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1 | = Jewish Origins = | ||
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3 | == Overview == | ||
4 | The Jewish people trace their origins to the ancient Israelites, a Semitic people who emerged in the central highlands of Canaan around 1200 BCE. These tribes eventually formed two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Despite some shared ancestry and traditions, the kingdoms developed distinct political paths. | ||
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6 | Judaism, as an organized religious identity, took form after the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian exile. This period marked the transformation from tribal Yahwism to a covenant-based monotheistic system, which later evolved into Rabbinic Judaism. | ||
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8 | == Ethnic Lineage == | ||
9 | Archaeological and genetic studies suggest that modern Jewish groups—Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi—share a core Middle Eastern ancestry. These lineages reflect an ancient Levantine origin but also include admixture from local populations across Europe, North Africa, and the broader Middle East. | ||
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11 | == Tribal Identity == | ||
12 | Judaism was historically structured around patrilineal tribes such as Judah, Levi, and Benjamin. After the Babylonian exile, rabbinic Judaism emphasized **matrilineal descent** as the defining line of Jewish identity. This shift may have been influenced by Roman legal codes or the need to preserve group identity under foreign rule and social instability. | ||
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14 | == Historical Milestones == | ||
15 | * Merneptah Stele (~1200 BCE) – First non-biblical reference to "Israel" | ||
16 | * Babylonian exile (~587 BCE) – Formation of post-tribal Jewish religious identity | ||
17 | * Second Temple period – Rise of key sects, including Pharisees | ||
18 | * Roman conquest – Massive dispersion and the emergence of the Jewish Diaspora | ||
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20 | == Commentary == | ||
21 | Jewish communities throughout history have shown a strong capacity to retain distinct identity markers—language, religion, endogamy—across centuries of migration. This persistence is unique among ancient ethnic groups and contributes to modern debates over ethnicity, religion, and assimilation. | ||
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23 | == See Also == | ||
24 | * [[Diaspora>>path:/bin/view/Main%20Categories/Jews/Diaspora/]] | ||
25 | * [[Zionism>>path:/bin/view/Main%20Categories/Jews/Zionism/]] | ||
26 | * [[History of Ancient Israel and Judah>>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_ancient_Israel_and_Judah]] |