Jewish Book World

ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN: RACE, IDENTITY, AND THE DNA OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE
Jon Entine
Grand Central Publishing, 2007. 410 pp. $27.99 ISBN: 978-0-446-58063-2

There has been a lot of press recently detailing the "conflict" between science and religion; these issues have included such topics as stem-cell research and evolution. Some of these conflicts have arisen in Judaism as well, such as the question of genetics and who, actually, is a Jew. Abraham’s Children attempts to bridge some of these gaps. In a fascinating, well-documented volume, Jon Entine places the issue of the Cohanim, the priests, in a genetic context and shows how it may actually be possible to scientifically trace one’s genetic heritage back to Aaron, even through centuries of the Diaspora. Other compelling chapters tackle such topics as the Lost Tribes and the genetic similarities of Israelites and Christians. More controversial subjects include questions of why Jews are considered "smarter" than other races.

This book indicates that continuing breakthroughs in genetics and DNA research will provide answers to questions that were previously unanswerable, perhaps further illuminating who we are as a people and where we came from.