The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/ashkenazi-jews/ News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World Tue, 22 Sep 2026 06:13:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2018/11/toi_icon_512-200x200.png Ashkenazi Jews | The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/ashkenazi-jews/ 32 32 Jewish geneticist finds mutation behind sudden deaths that haunted her family for decades https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-geneticist-finds-mutation-behind-sudden-deaths-that-haunted-her-family-for-decades/ Sat, 19 Sep 2026 04:50:26 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3876875 In ‘The Dressmaker’s Mirror,’ Susan Weiss Liebman recounts how supposed freak accidents hid an inherited heart condition - and the implications for Ashkenazi Jews and genetic testing

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]]> Green in the valley: Israel’s abandoned fishponds are turning into a solar goldmine https://www.timesofisrael.com/green-in-the-valley-israels-abandoned-fishponds-are-turning-into-a-solar-goldmine/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:38:51 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3802041 In a pathbreaking deal, a project in northern Israel will generate clean energy, restore natural habitats, and share profits between local kibbutzim and the city of Beit She'an

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]]> How the Yiddish-speaking Jews of Europe had themselves a merry little Nittel Nacht https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-the-yiddish-speaking-jews-of-europe-had-themselves-a-merry-little-nittel-nacht/ Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:30:54 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3715846 A new book explores how, contrary to popular belief, Christmas was a festive time for Jewish men, who took time off from Torah study to play cards and games

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]]> Health Ministry said to flag error in genetic test kit detecting rare mutation, reread results https://www.timesofisrael.com/health-ministry-said-to-flag-error-in-genetic-test-kit-detecting-rare-mutation-reread-results/ Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:52:23 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3700018 Haaretz report concerns MECR mutation, part of Israel’s expanded screening panel; can lead to problems with movement, speech, vision; rare disease more common among Ashkenazi Jews

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]]> Prominent Haredi school to operate separate program for Sephardi girls – report https://www.timesofisrael.com/prominent-haredi-school-to-operate-separate-program-for-sephardi-girls-report/ Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:47:42 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3593572 Development follows years of discrimination against students of Middle Eastern origin in ultra-Orthodox educational frameworks and vain attempts to crack down on it

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]]> Israeli researchers discover gene mutation in Ashkenazi Jews that can cause autism https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-researchers-discover-gene-mutation-in-ashkenazi-jews-that-can-cause-autism/ Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:30:30 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3431985 One in 80 Ashkenazi Jews carry the TBCB gene; Israelis can now test for it as part of the Health Ministry national healthcare basket

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]]> 23andMe agrees to $30m settlement over data breach targeting Jewish and Chinese users https://www.timesofisrael.com/23andme-agrees-to-30m-settlement-over-data-breach-targeting-jewish-and-chinese-users/ Wed, 18 Sep 2024 03:42:08 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3377845 Genetic testing company settles with plaintiffs over breach that was revealed when hacker published link to database labeled 'ashkenazi DNA Data of Celebrities'

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]]> NYC Council to vote on recognizing anniversary of first Jewish arrivals in city https://www.timesofisrael.com/nyc-council-to-vote-on-recognizing-anniversary-of-first-jewish-arrivals-in-city/ Thu, 12 Sep 2024 18:51:40 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3374563 Bill aims to mark little-known Landing Day, marking date of 1654 arrival of first Jews in then-New Amsterdam, and 'celebrate the continuing importance of the Jewish community'

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]]> Israeli scientists harness molecule to treat rare disease common in Ashkenazim https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-scientists-harness-molecule-to-treat-rare-disease-common-in-ashkenazim/ Sun, 17 Mar 2024 13:05:37 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3244696 Research team isolates GHF-201 to fight APBD, a nervous system disorder mostly found in Jews of Eastern European descent, as patients eagerly await the green light for treatment

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]]> 23andMe faces lawsuit as hackers sell information on users with Jewish heritage https://www.timesofisrael.com/23andme-faces-lawsuit-as-hackers-sell-information-on-users-with-jewish-heritage/ Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:01:10 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3212001 DNA testing company 23andMe blames users' recycled passwords for data breach that affected 6.9 million accounts; August lawsuit indicates other companies may be implicated

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]]> Louise Levy, ‘supercentenarian’ subject of Jewish longevity study, dies at 112 https://www.timesofisrael.com/louise-levy-supercentenarian-subject-of-jewish-longevity-study-dies-at-112/ Sat, 29 Jul 2023 02:57:47 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3061287 Levy was the oldest living resident of New York State and one of hundreds of Jews 95 and older recruited in 1998 for a genetic study of long-living Ashkenazi Jews

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]]> Likud minister fires aide who praised Hitler, wished death on judicial officials https://www.timesofisrael.com/likud-minister-fires-aide-who-praised-hitler-wished-death-on-judicial-officials/ Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:00:36 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3040816 Israel Katz says wasn't aware of Oved Hugi's social media posts, which said Nazis should've killed those behind Netanyahu trial; ousted adviser still attends Knesset panel meeting

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]]> Study: Gaucher disease, common among Ashkenazi Jews, protects against tuberculosis https://www.timesofisrael.com/study-gaucher-disease-common-among-ashkenazi-jews-protects-against-tuberculosis/ Sat, 06 May 2023 12:22:10 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3009348 Cambridge University team discovers that specific cellular-level lipids that accumulate in the genetic disease attack and kill deadly TB bacterium, hope to develop new treatment

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]]> Germany celebrates UNESCO listing for birthplaces of Yiddish, Ashkenazi culture https://www.timesofisrael.com/germany-celebrates-unesco-listing-for-birthplaces-of-yiddish-ashkenazi-culture/ Sat, 04 Feb 2023 12:40:59 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2942952 Sites recognized include the oldest known in-situ Jewish burial ground in Europe; German president: Jewish history in Germany, both good and bad, goes far beyond Holocaust

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]]> Largest study of ancient DNA shows medieval Ashkenazi Jewry was surprisingly diverse https://www.timesofisrael.com/largest-study-of-ancient-dna-shows-medieval-ashkenazi-jewry-was-surprisingly-diverse/ Wed, 30 Nov 2022 17:14:09 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2886452 Scientists find that some 700 years ago, the Jews of Erfurt, Germany, formed 2 groups; rabbinic consultants stipulated that they study only loose teeth from pre-excavated skeletons

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