Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation

We're a team of citizen scientists exploring Jewish genetics worldwide – making sense of results, connecting communities, and rewriting forgotten history 🕎🧬

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

Jewish ancestry is a tapestry of hidden connections. We’re here to reveal them. ✡️🧬

Every Jew carries within them a story of survival. Elders may recall where their ancestors lived a few generations back — but that’s often where the trail fades. Yet, hidden in our DNA are clues that can reconnect us: telling how we’re related, and how far back those ties go.

But not everyone knows how genetic tests can illuminate their family history. That’s where we come in.

We’re the Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation (JGDF) — a team of citizen scientists who’ve spent years researching Jewish lineages independently, and have now joined forces to uncover not just personal family stories, but the larger, interconnected story of the Jewish people.

Our mission is simple:

🔹 Educate Jewish communities about DNA testing
🔹 Facilitate tests and upgrades
🔹 Analyze results to reveal forgotten connections

We collaborate with other projects and experts, while holding ourselves to the highest standards of privacy and ethics.

The more people who participate, the clearer this tapestry becomes.

You may be surprised to find that your Ashkenazi lineage has Sephardic—or even Mizrahi—roots. And vice versa.

We’ll be sharing fascinating discoveries, stories, and research in future posts. Follow us to stay updated.

📢 The JGDF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations go directly to genetic testing — none of our team members are paid.

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

@ByblianKing Yes, and nearly all of E-FT419961 is Jewish—could be one 9th century BCE northern Israelite ancestor of recent Phoenician origin. But we can't confirm this of every basal branch, so it cld also theoretically be 2 or 3 separate Phoenician > Jewish events (but this seems strained)

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

P.S. We're a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit, and we accept tax-deductible donations.

https://t.co/3vC5vjpzIF

If you're interested in supporting in that way, we'd happy to send you a year-in-review prospectus.

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

A year ago, a few volunteers started a nonprofit to reconstruct the missing pieces of Jewish history using DNA.

No staff. No office. No institutional backing.

One year in: $40,000+ raised, 150 DNA tests funded, and findings we genuinely didn't expect. 🧵

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

That's year one. A volunteer project, no major institutional backing, 150+ tests. We’ve already exceeded our wildest dreams.

We publish everything we find. Subscribe:
https://t.co/etofHfESyg

And if you know a family whose story deserves preserving: let us know.

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

@roitele1 We recommend following our partner project @JuhuroDNA for info about this unique Jewish community!

https://t.co/36gD9QFxgv

[Mountain Jewish DNA Project @JuhuroDNA]

@roitele1 Hello! Thanks for highlighting our community! The "Star of David" is a relatively recent symbol and wasn't historically used by our people.

And if we are to be precise, it's not quite accurate to claim that we inhabited the Caucasus for two millennia.

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

For context, read Part I:
https://t.co/hwUp7PnSYo

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

In 1348, the Jewish community of Tàrrega was devastated by the Black Death persecutions.

DNA from 16 victims has been sequenced, revealing a man who shares the same paternal haplogroup as a living member of the Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation.

A direct genetic thread from medieval Sepharad lives on.

🔗 Read the story: https://t.co/SXRIz5AWWv

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

Part II of our Tàrrega series goes beyond one lineage. DNA from members of the medieval Jewish community buried at Roquetes now appears in paternal and maternal branches connected to Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi, Italian, North African, and possibly medieval French Jewish descendants. The tragedy was local; the genetic echoes are global.

#SephardicJews #JewishDNA

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

Read the full article on our Substack:
https://t.co/KqEZOhBkBD

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

@Afghan_DNA Congrats! How long did it take for the NGS FF to complete?

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

In 1348, the Jewish community of Tàrrega was devastated by the Black Death persecutions.

DNA from 16 victims has been sequenced, revealing a man who shares the same paternal haplogroup as a living member of the Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation.

A direct genetic thread from medieval Sepharad lives on.

🔗 Read the story: https://t.co/SXRIz5AWWv

[Jewish Genetic Discovery Foundation @JewishGenomics]

@curatorWH Our partner project @JuhuroDNA and we are studying the genetic heritage of Mountain Jews. Check out our work!