Helen Thomas to Retire

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Not really. The odds of an Ashkenazi Jew tracing his ancestral origins to Palestine aren't much better than those of anyone else. Not to mention you're going back a really long time.

That's just false.  It is much easier, especially in the Orthodox community, to trace things back.

[Lunar]

Not really. The odds of an Ashkenazi Jew tracing his ancestral origins to Palestine aren't much better than those of anyone else. Not to mention you're going back a really long time.

That's just false.  It is much easier, especially in the Orthodox community, to trace things back.

Honest and open question without trying to make a point:  How far back can you trace back your roots?

About the only thing I know of my own roots it that I'm pretty Irish, I somehow managed to get dual-citizenship without every traveling to Ireland, and I have a Scottish last name (Campbell) which probably means something or nothing, and I have a grandma with a German maiden name. 

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Honest and open question without trying to make a point:  How far back can you trace back your roots?

I can trace it back at least 500-600 years; I'd have to check with a cousin to see exactly how far.

[Lunar]

Honest and open question without trying to make a point:  How far back can you trace back your roots?

I can trace it back at least 500-600 years; I'd have to check with a cousin to see exactly how far.

Impressive.  For most white people to be able to trace our ancestry past the 1700s, we pretty much have to be the ancestors of either the Mayflower or European royalty.  I can't get mine past the 1920s.  

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Impressive.  For most white people to be able to trace our ancestry past the 1700s, we pretty much have to be the ancestors of either the Mayflower or European royalty.  I can't get mine past the 1920s.  

It's a hobby for some members of my family, so they've put effort into checking.  It's easier also for Jews because of records, which were diligently kept in the Jewish community.

[Lunar]

Impressive.  For most white people to be able to trace our ancestry past the 1700s, we pretty much have to be the ancestors of either the Mayflower or European royalty.  I can't get mine past the 1920s.  

It's a hobby for some members of my family, so they've put effort into checking.  It's easier also for Jews because of records, which were diligently kept in the Jewish community.

I mean, yeah, obviously it's not something that's just passively done.  Which is why any Americans of generic European descent tend to hit brick roads without being descended from serious royalty.

And, as a totally offhand comment with no historical knowledge whatsoever, I'd have to imagine that intermarriage where there would be a Jewish wife and a non-Jewish husband and a practicing Jewish child between the two, would have been very, very much less common in centuries past than today, which would make record keeping a little bit easier as there would be far fewer cases of Jews who assumed their Jewishness through their Mother but kept their father's non-Jewish last name?  Any input on that idea?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

And, as a totally offhand comment with no historical knowledge whatsoever, I'd have to imagine that intermarriage where there would be a Jewish wife and a non-Jewish husband and a practicing Jewish child between the two, would have been very, very much less common in centuries past than today, which would make record keeping a little bit easier as there would be far fewer cases of Jews who assumed their Jewishness through their Mother but kept their father's non-Jewish last name?  Any input on that idea?

Absolutely.  That's why I think it's easier to trace for Orthodox communities, because there was rarely intermarriage, especially in areas where the Ghettos were enforced.  Fewer intermarriages leads to more marriages that stay in the community, making the records much easier to keep.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Btw, an ironic side. Jews actually comes from Palestine.

No they don't. That's not ironic at all.

Where did they come from then?

Jews are not one monolithic tribe who all come from one place.

To claim that Ashkenazi Jews who immigrated from Germany, Russia, Poland, etc. have a real ancestral claim to Palestine is utterly absurd.

Well, if you go far enough back, they originated in Palestine.

Not really. The odds of an Ashkenazi Jew tracing his ancestral origins to Palestine aren't much better than those of anyone else. Not to mention you're going back a really long time.

Well, I realize you have to go back a long way, I'm just saying, eventually they do go back.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Helen Thomas has always espoused these views........the only shock is she said it in such a public venue.......I'm bored with this.......be gone, wench!

[Хahar 🤔]

Btw, an ironic side. Jews actually comes from Palestine.

No they don't. That's not ironic at all.

Where did they come from then?

Jews are not one monolithic tribe who all come from one place.

To claim that Ashkenazi Jews who immigrated from Germany, Russia, Poland, etc. have a real ancestral claim to Palestine is utterly absurd.

Well, if you go far enough back, they originated in Palestine.

Not really. The odds of an Ashkenazi Jew tracing his ancestral origins to Palestine aren't much better than those of anyone else. Not to mention you're going back a really long time.

Well, I realize you have to go back a long way, I'm just saying, eventually they do go back.

That's nothing special, though. I'm sure you could do the same thing if you go back long enough.