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  • Jacob's Legacy: A Genetic View of Jewish History
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Jacob's Legacy: A Genetic View of Jewish History Paperback – May 12 2009

by David B. Goldstein (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 54 ratings
3.6 on Goodreads
91 ratings

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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 of these scientific findings with the history (both biblical and modern) and oral tradition of the Jews. With a special gift for translating complex scientific concepts into language understandable to all, Goldstein delivers an accessible, personal, and fascinating book that tells the history of a group of people through the lens of genetics.

In a series of detective-style stories, Goldstein explores the priestly lineage of Jewish males as manifested by Y chromosomes; the Jewish lineage claims of the Lemba, an obscure black South African tribe; the differences in maternal and paternal genetic heritage among Jewish populations; and much more. The author also grapples with the medical and ethical implications of our rapidly growing command of the human genomic landscape. The study of genetics has not only changed the study of Jewish history, Goldstein shows, it has altered notions of Jewish identity and even our understanding of what makes a people a people.

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  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  4. Publication date
    May 12 2009
  5. Dimensions
    13.72 x 1.52 x 20.32 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0300151284
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0300151282
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About the Author

David B. Goldstein is professor of molecular genetics and director of the Institute for Genome Science and Policy’s Center for Population Genomics and Pharmacogenetics, Duke University. He lives in Durham, NC.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 12 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300151284
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300151282
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 209 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.72 x 1.52 x 20.32 cm
  • 鶹 Rank: #1,172,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

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D. B. Goldstein

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from Canada

  • wayne allen
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Genetic View of Jewish History
    Reviewed in Canada on February 4, 2009
    David Goldstein's small book addressing big ideas. Between offering a personal account of how genetic detectives look for technical clues to solve biological mysteries and an historical account of the stages of Jewish history, Dr. Goldstein shows how new technology can shed light on the resilience of the Jewish people. In effect, Dr. Goldstein's work and that of his colleagues tries to answer the riddle of Jewish existence in the face of exile, persecution, and assimilation. It tells the remarkable story of the faithfulness of a key segment of the Jewish people to keep within the fold and the adaptability of the Jewish people to new social realities. While it may not offer the ultimate solution to the questions of who is a Jew and how can we tell, it puts the questions squarely on the table. Written for both the scientist and the layperson, Dr. Goldstein's book reads fast, but the issues raised and thought provoking and enduring.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Scott H. Irving
    5.0 out of 5 stars Real Science and Real Good, too!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I have heard in the past that one can not detect race in DNA. I thought that sounded a bit far fetched and smacked of politics more than science. This book and author, also one of the scientists of this DNA science, seems to also dispute that idea. I believe the study and research was well done, careful, methodical. Having different minds involved also helped. DNA study still has a way to go. But it will get there, I believe. The author also gives us a nice view of his challenges in searching for Jewish traces in their DNA. It is their challenge in doing so that make this book really good. It is detective work. Whether your interest is in heritage or the science of DNA, I'd be amazed if yo did not find this book interesting. I would love to see this author tackle other races as well. He seems very objective and thorough. Excellent work and a good 2nd opinion in the field of genetics and DNA.
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  • M. Amin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly absorbing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    The ability to sequence DNA gives us an immensely powerful tool for tracing our ancestry. Our Y chromosome is inherited only from our fathers while the DNA in our mitochondria is inherited only from our mothers. Relatively steady rates of mutation then allow us to assess how long human populations have been separated, tracing paternal and maternal contributions separately.

    The Jewish people are a particularly fascinating subject for genetic history. The wide dispersal of the Jewish diaspora and their regular unfortunate displacement from country to country combines with a long written history. We also benefit from the desire of many Jewish scientists to study the history of their people.

    This short book (119 pages excluding endnotes) is easily readable, non-technical and utterly absorbing.

    The author demonstrates that Cohenim (Jews who claim to be descended from the original line of temple priests) really do have genetic markers that statistically differentiate them from the general population of Jews. He looks at a tribe of black South Africans, the Lemba whose genes are distinct from the tribes around them while connecting them to Jews elsewhere. He also shows that communities such as Georgian Jews do actually show strong evidence of matrilineal descent; their mitochondrial DNA shows evidence of a long line of Jewish mothers while their Y chromosomes are inherited from a much more widely dispersed set of paternal ancestors.

    As DNA sequencing becomes cheaper and more widely applied, we can all look forward to much more information about our ancestors. This book is an excellent taster for the cornucopia of knowledge that awaits us.
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  • Shadowreader
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to the genetics of Jewish ancestry for the lay reader.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent introduction to Jewish Genetics, this book is readily understood by lay readers without any scientific background. The author weaves an engaging personal narrative as he recounts his own scientific research, and explains what recent molecular genetic studies has revealed about the relations and history of the Jewish people. He discusses how genetics complements, but does not replace, traditional history and archaeology. It is important to note that the author has been involved in this work himself (with colleagues) and is intimately acquainted with the conclusions and how far they can be carried and (just as importantly) the limitations of the research and what conclusions should not be drawn. While the author is himself Jewish, and there are references to Jewish and Biblical history, he maintains a professional, scientific approach to the data. The book includes some notes and a solid bibliography, mostly relating to Jewish history rather than biology.

    Topics include: research and discoveries involving the Y-chromosome showing high conservation among Cohanim; the Lemba; mitochondrial (female) inheritance and discussion of atypical patterns, genetic bottlenecks and what these might imply; discussion of anomalous Levite patterns; he discusses but does not resolve the contentious Khazari issue.

    Readers with strong background in biology/ genetics may find it limited in detail. Personally, I would have liked to see more detail about the alleles studied, but realize that is not appropriate for the broad audience the author is trying to reach. Scientific publications and references would also be helpful. After several years, some of these papers may no longer be behind a paywall.
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  • writer.M
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed info given
    Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Good book, arrived on time and it wad well-packaged for the journey. Lots of good information.
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  • L. Veid
    5.0 out of 5 stars Untangling the past
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    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.
    Report