What country are Jews originally from?

Answer 1

This is difficult question, as "Jew" is a tribal/racial group, a socio-political group, and a religious group.

What we currently would label the "Abrahamic" Jews (that is, followers of the Jewish religion as defined by Abraham, and a member of the "original" Jewish tribes) are mostly descendants of one of a multitude of small tribes in the Trans-Jordan area (modern Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Eqypt). Abraham probably lived sometime in the early second millennium BCE (likely 1800-1600 BCE), and the local tribe most associated with the beginnings of Judaism are the Israelites, who lived in the area of modern-day Greater Israel around 1100-1600 BCE.

Answer 2

The Jewish race came from Abraham. I'm not really sure where he was originally from, but he settled probably in the Israel area and from his descendants came the Israelites. During a famine in the land, Abraham's great grandchildren came to Egypt because Joseph (of amazing technicolor dreamcoat fame) had advised Pharaoh to stockpile food before the famine, so Egypt was the only place to get grain.

After a few generations in Egypt where the Israelites flourished, the new Pharaoh decided that they should be slaves instead. So they slaved for awhile untile God and Moses got them freed. Then they wandered the desert for 40 years because they got a little whiney until they at last entered the promised land of Canaan. Then they went through a cyclical history of being conquered and reforming, which spread the Jews throughout various kingdoms.

Answer 3

The Jewish people are descendants of Abraham, whose Semitic ancestors lived in the Fertile Crescent and who lived most of his life in the Middle Eastern country of Israel (Canaan) 3800 years ago.

Abraham is called a Hebrew (Genesis ch.14) because "Hebrews" (Ivrim) means descendants of Eber (Ever). Ever was a Western Semite and an ancestor of Abraham (Genesis ch.10-11), and the early Hebrews were Abraham's uncles and cousins for several generations back. They lived in the Fertile Crescent, in northern Mesopotamia, west of the Euphrates river. Abraham was born in the city of Ur (in Mesopotamia; now Iraq).In 1934-39, excavations were conducted at ancient Mari on the Euphrates River. They found that ancient towns were named after the ancestors (Genesis ch.11) of Abraham:
The "city of Nahor" was found near the city of Haran which exists to this day. Equally clear signs of early Hebrew residence appear in the names of other towns nearby: Serug (Assyrian Sarugi), Terah (Til Turakhi, "Mound of Terah"), and Peleg (Paliga, on the Euphrates near the mouth of the Habur). All these names are found in Genesis ch.11.

In Ur, Abraham first repudiated idolatry. He then sojourned in Harran (Syria) for several years, and then lived most of his life in Canaan (Israel). It was in Canaan that Abraham lived most of his life, made a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15), and raised a family to be the center of carrying on his traditions (Genesis 18:19).
Abraham's chosen son was Isaac (Genesis ch.21). Isaac's son Jacob was blessed by God, who renamed him, calling him Israel (Genesis ch.35), which is why Jews are also called Israelites.

Abraham's family carried on his teachings voluntarily. Judaism as a binding, permanent entity, was set forth between God and the Israelite nation descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at Mount Sinai in the time of Moses (Exodus ch.19, ch.24, and 34:27).All of the above places are in the ancient Fertile Crescent.

• Link: Abraham's biography
  

Jacob had 12 sons, who fathered the 12 Israelite tribes. The Israelites worshiped One God.

One thousand years after Jacob, ten of the tribes were exiled by the Assyrians, to points unknown. The only complete tribes left were Judah and Benjamin; plus part of Levi. The few thousands who remained from the other tribes joined the Tribe of Judah; and modern Jews are mostly descendants of Judah (hence the word "Jew").

This tradition has been substantiated by DNA analysis of Jewish communities all over the world, showing them to be inter-related and of Middle Eastern origin. The Cohanim, a family of the tribe of Levi, also share common genetics.

We possess the names and dates of our ancestors and leaders in an unbroken chain for 3800 years.

In 2000, Nicholas Wade concluded that his DNA study "provided genetic witness that Jewish communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from their host populations, evidence of relatively little intermarriage or conversion into Judaism over the centuries. The results accord with Jewish history and tradition."

Abraham was a historical person, as recorded in the Book of Genesis; and his gravesite is known to this day, in the Machpelah at Hebron, Israel. He is revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims, comprising over three billion people. The Jewish people have attested to his existence for 3800 years, and his name is mentioned by several ancient non-Jewish historians as far back as 2,300 years ago.

See also the other Related Links.

Link: What race were the Israelites?

Link: Jewish ancestry

Link: Archaeology

Answer 4

Jews were around before countries were.