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Ashkenazi Jews have the same tribal affiliations as all other Jewish communities - Israel, Levi (Kohen), and Judah.
There are some people who continue to claim that Ashkenazi Jews are the descendants of the Khazars, however, this has been completely debunked.
The "theory" that Ashkenazi Jews descended from the Khazars originated with various anti-semitic/white and Christian supremacy groups/racial theorists/and Arab groups wishing to distance modern Jews from Israel. Although, there is evidence that the existing European Jewish population did absorb some Jewish Khazars, the claim of the Khazars being the origin of European Jewry has never been accepted by credible scholars for various reasons:
Khazarian history: the accepted theory is that at most, the Royal and and ruling classes converted to Judaism for mainly political reasons. There is no real evidence to support the whole population converted to Judaism. Furthermore, the majority of these converts to Judaism went on to convert to Christianity and Islam.
Jewish migration in history: what many people don't know is that a percentage of Jews who consider themselves Ashkenazi were Sephardi and didn't enter Europe until the Spanish expulsion. This can be seen through Jewish family names that are Spanish/Portugese/Italian/Sicilian in origin. (example: Margolis and Shapiro)
Genetic research: all current genetic research supports that Ashkenazi Jews are virtually indistinguishable from other Jewish groups (Sephardi/Mizrachi) and in turn, other Middle Eastern groups with little genetic input from Europeans. DNA research amongst Ashkenazi Jews shows a significant female founder ancestry originating in the Middle East, with about 40% of the current Ashkenazi population descending matrilinially from just 4 women dating to the first and second centuries.
In regard to the origin of the name 'Ashkenazi' for European Jews is that Ashkenaz was the ancient Jewish name for Germany just as Sepharad was the ancient Jewish name for Spain hence 'Sephardi' Jews.
Please see the related articles about this subject.
Alternate Opinion:Historically, no. The Ashkenazi Jewish people are descendants of the European peoples of Khazaria (or the Khazarian Empire). The name used to identify these peoples are testament to this fact in that Ashkenaz was the son of Gomer, who was the son of Japheth. Japheth eventually became the progenitor of all European peoples. Judah, however, came from the line or lineage of Shem, Japheth's brother. The descendants of Judah and also his other brothers (commonly called the twelve tribes of Israel) were from the land of Mitzrayim (commonly called "land of Egypt"). They also inhabited the land of Canaan which initial a people from the line of Ham. Although these facts are highly contested, history points to this as truth and origin of Ashkenazi Jews.
Source for Khaza Empire converting Judaism:
Book - "The Thirteenth Tribe", Arthur Koestler/Jewish author
What else can I help you with?
Are kosher Ashkenazi Jews allowed to eat kosher Sephardi foods?
Yes, but Ashkenazi Jews are stricter than Sephardi Jews.
What is an Ashkenazi?
An Ashkenazi is an alternative term for an Ashkenazi Jew, a group of Jews of German and Eastern European origin.
Which group of Jews speak Yiddish?
Ashkenazi Jews
What nationality is isabelle fuhrman?
Isabelle Fuhrman was born in Washington DC. Her mother is from Soviet Russia and her father was a business consultant. She is descended from Ashkenazi Jews.
If someone is a descendent of Ashkenazi Jews where are their relatives from?
Ashkenazi Jews are Jews from Europe. Over the centuries, many European pagans and Christians converted to Judaism, and their descendants are referred to as Ashkenazi Jews. Of course, there had always been some Jews in Europe who were descendants from the original immigrants from Judea. Apart from those who fled to Spain to avoid persecution, their descendants are also called Ashkenazi Jews.
Who uses yiddish?
Ashkenazi Jews
Are Aryan Turks Ashkenazi Jews?
of course
Are Hungarian Jews Ashkenazi Jew?
Yes, they are.
Who are Ashkenazi Jews?
Ashkenazi Jews are an ethnic group comprised of Jews who went to Europe after the expulsion. Ashkenaz was the word for Germany in the Middle Ages, but it generally applies to Jews with a European ancestry.
Are the Ashkenazi Jews and Reform Jews the same Jews?
Reform Judaism had its origins in the Ashkenazi community, but there are plenty of Ashkenazi Orthodox Jews and plenty of Reform Jews with Sephardic backgrounds. In Europe, you can find Liberal synagogues (analogous to the Reform movement in the United States) that are dominated by Sephardic Jews, predominantly in French speaking countries that welcomed many Algerian Jews after the collapse of French North Africa.
Are Khazars the original Jews?
No. That is an anti-Semitic canard and has been disproved through DNA analysis. The Khazars were a people in southern Russia whose small ruling class converted to Judaism (some 13 centuries ago) for trade reasons as well as for reasons of faith. At the time, there were already a few million Jews scattered throughout Europe and the Near East.
Who are the modern day Levites?
Ashkenazi or Sephardic Jews
