Where did the jews origionally come from?

Answer 1

Originally, from the area that's now Israel - whether they arrived after escaping from Egypt, as the Bible claims, or developed from the native Canaanite people, as modern-day historians believe. Most of them were dispersed in 722BC when one of the kingdoms was invaded by the Assyrians. Most of the rest were dispersed after the Roman invasion, when a rebellion was suppressed in 135AD.

Since then they've lived in various parts of the world - the Sefardi Jews lived in Spain until they were expelled in 1492, the Ashkenazis lived in Eastern Europe (mainly Poland, Lithuania and Russia), and the Mizrahis lived in northern Africa but now have mainly moved to Israel.

One interesting idea is that some of today's Jews may not actually trace their descent to the original Israelites. There was a Turkic people called Khazars who set up a state in the Caucasus (modern-day Georgia/Armenia) who adopted Judaism as the state religion. A controversial theory states that they formed the ancestors of many of the Ashkenazis. However this theory is not widely accepted.

Answer 2

I've heard a few theories.... there's the biggie: we all came from Africa at some point, but after that sources vary. I generally tend to think about it in terms of language... Hebrew is a Semitic Language, in the same family as Arabic, Akkadian, and Aramaic. All of those languages came from a proto-semitic language many theorize migrated up from Africa. Others, however, believe it is a language that developed purely in the Middle East.

As time went on, however, it's clear that while all the other languages changed, moved around or died out, Hebrew is the only one that stayed the same- and stayed relatively in one place- at least until the start of the common era (1 A.D.). So I think it's pretty safe to assume that most ethnic Jews are of Middle Eastern descent, once upon a time they may have been African, probably from the Saharan region- hope that helps! :)

Answer 3

At first glance, that seems a silly question. I considered it for 3 seconds and realized one of our oldest documents, translated to death, seems to tell Westerners that Moses settled the Jews in Israel.

It's actually a compelling question.

Mankind enslaves and transports others, or he moves to better resources. Either way, it's a thoughtful question from a biblical/evolutionary standpoint.

If one accepts the theory that mankind originated in Africa and thousands of years of evolution produced various levels of pigmentation, facial features, hair color, etc., one would have to say that the Jewish people came from Africa. They were enslaved in Africa and migrated a second time.

Oddly enough, the DNA being gathered in the Human Genome Project may dispel the theory.

It's a good question and I don't have an answer.

Answer 4

The Jews of today are descended from two of the twelve tribes of Israel - Judah and Benjamin. But some of them are Idumeans (Edom-ians, descended from Jacob's brother Edom) who converted to Judaism in the times before the Jews returned to the Holy Land after their captivity in Babylon.

There exists a further ten tribes of Israel, who are not Jews.
These ten tribes are scattered among the christain nations of today.

The Jews claim the entire heritage of Israel to themselves, but have rejected their King.

Conversely, the Christians have accepted their King, but have lost their heritage.

Answer 5

From Babylonia. Abram (later Abraham) moved from there to Palestine. His descendants moved to Egypt, where they became slaves, but they moved back to Palestine. One of Abraham's descendants was Jacob, who was also called Israel, so they were called the Children of Israel. The Israelites later split up, most of them following other religions. The ones who kept believing in Yahweh were mostly the descendants of Judah, a son of Jacob. Jews get their name from Judah. However, anyone could become a Jew by circumcision, by following the Law of Moses and awaiting the Messiah.

However, if Jesus was the Messiah, then true Jews are now Christians (Messiah-ans) and get their spiritual ancestry from Abraham, as the New Testament indeed says.
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Answer 6

Abram, who was renamed Abraham, came from the ancient city of Ur. This is in what is now southern Iraq. We know that he was a monotheist. while the people of that city worshiped many gods. This probably caused a great conflict between him and the other residents. He left with his father and his brother-in-law. He and his brother-in-law took their wives and their herds and their herdsmen and left for an area just south of present day Turkey. He stayed there until the death of his father. Then he traveled south to what is now called Palestine.

Answer 7

Although millions of people commonly think so, Abraham was not a Jew. Nor was his son Isaac. Nor was Isaac's son Jacob, who God renamed as Israel. Moses and Aaron were also not Jews as is commonly written and spoken by many people, including from a vast number of pulpits every week. As shocking as that is to many people (even some Jews), that is what the Holy Bible says. So, what were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob if they were not Jews? And who actually were and are Jews? And who was the first Jew?

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Answer 8

Originally from an area called Judea. From this came the name Jew which is a corruption of JU.

Answer 9

Jacob

Answer 10

Palestine