Discussion | DNA of the Ottoman Empire: Crossroads of the Jewish People (in-person and online)

The Avotaynu DNA Project aims to explore the genetic connections among Jewish communities worldwide, particularly focusing on those that found refuge in the Ottoman Empire during various historical periods. This project highlights the genetic diversity and shared heritage among Jews from different regions, as well as the impact of migration and historical events on their DNA. By analyzing DNA samples from various Jewish populations, Adam Brown and Michael Waas intend to showcase how the genetic markers reveal common ancestry and connections that trace back to the Ottoman Empire, where many Jewish communities flourished. The findings may illuminate the historical movements of Jewish populations, their integration into diverse cultures, and their resilience through centuries of change.

This research not only contributes to the understanding of Jewish genealogy but also provides insights into the broader narrative of the Jewish diaspora, reinforcing the idea that despite geographical and cultural differences, there exists a profound genetic link among Jews worldwide. The emphasis on the Ottoman Empire as a refuge underscores the historical significance of this region in shaping Jewish identity and continuity.

Speakers
Adam Brown was the National Co-Chair of 2017 annual conference of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) in Orlando and is the President of the non-profit Avotaynu Foundation. He is the Project Administrator of the Avotaynu DNA Project, a multi-disciplinary worldwide collaboration to utilize DNA to illuminate known events in Jewish history from the consolidation of the Israelite tribes 3,200 years ago to the present. Adam has been an avid genealogist for more than three decades and has spoken at dozens of conference venues on the subject of Jewish genealogy and history, including 18 Zoom lectures delivered to Jewish Genealogical Societies across the country during the COVID epidemic.

Michael Waas is a professional genealogist and historian, specializing in Sephardic Jewry, with his firm, Hollander-Waas Jewish Heritage Services. He received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology with a specialization in Historical Archaeology from New College of Florida and his master’s degree from the Department of Jewish History at the University of Haifa. The subject of his M.A. thesis was “Istorya i oy: A comparative study on the Development of Jewish Heritage of the former Ottoman Empire.” For the year 2017-2018 he received the Gaon Prize for Outstanding M.A. Thesis research of the Moshe David Gaon Center for Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) Culture, as well as the Prize for Research into the Heritage of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewry, awarded by the Ben Zvi Institute and the Israeli Ministry of Education. Michael is co-administrator of the AvotaynuDNA Project and, since 2023, he has been Associate Director of the Sephardic Researcher Division of JewishGen. In September 2023 he received a 12-month appointment as Scholar-in-Residence at the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society to survey its archive and collection for Jewish-related materials.