The same genes that lead to a higher level of intelligence among Ashkenazi Jews also lead to higher rates of genetic diseases, a new study found. Because European Jews during the medieval era were restricted to jobs in business — occupations that required greater mental acuity than jobs such as farming — their genetic codes over the course of some generations selected genes for enhanced intellectual ability.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
