ER Editor: A topic breaking the surface that we formerly were never allowed to talk about. Can Jewishness be defined by genetics? It’s just 5 minutes in length with some of our notes. Below that is a Deutsche Welle video that talks about why Ethiopian Jews aren’t even considered Jews in Israel, though back home they regard themselves as exactly that. There seem to be immense double standards going on where genetics can be no guide whatever.
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Some main points:
- Israel has a Genetic Information Law that blocks people from buying DNA test kits from local pharmacies, unless they jump through certain judicial and medical hoops. In addition to a court order and a doctor’s letter, the laboratory must be government-approved.
- The government gives apparently plausible reasons for this restriction.
- But what if it shows that “Jews around the world have no ancestral ties to the land of Israel”? Yet Israeli law says that ‘Jewish blood’ gives people like the speaker in the video more rights to someone else’s home and land in Palestine who have been there for perhaps hundreds of years.
- Questionable results from different companies: Private companies have in-company samples against which they measure other people’s genetic material in order to categorize them. How reliable are these samples? What DNA characteristics do they use to determine which part of the world you’re from? Can results from different companies be reliable and correspond? (No.) What are the ‘confidence ratings’ of each company’s results? (Perhaps only 50%) How do we know what the DNA composition of people from the past was? These results may not show your genetic past, but rather with whom you share DNA in common today.
- Using DNA testing to prove Jewish ancestry is a hot topic in Israel.
- Russian Jews have been using DNA testing to prove their ancestry in order to get rabbinate permission to move to Israel. Generally, Israel does not permit DNA testing to be used as proof to emigrate to Israel except to prove parenthood by an Israel citizen. Even with the right DNA, converting to another religion makes you ineligible to become an Israeli. Against a lawsuit filed against the rabbinate, the Israeli high court has ruled they can continue doing this providing they supply clarification.
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Israel’s DNA wars: Forbidden tests
Tracing your ancestral DNA is a popular activity throughout the world, companies offering home testing kits promise to uncover your geographic origins for a small fee. A Jewish TikToker took the test and found he had heritage in different parts of Europe, but in his results there was no trace of Levantine origins. A cool new thing to tell his friends about. However, he points out that if he was from Israel, this test would be illegal. We delve into why Israel restricts tracing your ancestors DNA. (Source)
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A remarkable video on why Ethiopia’s Jews aren’t considered Jews … it leaves one speechless. They once were ‘forcibly converted to Christianity’, hence there’s nothing that can be done for them. Yet clearly, the DNA claim about what is ‘Jewish’ is meaningless.
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Nice try, Ernesto. Both published with your all your critical comments in tact. We are operating on Paris/Berlin time. Irrespective of this or that consideration, the issue of Jewish identity not corresponding to the DNA of the region is not only highly significant, but one which never somehow makes it into the press. These times are pretty historic.
You have not published my previous comment, which is your prerogative, though it proves you do not accept any comments that do not align with your narrative.
This article about “Jewish blood” and “Jewish DNA” is entirely bunk: there is no such thing as Jewish blood and DNA, just like there is no such thing as “blue blood” and “royalty DNA”.
In other words, if I convert to Judaism my DNA would suddenly change to a Jewish DNA. Really?
Jewishness is a religion with certain customs, culture and other habits that **varies from country to country** depending on a Jew’s home.
As much as I hate “israel”, I do find that their banning of those unreliable tests to use a bunk metric to prove Jewishness is entirely justified.
I realize you will likely not publish this comment either, but at least it sends a message to you as the editor.
> Even with the right DNA, converting to another religion makes you ineligible to become an Israeli.
If one was born a Jew, one is always considered a Jew, even after renunciation of Judaism or conversion to another religion.