Is there even such a thing as a Jew?
Jewish Identity, Nationhood, and the Question of a Homeland The modern debate over Israel and Zionism often becomes heated because several distinct questions are treated as if they were one and the same. Questions of religion, ethnicity, ancestry, nationalism, history, and morality are frequently merged together, making careful discussion difficult. One useful starting point is to separate the question of whether Jews constitute a distinct people from the question of whether any people possess a right to a particular territory. Are Jews a Distinct People? The answer depends partly on what is meant by "people". Modern population genetics does not support the idea that Jewish populations are genetically pure descendants of the ancient inhabitants of Judea. After nearly two thousand years of dispersion throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere, substantial admixture with surrounding populations has occurred. Ashkenazi Jews show significant European ancest...