely , build synagogue, own property without conditions attached and as long as the world and moon exist.

I would love to see some DNA studies from the Cochin Jews, especially old graves. I was researching things for my Jesus in India thread and came across this and thought i would share it with you.

Cohen?

More like Khazars

www.christusrex.org...

lmgtfy.com...

www.apfn.org...

Dig deeper, the rabbit whole is deeper.

[edit on 15-5-2010 by TSawyer]

Originally posted by Skyfloating

Originally posted by Donnie Darko
Jews are not a "race" no.

So you're saying the evidence presented iin the research shown in the OP is wrong?

If so on what counter-evidence?

they're not a race, they're mix-raced.

reply to post by TSawyer


You apparently forgot to read the OP because it debunks the idea of them being "Khazars". Scroll down toward the end of the OP.