Jewish communities share common genes

Not even Shlomo Sand asserts that most Jews share no DNA with their co-religionists (Daniel Teegan, Letters, February 7) since that would mean that the majority of individuals of that faith are a hitherto undiscovered species. Humans share 99.9% of DNA with all other human beings.

However Sand’s actual theories are only a little less fanciful. For example, he claims that Ashkenazi Jews are mainly descended from Khazar Turks who supposedly converted to Judaism in the 10th century. Yet, the language most commonly spoken amongst Ashkenazis is Yiddish, it has been existence since before the 10th century and contains not the merest trace of Turkic influence. Nor is there any history of Ashkenazi Jews using Turkish names.

Extensive studies by researchers show remarkable genetic commonality amongst the many Jewish communities around the world.

Historians Dmitry Vasilyev and Kevin Brook also discovered the ancient Khazar capital near the Caspian Sea in 2008 yet found no Jewish artifacts.

The above research has only come to light in the last few years while much of Sand’s work is based on another book published by one Arthur Koestler in 1976.

Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh

College St

Cavan