The Origins of Ashkenazi Jews: Can Genetics Help Resolve an Enduring Historical Mystery?

Abstract: Since the discovery of DNA, which contains crucial information about our health and traces of our ancestry, many have speculated whether it could help us unravel our individual and collective histories. Until recently, such studies relied on DNA samples from living individuals, while historians traditionally worked with primary sources from the past. Additionally, genetic methods have a troubled history, dating back to the pseudoscientific studies of race in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. However, the sequencing of the first Neanderthal genome in 2012 has transformed this field. Since then, ancient DNA research has challenged existing assumptions about human history and migrations. This article examines the potential of ancient DNA to enhance our understanding of Jewish history, using the history of Ashkenazi Jews as a case study based on two articles published in 2022. It also reviews the debates surrounding genetic studies related to Jewish history, arguing that ancient DNA holds promise for reevaluating various aspects of this history as well. As more studies using ancient DNA are published each year, renewed collaboration between scientists and humanities scholars is essential to achieve these new technologies’ full potential.