Genetically speaking, are Ashkenazi Jews more European or more Asian? (live in, population)

[callmemaybe]

Ethnic Ashkenazi Jewish people definitely have a distinct look but the same time, they look quite similar to Italians, Southern French, and Alpine German-speaking people and also to Greeks.

Though some Jewish people have darker skin and tan well, some of the palest people I've ever seen have been Ashkenazi Jews. In fact redheadedness was associated with Jewishness in some times and places.

Do you think overall their genetic makeup is more Middle Eastern or native to Europe?

[elnina]

Middle Eastern and European, but not Asian.
Ashkenazi Jews are Middle Eastern & European hybrids | Gene Expression | Discover Magazine

[Lilly1224]

By all accounts, Ashkenazi Jews are Eastern Europeans.

[callmemaybe]

Originally Posted by elnina

Middle Eastern and European, but not Asian.
Ashkenazi Jews are Middle Eastern & European hybrids | Gene Expression | Discover Magazine

Middle Easterners ARE Asians.

And good article.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Just about every Jewish person in the US has some non-Jewish ancestry, just like over 75% of black people in America have at least 1 white ancestor.

However most American Jews I've seen do look more white than Middle Eastern, I've never mistakened a Jew for an Arab, Iranian, or Pakistani before, but I've mistakened a Jew for an Italian or Greek. I'm surprised to hear red hair was once associated with Jewishness. I've always associated it with being Irish.

[callmemaybe]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I'm surprised to hear red hair was once associated with Jewishness. I've always associated it with being Irish.

Actually ... Hebrew and Gaelic sound kind of similar to me, and Celts were very present in Asia Minor (I suspect that the Turkish word 'kara', meaning 'dark', is related to the Irish feminine name Ciara which means 'black hair'), so maybe a genetic connection between Celtic and Jewish people is remotely possible?

[ABQConvict]

Red hair is a more broadly expressed trait than blonde. That is, red hair crops up in a very diverse set of gene populations, and not just the fairer skinned ones. There are a lot of red heads in the Rhineland which may account for its fairly high rate in American Jews, but I'm not sure.

As far as the Celt/Asia Minor connection, the Celts are primarily distinguished as a linguistic/cultural group, not a genetic one. The identifying cultural features of Celtic culture arose in central Europe (The Hallstatt and La Tene cultures) during the early Iron age and 'exported' their culture to various genetically unrelated European populations such as the indigenous peoples of the British Isles. The Anatolian Celts, Galatians, may or may not have had a significant genetic relationship to the Halstatt and La Tene peoples in Europe.

[callmemaybe]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

As far as the Celt/Asia Minor connection, the Celts are primarily distinguished as a linguistic/cultural group, not a genetic one. The identifying cultural features of Celtic culture arose in central Europe (The Hallstatt and La Tene cultures) during the early Iron age and 'exported' their culture to various genetically unrelated European populations such as the indigenous peoples of the British Isles. The Anatolian Celts, Galatians, may or may not have had a significant genetic relationship to the Halstatt and La Tene peoples in Europe.

So the real original Celts are actually German-speaking Swiss and Austrians right?

[other99]

The Ashkenazi that live in Europe and Western countries are more European than Asian. In addition their original language is Yiddish and is like German. The Ashkenazi that live in Israel are more Asian as they live in Asia.

[Trimac20]

Interesting that red hair is associated with Jews in the US. I remember watching Fiddler on the Roof, which has a red haired character, and thinking to myself, 'but Jews don't have red hair, do they?'

Most American Jews look on the European side imo. Many have light hair and eyes. Jeff Goldblum or someone is an example of someone who still looks very Middle Eastern to me.