By Rita Rubin
Published May 07, 2013, issue of May 10, 2013.

Scientists usually don’t call each other “liars” and “frauds.”

But that’s how Johns Hopkins University post-doctoral researcher Eran Elhaik describes a group of widely respected geneticists, including Harry Ostrer, professor of pathology and genetics at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine and author of the 2012 book “Legacy: A Genetic History of the Jewish People.”

For years now, the findings of Ostrer and several other scientists have stood virtually unchallenged on the genetics of Jews and the story they tell of the common Middle East origins shared by many Jewish populations worldwide. Jews — and Ashkenazim in particular — are indeed one people, Ostrer’s research finds.

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But now, Elhaik, an Israeli molecular geneticist, has published research that he says debunks this claim. And that has set off a predictable clash.

“He’s just wrong,” said Marcus Feldman of Stanford University, a leading researcher in Jewish genetics, referring to Elhaik.

Read more: http://forward.com/articles/175912/jews-a-race-genetic-theory-comes-under-fierce-atta/?p=all#ixzz2SsIwNhox

· 2 days ago
Jon Entine here...I'm one person weighing in, but I have some credentials: I wrote "Abraham's Children: Race, Identity and the DNA of the Chosen People", which covers much of the ground as Ostrer's book; I also run the Genetic Literacy Project (www.geneti****eracyproject.org)...at George Mason University--we use a science/empirical lens to examine genetic controversies.

On this issue....there is no controversy among mainstream geneticists. The concept of "race" is fraught with social baggage that renders it useless in this context (addressed in Abe's Children and previous book, Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About it). That said, the evidence is incontrovertible, despite what Elhaik might contend in his fevered study (it is oddly written..not very academic): Ashkenazi Jewry is a coherent population, much like blacks descended from western Africa, the Amish or Icelanders. There has been some introgression from other populations into the "Jewish gene pool" over 3,000 years...much like blacks in the US have "European/white" genes. That said, about 50%+ of Ashkenazi female ancestry markers (mitochondrial DNA) have a Semitic origin. For males, the figure is closer to 80%. Where did the 20% come from? I for one have Caucasian/Asiatic markers on my Y chromosome, indicating I'm likely descended from a fraction of the Jewish male population that can trace their roots to what was probably ancient Khazaria. The 20% figure--and this has been confirmed widely by a host of geneticists, Jewish and non-Jewish--likely results from the conversion of a sliver of the Khazarian population---the political elite--to Judaism, while the vast majority of illiterate, poverty-stricken Khazars remained pagans. When Khazaria collapsed, a fraction of the elite integrated themselves into the then tiny Eastern European Jewish communities. Today's percentage of Khazarian like markers is congruent with the extrapolation of that core group to the founding of Ashkenazi Jewry in the 12-14 centuries, when Jews in Eastern Europe numbered only 15,000-20,000. This is all discussed in historical and genetic terms in Abraham's Children. In other words, Elhaik is just wrong.

For those of you pulling out your hair over suggestions that modern Judaism has "racial roots," get a grip. Christianity and Islam are faith-based religions...anyone can join at a proverbial drop of a hat. Judaism has never been just a faith based religion. It's a triple helix: belief in god (yet many Jews are atheists/agnostics; belief in the state of Israel as a founding principle of our religion; and recognition of our "blood" connection to fellow Jews. Judaism is one of only two surviving tribal religions (Zoroastrianism, which shares many tribal attributes with Judaism is the other). All or any of those qualities can define one as a Jew. But one can't just junk the "blood" part in an attempt to be "modern"--that's an abandonment of a central tenet of what makes us Jewish.

Read more: http://forward.com/articles/175912/jews-a-race-genetic-theory-comes-under-fierce-atta/?p=all#ixzz2SsPJTHPt

Eran Elhaik · 2 days ago
Hello all,

First, I wish to thank Rita for her excellent piece.

Second, feel free to join these 2 groups for lively discussions regarding the Khazars and the particular paper. I sometimes post preliminary results and thoughts in the first group and feedback is highly appreciated. http://www.facebook.com/KhazarDnaProject http://www.facebook.com/TheMissingLinkOfJewishEur...

Last, sometimes next year (depends on budget considerations), I would release the final evidence that would put an end to this debate and most likely launch sixty others. Until then, I am merely entertained.

· 1 day ago
I would like to thank JonEntine for disclosing her scientific guidelines for studying Judaism as believe in god (though it is ok not too), patriotism (though living afar is also ok), and the purity of the blood line. Together with her mentor Harry Ostrer who uses Miracles to support his findings, begging the question which Disney movie do you think you live in? Not surprisingly, the last two scientific principles of Entine share a common ground with the Nazism ideology.

While this may makes sense to some people and may fit with their belief, for those of us who actually practice science this is mere nonsense. Kindly stop the shameless promotion of your equally ridiculous book and quit misleading the readers.

Studying genetic disorders in Jews and non-Jews, finding the disease allele and genes, which would eventually lead finding a cure is the only issue that matters, at least to me and my colleagues. For that reason, and because European Jews are one of the most studied groups, uncovering their origin is crucial to trace the mutations. For example, Eiseberg et al.'s (1998), “Diagnosis of Familial Mediterranean Fever by a Molecular Genetics Method”) study describes molecular markers for Familial Mediterranean Fever among Jews, and Armenians. The found two mutations, one in Sephardic Jews and the other in Ashkenazi & Iraqi Jews and Armenians. This finding was fundamental and was highlighted by George E. Ehrlich (“Genetics of Familial Mediterranean Fever and Its Implications”) who explained it in light of the Khazarian Hypothesis. Dr. Ehrlich was ambushed by two other authors who raised very similar issues to those raised here (non of which had anything to do with science), but nonetheless he stood up and replied:

“The genetic data offered by Eisenberg and colleagues (2) suggest a genetic identity of Ashkenazi Jews and Armenians and Iraqi Jews. This would imply that they originated from the Jews of the Babylonian captivity and the converts in the adjacent Khazar empire. Unscrupulous uses of such data in social and political contents are deplorable but should not influence the search for and publication of science. I assume Dr. Levin worries that these data would undermine the claim of Israel to its legitimacy, but I believe that they actually strengthen that claim because they provide proof of origins of its inhabitants in that area long before the influx of later invaders, including the Arabs.”

Eventually, the critics won. Reading the comments above you can see why. Today, we still don’t understand genetic diseases nor do we have a cure (for a large number of them). Non-Jews who have “Jews-only diseases” are misdiagnosed because they are not Jews.

There are serious problems requiring serious solution. The only method that works is the scientific method. Neither Ostrer and Entine's miracles nor chicken wish-bones will get us to the disease genes. Kindly, step out of the way and take your Judeo-whatever propaganda with you.

Read more: http://forward.com/articles/175912/jews-a-race-genetic-theory-comes-under-fierce-atta/?p=all#ixzz2SsRxzoKw