ALGEMEINER
by Michele Alperin/JNS
September 22, 2014
When Noah Slepkov started using online genealogical tools to build a family tree, little did he know that his personal exploration might have significant implications for all of the Jewish people—including those not even aware of their Jewish roots.
But when Slepkov heard from a colleague about 23andMe—a genetic kit that performs a DNA test on saliva to learn what percent of a person’s DNA comes from different global populations, and then provides contacts of potential relatives—he was hooked.
“I was fascinated by the ability of normal genealogical tools to find relatives,” says Slepkov, an associate fellow of the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) think tank in Jerusalem. “When I realized the potential of combining that with DNA techniques, it is quite amazing what can be done.” Slepkov proposed including a chapter in JPPI’s annual assessment that explores different dimensions of the Jewish people: geopolitics, demography, and identity. The ensuing report he authored, titled “Crowd Sourced Genealogy and Direct-to-Consumer DNA Testing: Implications for the Jewish People,” was the basis for a set of recommendations presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the entire Israeli cabinet this summer…..
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