# Ethnically Ashkenazi - what does that mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 23, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048 "2013-12-23T22:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/21 "2013-12-26T01:01:07Z")
**Wendell W** this is the short version [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_statues\_on\_Charles\_Bridge#The\_Crucifix\_and\_Calvary](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statues_on_Charles_Bridge#The_Crucifix_and_Calvary) My Google fu is weak today as I cannot find the text on the explanatory plaque that is attached to the statue itself. Basically it was a reminder to Jews that they lived in Christendom and were not exactly welcome. The letters were added to the statue by means of a fine that was paid by a local Jew who did not take off his hat to Jesus while crossing the bridge. 1000 gold florins IIRC. I hope that clears it up, if not I am happy to dig deeper. I think if you were ever to see it in person it would be very clear, my Mother and I both were taken aback at first sight and we are not Jewish. **Capt** ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/22 "2013-12-26T02:03:40Z")
Why is it anti-Semitic to write “Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord of Hosts” on a statue showing Jesus on the cross? Yes, I know about the fine. As I said, I read everything you linked to. It certainly was wrong to fine that man, but I don’t see anything obviously anti-Semitic about the inscription. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/23 "2013-12-26T02:32:48Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > I’m here because it’s 5:40 on Christmas morning, I don’t have any gifts, and everything is closed. Well sure, but at least the movie theaters and Chinese restaurants were open. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/24 "2013-12-26T17:15:18Z")
FWIW, the haplogroup test is referring to material tested on the Y chromosome. It would be passed only down the paternal line. So the OP’s father’s father’s father may have been Ashkenzai based upon the J2 result. J2 is a [subclade](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subclade) of [J-M172](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_J2) and may have arisen in the Levant. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/25 "2013-12-27T01:00:37Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Jews descended from the medieval German Jewish community - meaning basically all European Jews except for those from the Balkans and Netherlands - are Ashkenazi [/QUOTE] What’s the origin of the Dutch Jews? Why aren’t they Ashkenazi? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/26 "2013-12-27T03:30:07Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > What’s the origin of the Dutch Jews? Why aren’t they Ashkenazi? Most are, but originally, the Jews of the Netherlands were Sephardim; descended from refugees from Spain and Portugal after Spain and Portugal expelled their Jews and the Inquisition cracked down on secret Jews in those countries. That’s not really true anymore. The Sephardim made up the majority of Dutch Jews in the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, but in the 17th century, the Netherlands was swamped by Jewish refugees fleeing the 30 Years War and pogroms during the Ukrainian uprising in Poland, so that after that, Sephardim were in the minority. Sephardic families still had most of the prominence, power and wealth in the Jewish Netherlands, though…families like the de Pintos, the Meldolas, the de Solas, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048/27 "2013-12-28T04:59:24Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > **Wendell W** > My Google fu is weak today as I cannot find the text on the explanatory plaque that is attached to the statue itself. Basically it was a reminder to Jews that they lived in Christendom and were not exactly welcome. In a city famous for Christians throwing other Christians out of high windows, repeatedly, out of hair-splitting sectarian malice, I’d call this example of antisemitism pretty mild. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethnically-ashkenazi-what-does-that-mean/677048.md?page=1)