The Nimitz class Super-Carrier USS TRUMAN ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Truman
.... and "at least" 10 other US warships passed through Egypt's Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean into the Mediterranean Sea, arriving off the coast of Israel and Gaza today.
Iran has threatened to send Iranian warships to accompany future "activist" ships attempting to illegally break the naval quarantine (blockade) of Gaza imposed by BOTH EGYPT AND Israel to prevent weapons from entering Gaza.
So it appears that the United States is seeking to nip such a confrontation in the bud. Although Obama is no friend of Israel, he appears to have enough sense to know that the presence of a US aircraft carrier off of Gaza WILL AVOID THE WHOLE PROBLEM (hopefully) by discouraging such confrontation.
While I don't believe Obama has Israel's best interest at heart, Obama does not want headlines that harm Obama's agenda and his coalition of liberal voters that include America's Jewish community.
"NO news is GOOD news" out of the Middle East, I believe is Obama's strategy in sending the USS Truman into the Mediterranean.
If Gaza is re-supplied with weapons, and attacks on Israel resume, ISRAEL WOULD BE FORCED TO RESPOND BY RE-ENTERING GAZA WITH TANKS & TROOPS
Thus keeping weapons out of Gaza preserves peace and protects lives, and Egypt for 3 years was whole-heartedly supporting the continued disarmament of bloodthirsty barbarians in Gaza.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138164
Published: 06/20/10, 5:37 PM / Last Update: 06/20/10, 6:08 PM
US, Israel Warships in Suez May Be Prelude to Faceoff with Iran
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Follow Israel news on Twitter and Facebook.
Egypt allowed at least one Israeli and 11 American warships to pass through the Suez Canal as an Iranian flotilla approaches Gaza. Egypt closed the canal to protect the ships with thousands of soldiers, according to the British-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi.
One day prior to the report on Saturday, Voice of Israel government radio reported that the Egyptian government denied an Israeli request not to allow the Iranian flotilla to use the Suez Canal to reach Gaza, in violation of the Israeli sea embargo on the Hamas-controlled area.
International agreements require Egypt to keep the Suez open even for warships, but the armada, led by the USS Truman with 5,000 sailors and marines, was the largest in years. Egypt closed the canal to fishing and other boats as the armada moved through the strategic passageway that connects the Red and Mediterranean Seas.
Despite Egypt’s reported refusal to block the canal to Iranian boats, the clearance for the American-Israeli fleet may be a warning to Iran it may face military opposition if the Iranian Red Crescent ship continues on course to Gaza.
The warships may exercise the right to inspect the Iranian boat for the illegal transport or weapons. Newsweek reported that Egyptian authorities could stop the ship for weeks, using technicalities such as requiring that any official documents be translated from Farsi into Arabic.
The magazine’s website also reported that the Iranian navy is the weakest part of its armed forces. Tehran has already backed down from announced intentions to escort the Iranian ships with "volunteer marines” from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
The Iranian news site Hamsayeh.net reported, “The move might be in connection to U.S. self-inflicted embargo against Iran aimed at inspecting Iran bound ships for suspected goods related to the country’s nuclear program.”
Another battle on the high seas may involve one, and possibly two, Lebanese vessels that are aimed at challenging Israel’s sovereignty over the Gaza coastal waters. Hizbullah, gearing up for a reaction to a possible clash between the Israeli Navy (pictured) and the Lebanese boats, has delayed rocket units near Lebanese ports, according to unofficial military sources.
Israel has warned U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that Israel will use force, if necessary, to stop the boats, one of which is carrying approximately 70 women passengers and crew organized by Hizbullah support Samar al-Hajj. Her husband is one of several jailed suspects involved in the assassination for former Lebanese anti-Syrian Prime Rafik Hariri.
Hizbullah has denied it is connected with the Lebanese flotilla, but it has been reported that Al Hajj met with Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah last month. (IsraelNationalNews.com)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
SCIENCE DAILY: DNA Proves Jews are the Ancient Israelites
tp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/07/980714071409.htm
Science News
Priestly Gene Shared By Widely Dispersed Jews
ScienceDaily (Jul. 14, 1998) — NEW YORK, N.Y., and HAIFA, Israel, July 9, 1998 -- The finding last year of genetic links among Jewish men thought to be descendants of the Biblical high priest Aaron was greeted with tremendous interest and clamoring for more information. A team of British and Israeli scientists have now found additional information that links the priestly cast, the Cohanim, which includes men with last names that are variations on "Cohen."
Reference
The Genographic Project
Allele
Somatic cell
Multiregional hypothesis
Using a combination of molecular genetics and mathematical analysis, the scientists arrived an an estimated date for the most recent common ancestor of contemporary Cohanim. According to this analysis, the common ancestor lived between the Exodus (approx. 1000 B.C.E) and the destruction of the first Temple (586 B.C.E.), consistent with the biblical account. Similar results were obtained based on analysis of either Sephardi or Ashkenzi communities, confirming the ancestral link of the two communities which had been separated for more than 500 years.
The study by Prof. Karl Skorecki of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, and colleagues at the Rambam Medical Center, Oxford University, University College London and University of London is published in the July 9 Nature.
The findings received an added boost when the researchers discovered that by contrast, the Y chromosome of many contemporary Levites, descended from the the tribe of Levi of which Moses was a member, display distinct sets of genetic markers, suggesting a heterogeneous pattern of descent which does not reflect a single pattern of direct paterilineal lineage.
The findings are based on the analysis of genetic markers in the DNA of Y-chromosomes of Jewish male priests from different countries of origin in comparison with their Jewish male Levite and lay counterparts.
The Y-chromosome is uniquely useful in this analysis because the Y-chromosome of any individual can be traced back even over many generations to only one male ancestor. This is not the case for other chromosomes, each of which carries representation from many different ancestors on both the maternal and paternal lineages. Accordingly, since the Jewish priesthood designation is transmitted from father to son, the DNA of the founding ancestor is reflected in the Y-chromosome markers of modern-day Jewish priests.
[MOSELEY, NOTE: THE "ORIGINAL HIGH PRIEST" IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH OBVIOUSLY REFERS TO THE COMMON ANCESTOR OF THE PRIESTLY TRIBE, MENTIONED JUST ABOVE]
To date the original high priest, the research team used a formula based on a commonly accepted mutation rate. This formula yieded some 106 generations for both Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, or between 2,650 and 3,180 years, depending on whether a generation is counted as 25 or 30 years.
Since biblical tradition dates the establishment of the Jewish priesthood to roughly 3,000 years ago, it may be possible to utilize analysis of the Y-chromosome DNA of modern-day Jewish priests to deduce rates and mechanisms of DNA mutation and Y chromosome evolution.
Furthermore, since the set of genetic markers identified among the Cohanim originates in the ancient Hebrew population, it is possible to use this set of markers to uncover otherwise obscured ancestral or historical links among widely scattered Jewish communities throughout the world today.
In response to a question about genetic testing, Prof. Skorecki emphasizes that this genetic analysis is used to help elucidate questions of general scientific and historical interest and is not meant to be applied to testing of individuals. Furthermore, use of neutral genetic markers rather than genes themselves allows inferences about ancestral and historical relations and reflects no known association with individual human characteristics.
The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is the country's premier scientific and technological center for applied research and education. It commands a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in communications, electronics, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, materials engineering, aerospace and medicine, among others. The majority of Israel's engineers are Technion graduates, as are most of the founders and managers of its high-tech industries. The university's 11,000 students and 700 faculty study and work in the Technion's 19 faculties and 30 research centers and institutes in Haifa.
The American Technion Society (ATS) is the university's support organization in the United States. Based in New York City, it is the leading American organization supporting higher education in Israel. The ATS has raised $650 million since its inception in 1940, half of that during the last six years. Technion societies are located in 24 countries around the world.
Adapted from materials provided by American Society For Technion, Israel Institute Of Technology.
Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one of the following formats:
APA MLA
American Society For Technion, Israel Institute Of Technology (1998, July 14). Priestly Gene Shared By Widely Dispersed Jews. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/1998/07/980714071409.htm
MLA
American Society For Technion, Israel Institute Of Technology (1998, July 14). Priestly Gene Shared By Widely Dispersed Jews. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/1998/07/980714071409.htm
Science News
Priestly Gene Shared By Widely Dispersed Jews
ScienceDaily (Jul. 14, 1998) — NEW YORK, N.Y., and HAIFA, Israel, July 9, 1998 -- The finding last year of genetic links among Jewish men thought to be descendants of the Biblical high priest Aaron was greeted with tremendous interest and clamoring for more information. A team of British and Israeli scientists have now found additional information that links the priestly cast, the Cohanim, which includes men with last names that are variations on "Cohen."
Reference
The Genographic Project
Allele
Somatic cell
Multiregional hypothesis
Using a combination of molecular genetics and mathematical analysis, the scientists arrived an an estimated date for the most recent common ancestor of contemporary Cohanim. According to this analysis, the common ancestor lived between the Exodus (approx. 1000 B.C.E) and the destruction of the first Temple (586 B.C.E.), consistent with the biblical account. Similar results were obtained based on analysis of either Sephardi or Ashkenzi communities, confirming the ancestral link of the two communities which had been separated for more than 500 years.
The study by Prof. Karl Skorecki of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, and colleagues at the Rambam Medical Center, Oxford University, University College London and University of London is published in the July 9 Nature.
The findings received an added boost when the researchers discovered that by contrast, the Y chromosome of many contemporary Levites, descended from the the tribe of Levi of which Moses was a member, display distinct sets of genetic markers, suggesting a heterogeneous pattern of descent which does not reflect a single pattern of direct paterilineal lineage.
The findings are based on the analysis of genetic markers in the DNA of Y-chromosomes of Jewish male priests from different countries of origin in comparison with their Jewish male Levite and lay counterparts.
The Y-chromosome is uniquely useful in this analysis because the Y-chromosome of any individual can be traced back even over many generations to only one male ancestor. This is not the case for other chromosomes, each of which carries representation from many different ancestors on both the maternal and paternal lineages. Accordingly, since the Jewish priesthood designation is transmitted from father to son, the DNA of the founding ancestor is reflected in the Y-chromosome markers of modern-day Jewish priests.
[MOSELEY, NOTE: THE "ORIGINAL HIGH PRIEST" IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH OBVIOUSLY REFERS TO THE COMMON ANCESTOR OF THE PRIESTLY TRIBE, MENTIONED JUST ABOVE]
To date the original high priest, the research team used a formula based on a commonly accepted mutation rate. This formula yieded some 106 generations for both Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, or between 2,650 and 3,180 years, depending on whether a generation is counted as 25 or 30 years.
Since biblical tradition dates the establishment of the Jewish priesthood to roughly 3,000 years ago, it may be possible to utilize analysis of the Y-chromosome DNA of modern-day Jewish priests to deduce rates and mechanisms of DNA mutation and Y chromosome evolution.
Furthermore, since the set of genetic markers identified among the Cohanim originates in the ancient Hebrew population, it is possible to use this set of markers to uncover otherwise obscured ancestral or historical links among widely scattered Jewish communities throughout the world today.
In response to a question about genetic testing, Prof. Skorecki emphasizes that this genetic analysis is used to help elucidate questions of general scientific and historical interest and is not meant to be applied to testing of individuals. Furthermore, use of neutral genetic markers rather than genes themselves allows inferences about ancestral and historical relations and reflects no known association with individual human characteristics.
The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is the country's premier scientific and technological center for applied research and education. It commands a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in communications, electronics, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, materials engineering, aerospace and medicine, among others. The majority of Israel's engineers are Technion graduates, as are most of the founders and managers of its high-tech industries. The university's 11,000 students and 700 faculty study and work in the Technion's 19 faculties and 30 research centers and institutes in Haifa.
The American Technion Society (ATS) is the university's support organization in the United States. Based in New York City, it is the leading American organization supporting higher education in Israel. The ATS has raised $650 million since its inception in 1940, half of that during the last six years. Technion societies are located in 24 countries around the world.
Adapted from materials provided by American Society For Technion, Israel Institute Of Technology.
Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one of the following formats:
APA MLA
American Society For Technion, Israel Institute Of Technology (1998, July 14). Priestly Gene Shared By Widely Dispersed Jews. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/1998/07/980714071409.htm
MLA
American Society For Technion, Israel Institute Of Technology (1998, July 14). Priestly Gene Shared By Widely Dispersed Jews. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/1998/07/980714071409.htm
Anti-semites are enemies of EVERYONE, not just Jews
When it comes to Jews and Israel, we need to understand what it took me about 5 years of arguing with such nitwits to finally figure out:
For anti-semtic bullies, bashing Jews is simply politics.
Remember that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis came to power by using Jews as a distraction and a scape goat.
Read George Orwell's 1984. These anti-semitic bullies are really not interested in Jews or Israel, per se. They are interested in using the issue of Israel and Jews as a whipping boy to distract attention from what they are really doing, and to create a scape goat.
These people are trying to attack EVERYONE -- not just Jews. The neo-Nazis and German nationalists (spread around the world) need to attack Jews in order to repair the damage to their reputation from how the Nazis behaved in World War 2.
They don't care about Jews. They care about repairing their public relations disaster from WW2.
If given a chance at power -- even though that is unlikely but they are still trying anyway, no matter how improbable -- they would attack, enslave, and harm EVERYONE, NOT just Jews.
That is why they simultaneously argue: (1) Hitler was a victim, (2) The Nazis did not do anything bad to Jews, (3) but the Nazis should have done bad things to the Jews.
They are desperately trying to scrounge for any way out of their public relations disaster from WW2. The Jews are only an obstacle. But these Teutonic thugs are AIMING at EVERYONE -- not just Jews.
So, for these thugs, bashing Jews and politics are the same thing. Bashing Jews is their only way out of their self-created trap. But the goal is political, not about Jews.
WHY IS THIS MOVEMENT SO BIG? The Nazi government sent billions of dollars worth (measured in today's 2010 dollars) of gold and other valuables, and established at least 700 organizations and companies whose purpose was to rehabilitate and restart the Nazi movement after a defeat in Europe.
FUTILE? YES.... But no one in Germany expected the defeat of WW2 to become so thorough. They never imagined that they would be put on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They never imagined that the public relations disaster would be so complete.
They believed at the time that Nazi Germany would sue for peace, enter into a truce (NOT an unconditional surrender), that after about 5 or 10 years the Allies would go back to their old ways of inattentiveness and disarmament, and in about 10 years after a defeat, the Nazi FOURTH REICH could be replanted on German soil.
These 700 BORMANN Enterprises are in effect -- right now -- THE NAZI THIRD REICH IN EXILE hiding around the world, such as in Australia.
The Nazi Third Reich still exists: IN EXILE in Australia and many other countries.
For anti-semtic bullies, bashing Jews is simply politics.
Remember that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis came to power by using Jews as a distraction and a scape goat.
Read George Orwell's 1984. These anti-semitic bullies are really not interested in Jews or Israel, per se. They are interested in using the issue of Israel and Jews as a whipping boy to distract attention from what they are really doing, and to create a scape goat.
These people are trying to attack EVERYONE -- not just Jews. The neo-Nazis and German nationalists (spread around the world) need to attack Jews in order to repair the damage to their reputation from how the Nazis behaved in World War 2.
They don't care about Jews. They care about repairing their public relations disaster from WW2.
If given a chance at power -- even though that is unlikely but they are still trying anyway, no matter how improbable -- they would attack, enslave, and harm EVERYONE, NOT just Jews.
That is why they simultaneously argue: (1) Hitler was a victim, (2) The Nazis did not do anything bad to Jews, (3) but the Nazis should have done bad things to the Jews.
They are desperately trying to scrounge for any way out of their public relations disaster from WW2. The Jews are only an obstacle. But these Teutonic thugs are AIMING at EVERYONE -- not just Jews.
So, for these thugs, bashing Jews and politics are the same thing. Bashing Jews is their only way out of their self-created trap. But the goal is political, not about Jews.
WHY IS THIS MOVEMENT SO BIG? The Nazi government sent billions of dollars worth (measured in today's 2010 dollars) of gold and other valuables, and established at least 700 organizations and companies whose purpose was to rehabilitate and restart the Nazi movement after a defeat in Europe.
FUTILE? YES.... But no one in Germany expected the defeat of WW2 to become so thorough. They never imagined that they would be put on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They never imagined that the public relations disaster would be so complete.
They believed at the time that Nazi Germany would sue for peace, enter into a truce (NOT an unconditional surrender), that after about 5 or 10 years the Allies would go back to their old ways of inattentiveness and disarmament, and in about 10 years after a defeat, the Nazi FOURTH REICH could be replanted on German soil.
These 700 BORMANN Enterprises are in effect -- right now -- THE NAZI THIRD REICH IN EXILE hiding around the world, such as in Australia.
The Nazi Third Reich still exists: IN EXILE in Australia and many other countries.
Rejecting the Lie: Communism 100% opposed to Zionism
There is a huge, organized propaganda effort worldwide -- as if the Nazi Third Reich were still operating (more about that later) -- to try blame almost everything on Jews. If an asteroid hit from outer space, these people would be saying the Jews did it.
One of those crazy theories that is getting a lot of worldwide publicity is the false smear that communism was or is a Jewish creation.
Communism is absolutely 100% opposed to Zionism.
Communism sought to create one undifferentiated mass of "the people" without any other loyalties, identifications, or distinctions. Communism sought to destroy all traditions, culture, history, background, or ties that might preserve any distinctions among people other than their loyalty to the State (in the name of the people).
Communism required the extermination of all traditions, loyalties, allegiances, and ties other than loyalty to the Party alone.
So a philosophy (Zionism) of allegiance to or promotion of Zion, or based on any old traditions or loyalties or ties, is 100% in contradiction to and opposition to communism.
Communism violently opposed any competing loyalties or power centers.Loyalty to any interest or state such as Zion was a DIRECT THREAT to the Soviet State as the ONLY loyalty allowed within Soviet life.
Communism was violently opposed to any religion.
So zionism was 100% incompatible with communism.
The Soviet government forced radical upheavals and relocations of populations in order to bust up any old alliances or traditions.
The only distinction that Soviet communism tolerated was either a "good" party member or a "bad" person disloyal to the party. NO other distinction mattered.
One of those crazy theories that is getting a lot of worldwide publicity is the false smear that communism was or is a Jewish creation.
Communism is absolutely 100% opposed to Zionism.
Communism sought to create one undifferentiated mass of "the people" without any other loyalties, identifications, or distinctions. Communism sought to destroy all traditions, culture, history, background, or ties that might preserve any distinctions among people other than their loyalty to the State (in the name of the people).
Communism required the extermination of all traditions, loyalties, allegiances, and ties other than loyalty to the Party alone.
So a philosophy (Zionism) of allegiance to or promotion of Zion, or based on any old traditions or loyalties or ties, is 100% in contradiction to and opposition to communism.
Communism violently opposed any competing loyalties or power centers.Loyalty to any interest or state such as Zion was a DIRECT THREAT to the Soviet State as the ONLY loyalty allowed within Soviet life.
Communism was violently opposed to any religion.
So zionism was 100% incompatible with communism.
The Soviet government forced radical upheavals and relocations of populations in order to bust up any old alliances or traditions.
The only distinction that Soviet communism tolerated was either a "good" party member or a "bad" person disloyal to the party. NO other distinction mattered.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
DNA proves ALL JEWS come historically from Ancient Israel
DNA
There is now new DNA evidence for common Jewish origin—not just among Cohanim, the Priestly Class, but among Jews scattered all over the globe.
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.
Jewish men from communities which developed in the Near East—Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Yemen—and European Jews have very similar, almost identical genetic profiles.
“Despite their long-term residence in different countries and isolation from one another, most Jewish populations were not significantly different from one another at the genetic level. The results support the hypothesis that the paternal gene pools of Jewish communities from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East descended from a common Middle Eastern ancestral population, and suggest that most Jewish communities have remained relatively isolated from neighboring non-Jewish communities during and after the Diaspora.” (M.F. Hammer, Proc. Nat’l Academy of Science, May 9, 2000)
The basis of this new field of population research is the study of the Y-chromosome, which is passed virtually unchanged from father to son. The rare mutations—which are changes in the non-coding portion of its DNA—can serve as markers, which can distinguish peoples. By studying the genetic signatures of various groups, comparisons can be made to determine the genetic relationships between the groups.
Y-chromosome research of the Jewish people began as an outgrowth of the study of Cohanim—the Jewish priestly family (Cohen.) These studies showed a very high genetic affinity among present-day Cohanim, indicating that they do have a common paternal ancestor, estimated to have lived some 3,000 years ago. (See The Cohen DNA Connection)
MOST RECENT RESEARCH
The most recent genetic research consists of obtaining DNA samples, and doing laboratory analysis and comparison of the DNA markers on the Y-chromosome—which is passed from father to son, and on the mtDNA (mitrocondrial DNA)—which is passed intact from mother to son and daughter. This genetic anthropology promises to be particularly informative for tracking the history of Jewish populations, and helping to resolve the debate on the origins and migrations of Jewish communities in the Diaspora.
The researchers proposed to answer the question whether the scattered groups of modern Jews can be identified as the descendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible, or whether their common ancestry has been diluted through influx of converts and through intermarriage so that little remains of their “Jewish genes.”
The complex recorded history of dispersal from the Land of Israel and subsequent residence in and movements between various countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East is expected to produce a complex pattern of genetic relationships among Jewish populations as well as between them and the non-Jewish peoples among whom they lived.
The research was based on samples from 29 populations, 7 Jewish, categorized into five major divisions: Jews, Middle-Eastern non-Jews, Europeans, North Africans, and sub-Saharan Africans.
The findings were that most Jewish communities—long separated from one another in Europe, North Africa, the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula—do indeed seem to be genetically similar and closely related to one another, sharing a common geographical origin.
These Jewish communities are more closely related to each other and to other Middle Eastern Semitic populations—Palestinians, Syrians, and Druze—than to their neighboring non-Jewish populations in the Diaspora.
The results also indicate a low level of admixture (intermarriage, conversion, rape, etc.) into the gene pool of these various Jewish communities.
Among the Jewish communities sampled, North Africans (Moroccans, etc.) were most closely related to Babylonian (Iraqi) Jews. These populations may best represent the paternal gene pool of the ancient Jewish/Hebrew population dating back to the First Temple period, before the Babylonian exile (approx. 2,500 years ago).
The Y-chromosome signatures of the Yemenite Jews are also similar to those of other Jewish and Semitic populations. In contrast, the paternal gene pool of Ethiopian Jews more closely resembles that of non-Jewish Ethiopian men.
ASHKENAZI LINKS
Although the Ashkenazi (European) Jewish community separated from their Mediterranean ancestors some 1,200 years ago and lived among Central and Eastern European gentiles, their paternal gene pool still resembles that of other Jewish and Semitic groups originating in the Middle East.
A low rate of intermarriage between Diaspora Jews and local gentiles was the key reason for this continuity. Since the Jews first settled in Europe more than 50 generations ago, the intermarriage rate was estimated to be only about 0.5% in each generation.
The Ashkenazi paternal gene pool does not appear to be similar to that of present-day Turkish speakers. This finding opposes the suggestion that Ashkenazim are descended from the Kuzars, a Turkish-Asian empire that converted to Judaism en masse in or about the 8th century CE.
The researchers are continuing and expanding their studies particularly of the Ashkenazi community. They are hoping that by examining the DNA markers in Jewish populations from different parts of Europe, they will be able to infer the major historical and demographic patterns in Ashkenazi populations.
MIGRATION CLUES
In addition to questions of medical interest, there are many interesting possibilities concerning the origin of Ashkenazi populations and how they migrated in Europe. It seems likely that Jews began to arrive in Europe perhaps 1,000 to 1,200 years ago, when settlement was already sufficiently developed to provide them with opportunities to make a living.
One theory claims that the Jews of Eastern Europe derive predominantly from Jewish migrants from the Rhineland or from Italy, being fairly direct descendants of the original ancient Jewish/Hebrew populations.
A second theory suggests a northerly migration from the Balkans or from Central Asia, with the possibility of large-scale conversions of Slavs and/or Kuzars to Judaism.
This argument parallels the controversy over the origin and development of Yiddish—the language of Eastern European Jews. One theory proposes that Jews, migrating from the Rhineland and neighboring regions spoke an old form of German which provided the basis of Yiddish.
Other scholars reject the German origin of Yiddish. These linguists see Yiddish grammar as fundamentally Slavonic, with modern Yiddish developed by incorporating large numbers of German and Hebrew words into the context of a basically Slavic grammar and syntax.
There has not been enough historical evidence to decide between such theories. Now, with the newly developed genetic methods, it is possible to test these ideas, for example to see if there was a significant Slavic contribution to modern Ashkenazic Jewry.
CONTINUING RESEARCH
The researchers plan to continue their research by investigating genetic variation in populations that can trace their Jewish ancestry to localized communities of Europe, in order to better understand the history and development of Ashkenazic Jewry.
These genetic research findings support Jewish tradition—both written and oral.
After over 1,000 years of history in the Land of Israel, Jews dispersed to many and distant locations throughout the world. Some Jewish exile communities were relatively stable for two millennia—such as in Babylonia (Iraq) and Persia (Iran). Others developed centuries later, following successive migrations to North Africa and Europe.
All of these communities maintained their Jewish customs and religious observance despite prolonged periods of persecution. Jews remained generally culturally isolated from their host communities. These genetic studies are a testimony to Jewish family faithfulness.
Only the Jewish people in the history of mankind has retained its genetic identity for over 100 generations, while being spread throughout the world—truly unique and inspiring.
Perhaps, even more unique and inspiring, is that this most unlikely scenario was a prophecy and a promise.
And God shall scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth… (Deuteronomy 28:64)
And God shall return your captivity and be merciful to you, and will return and gather you from all the nations whither God has scattered you. (Deuteronomy 30:3)
As the natural laws are set before Me, so shall the seed of Israel never cease from being a nation before Me, forever. (Jeremiah 31:36)
There is now new DNA evidence for common Jewish origin—not just among Cohanim, the Priestly Class, but among Jews scattered all over the globe.
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.
Jewish men from communities which developed in the Near East—Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Yemen—and European Jews have very similar, almost identical genetic profiles.
“Despite their long-term residence in different countries and isolation from one another, most Jewish populations were not significantly different from one another at the genetic level. The results support the hypothesis that the paternal gene pools of Jewish communities from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East descended from a common Middle Eastern ancestral population, and suggest that most Jewish communities have remained relatively isolated from neighboring non-Jewish communities during and after the Diaspora.” (M.F. Hammer, Proc. Nat’l Academy of Science, May 9, 2000)
The basis of this new field of population research is the study of the Y-chromosome, which is passed virtually unchanged from father to son. The rare mutations—which are changes in the non-coding portion of its DNA—can serve as markers, which can distinguish peoples. By studying the genetic signatures of various groups, comparisons can be made to determine the genetic relationships between the groups.
Y-chromosome research of the Jewish people began as an outgrowth of the study of Cohanim—the Jewish priestly family (Cohen.) These studies showed a very high genetic affinity among present-day Cohanim, indicating that they do have a common paternal ancestor, estimated to have lived some 3,000 years ago. (See The Cohen DNA Connection)
MOST RECENT RESEARCH
The most recent genetic research consists of obtaining DNA samples, and doing laboratory analysis and comparison of the DNA markers on the Y-chromosome—which is passed from father to son, and on the mtDNA (mitrocondrial DNA)—which is passed intact from mother to son and daughter. This genetic anthropology promises to be particularly informative for tracking the history of Jewish populations, and helping to resolve the debate on the origins and migrations of Jewish communities in the Diaspora.
The researchers proposed to answer the question whether the scattered groups of modern Jews can be identified as the descendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible, or whether their common ancestry has been diluted through influx of converts and through intermarriage so that little remains of their “Jewish genes.”
The complex recorded history of dispersal from the Land of Israel and subsequent residence in and movements between various countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East is expected to produce a complex pattern of genetic relationships among Jewish populations as well as between them and the non-Jewish peoples among whom they lived.
The research was based on samples from 29 populations, 7 Jewish, categorized into five major divisions: Jews, Middle-Eastern non-Jews, Europeans, North Africans, and sub-Saharan Africans.
The findings were that most Jewish communities—long separated from one another in Europe, North Africa, the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula—do indeed seem to be genetically similar and closely related to one another, sharing a common geographical origin.
These Jewish communities are more closely related to each other and to other Middle Eastern Semitic populations—Palestinians, Syrians, and Druze—than to their neighboring non-Jewish populations in the Diaspora.
The results also indicate a low level of admixture (intermarriage, conversion, rape, etc.) into the gene pool of these various Jewish communities.
Among the Jewish communities sampled, North Africans (Moroccans, etc.) were most closely related to Babylonian (Iraqi) Jews. These populations may best represent the paternal gene pool of the ancient Jewish/Hebrew population dating back to the First Temple period, before the Babylonian exile (approx. 2,500 years ago).
The Y-chromosome signatures of the Yemenite Jews are also similar to those of other Jewish and Semitic populations. In contrast, the paternal gene pool of Ethiopian Jews more closely resembles that of non-Jewish Ethiopian men.
ASHKENAZI LINKS
Although the Ashkenazi (European) Jewish community separated from their Mediterranean ancestors some 1,200 years ago and lived among Central and Eastern European gentiles, their paternal gene pool still resembles that of other Jewish and Semitic groups originating in the Middle East.
A low rate of intermarriage between Diaspora Jews and local gentiles was the key reason for this continuity. Since the Jews first settled in Europe more than 50 generations ago, the intermarriage rate was estimated to be only about 0.5% in each generation.
The Ashkenazi paternal gene pool does not appear to be similar to that of present-day Turkish speakers. This finding opposes the suggestion that Ashkenazim are descended from the Kuzars, a Turkish-Asian empire that converted to Judaism en masse in or about the 8th century CE.
The researchers are continuing and expanding their studies particularly of the Ashkenazi community. They are hoping that by examining the DNA markers in Jewish populations from different parts of Europe, they will be able to infer the major historical and demographic patterns in Ashkenazi populations.
MIGRATION CLUES
In addition to questions of medical interest, there are many interesting possibilities concerning the origin of Ashkenazi populations and how they migrated in Europe. It seems likely that Jews began to arrive in Europe perhaps 1,000 to 1,200 years ago, when settlement was already sufficiently developed to provide them with opportunities to make a living.
One theory claims that the Jews of Eastern Europe derive predominantly from Jewish migrants from the Rhineland or from Italy, being fairly direct descendants of the original ancient Jewish/Hebrew populations.
A second theory suggests a northerly migration from the Balkans or from Central Asia, with the possibility of large-scale conversions of Slavs and/or Kuzars to Judaism.
This argument parallels the controversy over the origin and development of Yiddish—the language of Eastern European Jews. One theory proposes that Jews, migrating from the Rhineland and neighboring regions spoke an old form of German which provided the basis of Yiddish.
Other scholars reject the German origin of Yiddish. These linguists see Yiddish grammar as fundamentally Slavonic, with modern Yiddish developed by incorporating large numbers of German and Hebrew words into the context of a basically Slavic grammar and syntax.
There has not been enough historical evidence to decide between such theories. Now, with the newly developed genetic methods, it is possible to test these ideas, for example to see if there was a significant Slavic contribution to modern Ashkenazic Jewry.
CONTINUING RESEARCH
The researchers plan to continue their research by investigating genetic variation in populations that can trace their Jewish ancestry to localized communities of Europe, in order to better understand the history and development of Ashkenazic Jewry.
These genetic research findings support Jewish tradition—both written and oral.
After over 1,000 years of history in the Land of Israel, Jews dispersed to many and distant locations throughout the world. Some Jewish exile communities were relatively stable for two millennia—such as in Babylonia (Iraq) and Persia (Iran). Others developed centuries later, following successive migrations to North Africa and Europe.
All of these communities maintained their Jewish customs and religious observance despite prolonged periods of persecution. Jews remained generally culturally isolated from their host communities. These genetic studies are a testimony to Jewish family faithfulness.
Only the Jewish people in the history of mankind has retained its genetic identity for over 100 generations, while being spread throughout the world—truly unique and inspiring.
Perhaps, even more unique and inspiring, is that this most unlikely scenario was a prophecy and a promise.
And God shall scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth… (Deuteronomy 28:64)
And God shall return your captivity and be merciful to you, and will return and gather you from all the nations whither God has scattered you. (Deuteronomy 30:3)
As the natural laws are set before Me, so shall the seed of Israel never cease from being a nation before Me, forever. (Jeremiah 31:36)
Friday, June 18, 2010
DNA Proves Jews are NOT descended from Khazars
The Ashkenazi paternal gene pool does not appear to be similar to that of present-day Turkish speakers. This finding opposes the suggestion that Ashkenazim are descended from the Kuzars
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
The shared genetic heritage of Jews and Palestinians
The Times recently carried this unusual report on an Israeli Jew (Tsvi Misinai, a retired computer expert) who's hoping to prove that Palestinians are descended from Jews. Apparently, he thinks that proving this will help to stop the bloodshed. His idea is that modern Jews are descended from emigration in the first few centuries of the Christian era. The Jews who stayed put in Palestine converted to Islam, and became Palestinian Arabs. There's hope that genetic tests might be able to prove this.Well, there is good news and bad news on that score.The good news is that the genetics of Arabs and Jews have been pretty extensively researched. The classic study dates to 2000, from a team lead by Michael Hammer of University of Arizona. They looked at Y-chromosome haplotypes - this is the genetic material passed from father to son down the generations.What they revealed was that Arabs and Jews are essentially a single population, and that Palestinians are slap bang in the middle of the different Jewish populations (as shown in this figure).Another team, lead by Almut Nebel at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, took a closer look in 2001. They found that Jewish lineages essentially bracket Muslim Kurds, but they were also very closely related to Palestinians. In fact, what their analysis suggested was that Palestinians were identical to Jews, but with a small mix of Arab genes - what you would expect if they were originally from the same stock, but that Palestinians had mixed a little with Arab immigrants. They conclude:
We propose that the Y chromosomes in Palestinian Arabs and Bedouin represent, to a large extent, early lineages derived from the Neolithic inhabitants of the area and additional lineages from more-recent population movements. The early lineages are part of the common chromosome pool shared with Jews (Nebel et al. 2000). According to our working model, the more-recent migrations were mostly from the Arabian Peninsula...
So, as far as male lineage goes, the genetic story is very clear. Palestinians and Jews are virtually indistinguishable.Women are a bit more tricky...
Up until last year, the matrilineal heritage of Jews also seemed pretty clear. Analysis of elements in mitochondrial DNA (which is passed from mother to daughter) seemed to show that Jewish populations around Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East were derived from at least 8 unrelated 'founding mothers'.Where they came from wasn't clear, but the most likely explanation was that they were from local populations that bred with immigrant Jewish males. Their offspring became absorbed into the Jewish community.In 2008, a more sophisticated analysis was published that made use of whole mitochondrial DNA sequences. They found no evidence for the genetic bottle necks that indicate founding mothers in the large Jewish populations. Instead, they found a complicated picture with a very diverse gene pool suggesting intermarriage both with local populations and other Jewish groups.The overall conclusion is that the female Jewish line deviates a lot more from the Palestinian heritage than the male line, but the heritage is still there.So that's the good news. Jews and Palestinian Arabs are blood brothers - although this close genetic relationship probably stems from pre-Judaic times, rather than any more recent conversion of Palestinian Jews to Islam.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
The shared genetic heritage of Jews and Palestinians
The Times recently carried this unusual report on an Israeli Jew (Tsvi Misinai, a retired computer expert) who's hoping to prove that Palestinians are descended from Jews. Apparently, he thinks that proving this will help to stop the bloodshed. His idea is that modern Jews are descended from emigration in the first few centuries of the Christian era. The Jews who stayed put in Palestine converted to Islam, and became Palestinian Arabs. There's hope that genetic tests might be able to prove this.Well, there is good news and bad news on that score.The good news is that the genetics of Arabs and Jews have been pretty extensively researched. The classic study dates to 2000, from a team lead by Michael Hammer of University of Arizona. They looked at Y-chromosome haplotypes - this is the genetic material passed from father to son down the generations.What they revealed was that Arabs and Jews are essentially a single population, and that Palestinians are slap bang in the middle of the different Jewish populations (as shown in this figure).Another team, lead by Almut Nebel at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, took a closer look in 2001. They found that Jewish lineages essentially bracket Muslim Kurds, but they were also very closely related to Palestinians. In fact, what their analysis suggested was that Palestinians were identical to Jews, but with a small mix of Arab genes - what you would expect if they were originally from the same stock, but that Palestinians had mixed a little with Arab immigrants. They conclude:
We propose that the Y chromosomes in Palestinian Arabs and Bedouin represent, to a large extent, early lineages derived from the Neolithic inhabitants of the area and additional lineages from more-recent population movements. The early lineages are part of the common chromosome pool shared with Jews (Nebel et al. 2000). According to our working model, the more-recent migrations were mostly from the Arabian Peninsula...
So, as far as male lineage goes, the genetic story is very clear. Palestinians and Jews are virtually indistinguishable.Women are a bit more tricky...
Up until last year, the matrilineal heritage of Jews also seemed pretty clear. Analysis of elements in mitochondrial DNA (which is passed from mother to daughter) seemed to show that Jewish populations around Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East were derived from at least 8 unrelated 'founding mothers'.Where they came from wasn't clear, but the most likely explanation was that they were from local populations that bred with immigrant Jewish males. Their offspring became absorbed into the Jewish community.In 2008, a more sophisticated analysis was published that made use of whole mitochondrial DNA sequences. They found no evidence for the genetic bottle necks that indicate founding mothers in the large Jewish populations. Instead, they found a complicated picture with a very diverse gene pool suggesting intermarriage both with local populations and other Jewish groups.The overall conclusion is that the female Jewish line deviates a lot more from the Palestinian heritage than the male line, but the heritage is still there.So that's the good news. Jews and Palestinian Arabs are blood brothers - although this close genetic relationship probably stems from pre-Judaic times, rather than any more recent conversion of Palestinian Jews to Islam.
DNA Evidence proves that Jews are the Israelites, UNRELATED to European Khazars
http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v13/n3/full/5201319a.html
Ashkenazi Jews, who have resided in various European countries during the Diaspora, traditionally trace their origin to the Jewish people that lived in the Holy Land before the Roman exile. However, some studies claimed that a substantial part of Ashkenazim were descendants of Eastern European non-Jews. In particular, according to Middle Age historians, the Khazars from a small kingdom near the Caspian Sea converted en masse to Judaism1 and therefore might have contributed to the composition of the emerging Ashkenazi community. Yet, recent genetic studies, based on Y chromosome polymorphic markers, clearly showed that Ashkenazim are more closely related to other Jewish and Middle Eastern groups than to their host populations in Europe.2, 3, 4 Those findings argue against large-scale male-mediated gene flow into the Ashkenazi community during the Diaspora. The male admixture proportion of Europeans in Ashkenazi Jews was estimated to be 0.5% per generation,3 indicating that Ashkenazim remained, to a large extent, genetically isolated throughout their history.
Ashkenazi Jews, who have resided in various European countries during the Diaspora, traditionally trace their origin to the Jewish people that lived in the Holy Land before the Roman exile. However, some studies claimed that a substantial part of Ashkenazim were descendants of Eastern European non-Jews. In particular, according to Middle Age historians, the Khazars from a small kingdom near the Caspian Sea converted en masse to Judaism1 and therefore might have contributed to the composition of the emerging Ashkenazi community. Yet, recent genetic studies, based on Y chromosome polymorphic markers, clearly showed that Ashkenazim are more closely related to other Jewish and Middle Eastern groups than to their host populations in Europe.2, 3, 4 Those findings argue against large-scale male-mediated gene flow into the Ashkenazi community during the Diaspora. The male admixture proportion of Europeans in Ashkenazi Jews was estimated to be 0.5% per generation,3 indicating that Ashkenazim remained, to a large extent, genetically isolated throughout their history.
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