Cohanim

A pioneer in this field, Michael Hammer of the University of Arizona, made the first big splash when he discovered that genetics supports the biblical account of a priestly family, the Cohanim, descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses: one specific genetic marker on the Y chromosome (which is passed on from father to son, as membership in the priestly family would be) is found in 98.5 percent of people who self-identify as Cohanim, he and colleagues reported in a 1997 paper in Nature (the PBS science series Nova did a nice segment on that work, summarized here).

The DNA of Abraham’s Children 2010

‪``Outside of the Temple Mount, there is no more important neighborhood,'' said Daniel Luria , a spokesman for Ateret Cohanim, a group which promoted the Ma'aleh Zeitim housing project across the street from the policy building.

Jewish Homes Approved in East Jerusalem Joshua Mitnick 2011

Related research by Michael Hammer of the University of Arizona examined the Y-chromosomes of Jewish men who identified themselves as Cohanim the priestly caste and found over a decade ago that the vast majority had a common ancestor who lived in early Biblical times.

All Jews are cousins - The Panda's Thumb 2010

DNA can also be used to infer when particular genetic markers appeared, and suggests that the Cohanim emerged about 106 generations ago, making it fall during what is thought to be the period of the exodus from Egypt, and thus Aaron's lifetime.

The DNA of Abraham’s Children 2010

He declared Gillam to be a Jewish male, in covenant with Yahweh to the fullest extent, and declared him a descendant of the line of Cohanim.

MORE FROM GINNY BATES: LESBIANS HAVING BABIES Maggie Jochild 2007

The only word Myra was sure she recognized was Cohanim.

MORE FROM GINNY BATES: LESBIANS HAVING BABIES Maggie Jochild 2007

The Levites and the Cohanim can't do those sacrifices any more -- so what are they for?

The Stain of Sin Hal Duncan 2006

The Genealogue: Cohanim Beware! skip to main skip to sidebar

Cohanim Beware! 2006

Dr. Karl Skorecki was told from childhood that he was one of the Cohanim, descended from Moses 'brother Aaron, a high Jewish priest.

In Our Blood 2007

In 2001, Father Bill Sanchez, a Roman Catholic priest in Albuquerque, New Mexico, discovered he closely matched the Cohanim signature, too.

The Ties That Bind 2007