This is a truly excellent article and a very important study.
As Ashkenazi Jews, we’re constantly accused of having no connection to the ancient Israelites—of being merely descendants of converts. That claim is simply false.
It’s crucial to know that solid scientific research disproves this antisemitic myth. Of course, most antisemites are too ignorant to care about facts, but studies like this can help reach those who might otherwise be misled.
Of course you aren’t like every other Jew. There just aren’t many doppelgängers out there. But they are just as Jewish as you are, even Ivanka Trump. And if you convert to be a Lutheran you’ll be just as Lutheran as I am. It’s not an exclusionary thing. Why would you be offended to be compared to a fellow Jew? And why would the assumption that you are inclusionary say anything apparently negative about me? Maybe it means there is more than a whiff of racism where you’re concerned even when it involves other Jews. No wonder the Ethiopian Jews got such a bad reception in Israel.
These sentiments are most likely what makes it so easy for the West Bank squatters (and their amazing family trees) to abuse the indigenous Arabs of Palestine. A proud lineage apparently doesn’t result in basic human goodness where they are concerned.
I have a clear genetic connection back to the Vikings. So we can both break our arms patting ourselves on the back about our antique genetics. Despite that Scandinavia isn’t my homeland. The United States is where my birthright is. I’m not clear as to the land of your birth and where your birthright resides.
But congratulations Apparently you qualify for the Jewish equivalent of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
You are every bit as Jewish as Ivanka Trump! If you choose to be a Lutheran then you’ll be as Lutheran and I am. If you’re an American your birthright country is the USA. Just like Ivanka and the rest of us.
If you’re Israeli then Palestine, including Israel, is your birthright region. Just as it is for the rest of the Jews there and all of the indigenous Arabs.
Have you even read the article I’m commenting on? Probably not—because if you had, you wouldn’t have written such a silly comment. The article clearly explains that Ashkenazi Jews have Middle Eastern genetics, traceable all the way back to biblical times. It doesn’t matter where someone was born in the last generation—the genetic connection is still there.
That also explains why people like me are different from others born in the same places—physically, behaviorally, and even in how we think. I descend from the lineage of kohanim, who served in the Temple, and my mother’s family can trace its documented history in a European ghetto back several centuries.
So if you’re comparing me to a convert with no Jewish ancestry at all, it says a lot about you—but nothing about me.
1. Not reviewed and in pre-print (not necessarily an issue, however, the explicit note in the preprint ("Please do not cite") suggests that the findings are preliminary, and potential flaws may only be fully identified once peer-reviewed).
2. The authors have faced criticism in the past relating to their use of phylogenetic analysis, particularly in accurately placing lineages on a family tree. For instance, Karl Skorecki himself noted flaws in the phylogenetic analysis of a 2013 study by Costa et al., suggesting that such issues could also apply to his own work. The 2025 study relies heavily on lineage extinction calculations and the Galton-Watson branching process to estimate the proportion of founder versus absorbed lineages. If the phylogenetic assignments of mtDNA haplogroups are not robust, the conclusions about the Near Eastern versus European origins of maternal lineages could be misleading.
3. The study challenges the hypothesis of significant European maternal ancestry (e.g., Costa et al., 2013, which suggested up to 81% of Ashkenazi maternal lineages were European). Livni and Skorecki argue for a predominantly Near Eastern origin for both maternal and paternal lineages, but their conclusions may downplay evidence of European admixture supported by other studies. For example, haplogroups like K1a1b1a, K1a9, and K2a2a1 have been linked to European ancestry in prior research, which could contradict the study's assertion of a unified Near Eastern origin. This discrepancy suggests potential bias in interpreting haplogroup origins or insufficient consideration of alternative data.
4. The use of lineage extinction theory and the Galton-Watson branching process assumes high degrees of endogamy and specific population growth rates (e.g., a geometric growth ratio). These models may not fully account for historical events like migrations, conversions, or intermarriage, which could introduce additional mtDNA lineages. For instance, the study acknowledges minor introgression from non-Ashkenazi Europeans but may underestimate the impact of such events if the models are too rigid.
5. Assigning mtDNA haplogroups to specific geographic regions (e.g., Near East vs. Europe) is inherently challenging due to the ancient distribution of haplogroups across multiple regions. The study's assertion that major lineages like N1b2 are of Levantine origin may oversimplify the complex history of these haplogroups, which could have been present in both the Near East and Mediterranean Europe. The reliance on a limited set of reference populations may also skew the interpretation of lineage origins.
6. I hate to say it - but this seems like a ploy by them to counter the mountains of online talk about the "indigeneity" of Ashkenazim. Dismissing significant European maternal ancestry may reflect an agenda-driven approach rather than a purely scientific one.
This is a truly excellent article and a very important study.
As Ashkenazi Jews, we’re constantly accused of having no connection to the ancient Israelites—of being merely descendants of converts. That claim is simply false.
It’s crucial to know that solid scientific research disproves this antisemitic myth. Of course, most antisemites are too ignorant to care about facts, but studies like this can help reach those who might otherwise be misled.
By the way, I recently reposted an article on a similar topic—Jewish genetics—that got a lot of attention on X. You can read it here: https://unplugisrael.substack.com/p/why-genetic-diversity-matters-a-tale
A bit touchy?
Of course you aren’t like every other Jew. There just aren’t many doppelgängers out there. But they are just as Jewish as you are, even Ivanka Trump. And if you convert to be a Lutheran you’ll be just as Lutheran as I am. It’s not an exclusionary thing. Why would you be offended to be compared to a fellow Jew? And why would the assumption that you are inclusionary say anything apparently negative about me? Maybe it means there is more than a whiff of racism where you’re concerned even when it involves other Jews. No wonder the Ethiopian Jews got such a bad reception in Israel.
These sentiments are most likely what makes it so easy for the West Bank squatters (and their amazing family trees) to abuse the indigenous Arabs of Palestine. A proud lineage apparently doesn’t result in basic human goodness where they are concerned.
I have a clear genetic connection back to the Vikings. So we can both break our arms patting ourselves on the back about our antique genetics. Despite that Scandinavia isn’t my homeland. The United States is where my birthright is. I’m not clear as to the land of your birth and where your birthright resides.
But congratulations Apparently you qualify for the Jewish equivalent of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
It’s such nonsensical blabber, completely unrelated to the article about genetics, that I won’t waste any more time on it. Sorry.
So we can both break our arms patting ourselves on the back about our antique genetics. Let’s celebrate the wonderful mess of us.
You are every bit as Jewish as Ivanka Trump! If you choose to be a Lutheran then you’ll be as Lutheran and I am. If you’re an American your birthright country is the USA. Just like Ivanka and the rest of us.
If you’re Israeli then Palestine, including Israel, is your birthright region. Just as it is for the rest of the Jews there and all of the indigenous Arabs.
Have you even read the article I’m commenting on? Probably not—because if you had, you wouldn’t have written such a silly comment. The article clearly explains that Ashkenazi Jews have Middle Eastern genetics, traceable all the way back to biblical times. It doesn’t matter where someone was born in the last generation—the genetic connection is still there.
That also explains why people like me are different from others born in the same places—physically, behaviorally, and even in how we think. I descend from the lineage of kohanim, who served in the Temple, and my mother’s family can trace its documented history in a European ghetto back several centuries.
So if you’re comparing me to a convert with no Jewish ancestry at all, it says a lot about you—but nothing about me.
Im Shocked!!!
ISSUES WITH THIS STUDY:
1. Not reviewed and in pre-print (not necessarily an issue, however, the explicit note in the preprint ("Please do not cite") suggests that the findings are preliminary, and potential flaws may only be fully identified once peer-reviewed).
2. The authors have faced criticism in the past relating to their use of phylogenetic analysis, particularly in accurately placing lineages on a family tree. For instance, Karl Skorecki himself noted flaws in the phylogenetic analysis of a 2013 study by Costa et al., suggesting that such issues could also apply to his own work. The 2025 study relies heavily on lineage extinction calculations and the Galton-Watson branching process to estimate the proportion of founder versus absorbed lineages. If the phylogenetic assignments of mtDNA haplogroups are not robust, the conclusions about the Near Eastern versus European origins of maternal lineages could be misleading.
3. The study challenges the hypothesis of significant European maternal ancestry (e.g., Costa et al., 2013, which suggested up to 81% of Ashkenazi maternal lineages were European). Livni and Skorecki argue for a predominantly Near Eastern origin for both maternal and paternal lineages, but their conclusions may downplay evidence of European admixture supported by other studies. For example, haplogroups like K1a1b1a, K1a9, and K2a2a1 have been linked to European ancestry in prior research, which could contradict the study's assertion of a unified Near Eastern origin. This discrepancy suggests potential bias in interpreting haplogroup origins or insufficient consideration of alternative data.
4. The use of lineage extinction theory and the Galton-Watson branching process assumes high degrees of endogamy and specific population growth rates (e.g., a geometric growth ratio). These models may not fully account for historical events like migrations, conversions, or intermarriage, which could introduce additional mtDNA lineages. For instance, the study acknowledges minor introgression from non-Ashkenazi Europeans but may underestimate the impact of such events if the models are too rigid.
5. Assigning mtDNA haplogroups to specific geographic regions (e.g., Near East vs. Europe) is inherently challenging due to the ancient distribution of haplogroups across multiple regions. The study's assertion that major lineages like N1b2 are of Levantine origin may oversimplify the complex history of these haplogroups, which could have been present in both the Near East and Mediterranean Europe. The reliance on a limited set of reference populations may also skew the interpretation of lineage origins.
6. I hate to say it - but this seems like a ploy by them to counter the mountains of online talk about the "indigeneity" of Ashkenazim. Dismissing significant European maternal ancestry may reflect an agenda-driven approach rather than a purely scientific one.
7. Lastly, as a note, we have a recent study from Erfurt dated 2022, which places Ashkenazi autosomal dna from the middle east as 22%. (Shamam Waldman et al). LINK: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867422013782
**at 22% ** for note 7. Got tired by the time I got to 7
Of course Jews have ties to the Middle East.
Not the European ones, though. ;)