Jacob's Legacy: A Genetic View of Jewish History

by David B. Goldstein and David B. Goldstein

Book Overview

A geneticist explains the science behind genetic history and what it has revealed about Jewish origins

Who are the Jews? Where did they come from? What is the connection between an ancient Jewish priest in Jerusalem and today's Israeli sunbather on the beaches of Tel Aviv? These questions stand at the heart of this engaging book. Geneticist David Goldstein analyzes modern DNA studies of Jewish populations and examines the intersections...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300151284
• ISBN13: 9780300151282
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Rationale for researching one's genome.

Referred to me by a geneticist. I am interested in obtaining and knowing about my genome.

A Very Interesting Book

I had previously read Jacob's Legacy and recommended it to our book group for reading and review. The copy was prchased because our local library system only has eleven copies and we have more than that in the group. This copy will be loaned to several. The topic, that of DNA research, is interesting in itself. The subjects researched, the Jews, argueably the oldest identified people group in the world, really brings the topic of what we now know of DNA alive.

The Jews in History & the History in Jews ..a remarkable synthesis

In Jacob's Legacy, David Goldstein, ("I am a geneticist. But I am also a Jew.") demonstrates the remarkable synergy from combining genetic and historical research. The historical record suggests the possibility that the Jewish high priests might today be distinguished genetically from those of the Jews who were not high priests. Indeed, Goldstein and his colleagues were able to identify significant genetic similarities, and further to suggest that the ancestral generation (Generation 1) goes back roughly 3,000 year, or within the approximate time of Solomon, which is what the historical record would suggest. Similarly, the historical record points to the possibility that a Bantu speaking tribe in Africa (the Bantu people themselves displaying a impressive record of migration and settlement) might be of Jewish descent. Here again, Goldstein and his colleagues were able to show that one in ten of the Y chromosomes were revealed to be within the Cohan Modal Haplotype identified earlier in the study of high priests. The most surprising result in the book is the possibility, which Goldstein could not falsify, that Ashkenazi Jews may trace their origins, not so much to the ancient Israelites, as to the Khazari sources. The historical events covered in Jacob's Legacy demonstrate a well-balanced combination of historical sources and modern genetic analytical techniques. Further, Goldstein's summaries of the historical record and his digressions on the larger meaning of the Jews in history are exceedingly concise and work to place Jacob's Legacy in the larger context of global history. If Goldstein set out to convince his readers that genetic and historical analysis can be combined to enrich their understanding of the past, he has succeeded admirably. This slender volume delivers a solid punch.

3000 years in 176 pages

This book, a summary of research on genetics of Jewish people, is by a person in the best position to tell the story: a geneticist and a Jew. Goldstein's research deals with tracing heredity as far back as possible, and it is his project that is probing connections between Jews all over the world. He shows it is possible that Jews who think they are descendents of high priests from the days of the First Temple really are, and that Africans who believe they originated with the early Hebrews actually did. He also contrasts genetic descent through males and females and offers an explanation of why hereditary diseases found mostly in Jews may confer an advantage. The technical portions are easy to understand and the book is no longer than it needs to be. It's a fast, jargon-free read and is highly recommended.

Untangling the past

Dr. Goldstein does an excellent job of educating the reader about genetic tracing without overwhelming us with scientific jargon. He re-examines and expands on the story about modern-day Jewish priests, traces the probable Jewish heritage of an African tribe, explains why Jewish women in certain Jewish populations have a vastly different genetic history from their men, and looks into genetic disease specific to Jews. Along the way he drops many little tidbits of knowledge that enhance the story and entrance the reader. (Hint: Commander Spock makes an appearance). I look forward to futher reports from Dr. Goldstein and his team.