Genetics
The more we learn, the fewer the surprises.
The Lemba and the “kohen modal haplotype.”
Some were more European than today’s Ashkenazim, other more Middle Eastern.
“A diamond created by the vice-like pressure of persecution.”
A more compelling explanation than handwashing or Passover cleaning.
A homogenous group, some of whose ancestors came from far away.
Sheep skins and cow hide.
Descendants of conversos, scattered among the nations.
What’s wrong with playing God?
If anything, it confirms biblical accounts.
Most likely, Jewish men from the Middle East came to India and married local women.
Survivors have lower-than-expected levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Why the disproportionate number of Jews with Nobel prizes? The latest answer—genetic adaptation—is insufficient, and no one has identified how it works.