rell Me Why

TENDER

Those
That

Ok4".

Is there a Jewish "look"?

Elizabeth and Phillip Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News

1 converts to Judaism contributed their
genes to our pool, and the result is
Jews who look like other ethnic types.
Q: I know that intermarriage has
Having said this, a third factor to
been common for Ashkenazic Jews
keep in mind is there is no such thing
In the 20th century, but did it also
I as a unique Jewish "look" or pheno-
occur at some other point in our
1 type. We do not have photographs
istory? The reason I ask is that
of the original Jewish population of
uropean Jews originally came
Fret Yisroel (Land of Israel) and we
om Israel and I am assuming that
cannot say for certain what our
II of them had dark hair, dark eyes
ancestors looked like. There is no
nd olive complexions. However,
1 sound anthropological basis to
ven before the 20th century, some i believe that all, or even most, Jews of
J ews had blond hair and blue eyes. 1 antiquity had "dark hair, dark eyes
From reader LK, Farmington Hills
1 and olive complexions." For exam-
! ple, there is an ancient tradition that
: Your question has iwo parts: Did
1 King David was a redhead. Although
intermarriage occur before modern
certain colors of hair and eyes, as
times, and is such intermarriage the
I well as other physical features, may
reason that some Jews do not fit a
predominate in a given group, varia-
physical stereotype of a Jewish "look."
tion always occurs. Physical anthro-
That Jews have intermarried and
pologists emphasize that variation
interbred with persons not born Jew-
I within any group is usually as great
ish since antiquity is well document-
1 as, and often is even greater than,
ed. The Tanach (Jewish Bible) is
1 the variation between groups.
replete with numerous such cases.
With the recent advances in genet-
ews intermarried while still in the
1 is research, it is possible to trace cer-
Land of Israel, arid they continued to
tain characteristics, especially those
intermarry in exile.
1 associated with the Y chromosome,
Until fairly recently, a Jew who mar- 1 through populations. Such research
ried a gentile signaled his rupture
I has shown that disparate communi-
with the Jewish community and with
ties of Jews have more genetic traits
Judaism itself. Any children born of
1 in common with each other than with
such marriages invariably remained
the gentiles among whom they live.
'within gentile society. Thus, the chil-
Keep in mind Yitzhak's blessing to
dren of intermarriage contributed their
Yaacov in Parshat Toldot (Genesis
ewish genes to the vast gentile gene I 28:3): "May you be a congregation
pool; the result was that many gen-
of peoples," which the rabbis inter-
tiles acquired Jewish traits.
: pret to mean that the Jews would
Throughout our history, Jews have
comprise distinct tribes or peoples of
married converts to our faith. In
varying characteristics but, united by
Europe, such marriages occurred
Torah, they formed one congregation
much more frequently before the
1 or nation.
Christian religion took deep root than
Indeed, as far as Halachah (Jewish
after the church was firmly estab-
law) is concerned, the concept of
lished (much of Europe remained
1 race does not exist, and a person's
pagan or only nominally Christian
physical features are immaterial to his
well into the Middle Ages). These
or her status as a Jew. ❑

SALE

50% - 75%
OFF

WOMEN'S EUROPEAN & AMERICAN

DESIGNER CLOTHING COLLECTIONS

ACCESSORIES & SHOES

SIZES 0-14

271 WEST MAPLE

DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM
248.258.0212

MONDAY-SATURDAY 10-6
THURSDAY 10-9
OPEN A TENDER CHARGE TODAY!

1/5

2001

85