Where do European Jews and Sephardic Jews originate from?

Answer 1

1

All Jews originally come from Judeah. read The Bible, particularly the books of Kings, Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah to learn more about their ancient history. They were eventually conquered by the Romans. Late in the first century A.D. the Romans destroyed the Jewish Kingdom once and for all and deported most of its population, scattering them around the Empire. Somehow, the Jews managed to maintain a distinct ethnic identity and culture. But they were nevertheless, over the centuries, influenced by the surrounding culture. Sephardic Jews are descended from those Jews who, in the Middle Ages, lived in Spain and the West and were influenced by the Latin language and culture. the Azhkenazim, what you called European Jews, are descended from those Jews who lived in Germany and Eastern Europe and were influenced by the German language and culture.

2

(Additional answer) There is evidence that the Ashkenazic Jews of Europe are descended from the Khazar tribe in Russia, which converted to Judaism.

Response to 2

Claiming that the Ashkenazic (Western) Jews are from the Khazars is a recently invented anti-Semitic canard. It has been conclusively disproved by DNA analyses. These studies showed that Ashkenazim, and other Jews from all over the Earth, are quite closely related to each other and all originated in the Middle East.

A 2013 study of Ashkenazi mitochondrial DNA found no significant evidence of Khazar contribution to the Ashkenazi Jewish DNA, as would be predicted by the Khazar hypothesis. Although there is no historical or DNA evidence to support the Khazar idea, it is still popular among anti-Semites.

In 2000, the analysis of a report by Nicholas Wade "provided genetic witness that Jewish communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from their host populations, showing relatively little intermarriage or conversion into Judaism over the centuries. The results accord with Jewish history and tradition and refute theories which would allege that Jewish communities consist mostly of converts."

We American and Russian Jews have the names and bloodlines of our families' Ashkenaz Jewish ancestors for over eleven centuries. The early Ashkenazi families were brought to the Frankish empire 1200 years ago by Charlemagne from Italy (Bari and Otrento); whereas the Khazars, only a few tens or hundreds of whom converted, were in the Crimea. Consider this also: converted groups do not contain any Kohens or Levites, whereas the Ashkenazim and Sephardim all have good percentages of them.

To address the original question, after much research it appears most likely that the Sephardim are descended from the Jewish communities of Babylonia (via Spain and the East), while the Ashkenazim hail from Judea, via Italy. All Jewish communities are inter-related and originally are from the Middle East, as has been shown by extensive genetic testing.

3

The Jewish religion originated in the Middle East. Their are Jews of many ethnic origins all over the world now. Genetically they are Hebraic or Middle Eastern.

Answer 2

As shown by DNA studies, all Jewish communities come from the Middle East originally. Later, during the Middle Ages the Sephardim were in the Mediterranean area (Spain, North Africa) and points east of it, while the Ashkenazim were to the north in France, Germany, Russia and Eastern Europe.This variety of locales has led to some differences in customs, but not in the Torah-laws themselves.

See also the related links.

Link: Why did the Diaspora begin?

Link: Where did Judaism originate?