Jewish Genetics—Word Association

When young adults hear the words "Jewish genetics," a variety of things go through their heads. Some of these thoughts may be familiar to you, and while not all are accurate, they do expose a range of opinions and relevant thoughts that are all "kosher."

More Thoughts

“When I hear the words ‘Jewish genetics,’ I think of a number of things, including physical appearance, intelligence, diseases, my religion, and also my ethnicity. I plan on getting tested because my genetics are Jewish genetics and there is a possibility of my children having genetic disorders.”

Junior, American University

“I plan on getting tested when I am ready to have children; as much as it is my responsibility to have children, it is also one of my obligations to make sure they are healthy.”

Senior, Indiana University

“I think that I am affected by Jewish genetics because both my parents are of Russian Jewish origin—there is bound to be some similarity in genes, and thus greater risk for disorders in the gene pool. I was initially not sure if I would get tested, but now that I have learned more about Jewish genetics, I will get tested.”

Senior, Haverford College

"'Jewish genetics'—The first thing that comes to mind is in fact the images associated with eugenics and the Holocaust, where Jews were determined to be inferior based on genetics of some sort. I wish I knew more, but unfortunately that's the first thing that pops into my head."
Sophomore, The Joint Program between Columbia University and The Jewish Theological Seminary

“When I hear the term ‘Jewish genetics,’ diseases come to mind. The term scares me. I think that I am affected by ‘Jewish genetics’ because you never know who has what. It’s a big step to get tested, but I plan on getting tested because I think it’s important to ensure your children’s health and childhood.”

Senior, Stern College

“When I hear the words 'Jewish genetics,' some things that come to mind are physical, stereotypical traits that are attributed to Jews… I don’t think about it much. I look pretty normal and am not concerned about the stereotypes—I don’t think that I have any genetic problems.”

Sophomore, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“I got tested in either 9^th or 10^th grade because that was when Dor Yeshorim came to the Bais Yaakov in Minneapolis. I decided to do the testing for a few reasons. It seemed to be the program of choice for the religious community, the program does not share the results with you, and most of my friends were getting it done at the time. Just because someone is a carrier for a genetic disease does not mean that they cannot marry, have children, and lead normal and productive lives. This program protects you from having misplaced guilt or fear, and just ensures that you will not marry someone with whom your children will have a high chance of genetic illness”

Student, Anne Blitstein Teachers Institute

“On the one hand, 'Jewish genetics' is a weird term because Jews don't typically look alike. At the same time, it's well known that some genetic features—especially diseases—are almost exclusively 'Jewish.' I'm married, so there's no point of getting tested just to find out whether I should have gotten married or not. We are planning, though, to get tested because some action can still be taken before we have children.”
Third-Year Student, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

“When I hear the words ‘Jewish genetics,’ both physical appearances and diseases come to mind. I never thought seriously about Jewish genetic disorders. But I think when I’m older and ready to start a family, I will be sure to get tested.”

Junior, Tufts University

“I plan on getting tested because I am in charge of the future of my child.”

Graduate of International Solomon University, Ukraine

“When I hear the words ‘Jewish genetics,’ I think of diseases that tend to be found in Jewish people. I also think of intelligence, as well, because it can somewhat be passed down genetically. I plan on getting tested because it will be good to know if I have a disease or not, and now that I have learned more, I am more aware of genetic diseases and carrier status and how important it is to be tested.”

Senior, Indiana University

“I initially said I don’t plan on getting tested because it doesn’t run in my family, but now I realize that one of my family members could be a carrier and it would be a good idea to find out. Also, it really makes a difference to get tested before you have children.”

Junior, Indiana University

“When I hear the words ‘Jewish genetics,’ nothing strongly pops up in my mind. I never really learned about genetics past the typical high school bio class—especially never about Jewish genetics. After learning more, I now feel I will strongly consider getting tested later in life.”

Sophomore, Bradley University

“Whenever I hear about Jewish genetics, it’s always in relation to diseases. I know about the importance of genetic testing because my sister now has a family. I think if I didn’t see her experiences, I wouldn’t be so informed. I may be a carrier, and my physical appearance is ‘Jewish,’ so I plan on getting tested before I get married.”

Junior, George Washington University

“I didn't know you could get tested for Jewish genetic disorders. As someone living with Crohn's disease, one of the first explanations I got was that it is prevalent among young Jewish/Ashkenazic males. If the test isn't difficult or painful I might consider doing that to see if genetics was the true cause of my Crohn's. I would like to know where it came from because no one in my family, either now or from what we know in the past, has ever had it.”

Sophomore, The Joint Program between Columbia University and The Jewish Theological Seminary

“Usually when I think of 'Jewish genetics,' I think of diseases I have heard of but never truly thought about. I'm sure somewhere down the line I had a family member with an inherited disease. When I start a family, I will definitely want to know what my genes might pass down to my own children, but until then I’m not so sure.”
Junior, Bryn Mawr College

“When I hear the words ‘Jewish genetics,’ I think of a more specific sect of genetics that has a stronger tendency toward specific mutations within our religion and ethnicity. Our shrinking community continues to shrink due to some of these diseases. The impact people could have had on our community affects me directly, as well as the impact of their loss.”

Senior, Indiana University

"I plan on getting tested because you would never know what your genes carry. It’s good to know and be aware."

Senior, Northeastern Illinois University

“I knew about genetic disorders and knew people who have been affected. But I did have that feeling that it could never have affected me. After seeing how many innocent families were affected, I realize that you can’t prevent disorders without taking charge of your future.”

Junior, Tufts University

“I don’t think that there is any history in my family, but now that I know a little bit more about Jewish genetics, I guess if I marry someone Jewish, I’ll be more likely to get tested.”

Junior, Millikin University

“I plan on getting tested. Even though there is a high probability that my fiancé does not carry Jewish genetic disorders, there's still that chance. While the tests can be expensive, I would rather know if there's a chance my children could be born with a genetic disorder than not know. This way, we can make decisions ahead of time about what to do if the baby will be born with Tay-Sachs or another disorder, instead of being caught blindsided.”
Grad Student, New York University

“I got tested because my high school offered testing in 12th grade, and I think they may have offered it at a discounted rate. Everyone told us about how important it was, and I figured that it is being offered during school so why not do it. I didn't know about any other programs at the time and that was offered in my school.”

Senior, Yeshiva University

“When I hear the words ‘Jewish genetics,’ I think about the diseases that often appear in Jewish families. I plan on getting tested because I want to know for when I have kids.”

Junior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign