# Is anyone else here in my situation? (Jewish lineage) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 10, 2003, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180 "2003-08-10T09:23:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180/41 "2003-08-13T01:35:05Z")
I’ve heard that in Askenazi populations there are several genetic dieases of the nervous systems that are only genrally found within that population (I think Tay-Sachs diease was one of them) or occur at a particularly high level compared to ther populations. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180/42 "2003-08-13T01:55:37Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by DAbr393032_ > \*\*don’t try to force yours on me \*\* [/quote] Who’s forcing? I missed this part. As for tribal descent, evidently it was seen fit to establish heritage through the mother, as that was seen as the most positive proof of ancestry in this case. ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180/43 "2003-08-13T03:20:12Z")
**"…the specific genetic marker that “ONLY” the Kohaym have, not the rest of or the Jewish people in general – I spent lots of time tracking down the geneticists who did the research…"** To be fair, [this site](http://www.cohen-levi.org/jewish_genes_and_genealogy/the_dna_chain_of_tradition.htm) says otherwise. > [@](#): > > The results of the analysis of the Y chromosome markers of the Kohanim and non-Kohanim were indeed significant. A particular marker, (YAP-) was detected in 98.5 percent of the Kohanim, and in a significantly lower percentage on non-Kohanim. > > The finding that less than one-third of the non-Kohen Jews who were tested possess these markers is not surprising to the geneticists. Jewishness is not defined genetically. Other Y-chromosomes can enter the Jewish gene pool through conversion or through a non-Jewish father. Jewish status is determined by the mother. And further in the interests of fairness, this from the [NYU Human Genetics Program](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/000509003653.htm): > [@](#): > > **Jews Are The Genetic Brothers Of Palestinians, Syrians, And Lebanese** > > If a common heritage conferred peace, then perhaps the long history of conflict in the Middle East would have been resolved years ago. For, according to a new scientific study, Jews are the genetic brothers of Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese, and they all share a common genetic lineage that stretches back thousands of years. > > “Jews and Arabs are all really children of Abraham,” says Harry Ostrer, M.D., Director of the Human Genetics Program at New York University School of Medicine, and author of the new study by an international team of researchers in the United States, Europe, and Israel. “And all have preserved their Middle Eastern genetic roots over 4,000 years,” he says. > > Specific regions of the Y chromosome were analyzed in 1,371 men from 29 worldwide populations, including Jews and non-Jews from the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe. > The study, published in the May 9 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that Jewish men shared a common set of genetic signatures with non-Jews from the Middle East, including Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese, and these signatures diverged significantly from non-Jewish men outside of this region. Consequently, Jews and Arabs share a common ancestor and are more closely related to one another than to non-Jews from other areas of the world. This is not to dispute the studies done on [Jewish Genes](http://www.cohen-levi.org/jewish_genes_and_genealogy/jewish_genes_-_dna_evidence.htm), although, no mention if any non-Jewish ME men were tested for the “Kohen Gene”. The only sites I found tended to minimise the significance of the above, or try to deny it indirectly: > [@](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![DAbr393032\_aol.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3e96dc/32.png) [@DAbr393032\_aol.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAbr393032_aol.com)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180/44 "2003-08-13T03:27:02Z")
Progress. The reason you are Jewish if your mother is Jewish is much more basic – it is stated “because you KNOW who your mother is” whereas there can be doubt as to who the father is – but to have a portion in eratz Israel in this world and the world to come and to determine where you will livein messianic times you must have tribal descent. And that comes only from a Jewish father. To see how serious this is taken read about Ezra and Heizakira and the banishment of the “half-Jews.” The doubt is a theoretical doubt, though, as it is assumed no Jewish woman would ever have relations with a non-Jew, as Commanded. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180/45 "2003-08-13T03:38:29Z")
Re the OP: It’s all so confusing. Catholic/Jewish. Culturally I’ve never seen much of a difference between them. Weird religious rituals Overly tight family bonds (particulary maternal) Exclusive sub-culture I think that’s why my extended sub-family is so cool. A bunch of mics and kikes. Go figure… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-else-here-in-my-situation-jewish-lineage/194180.md?page=2)