Until recently, in rabbinic discourse as well as Israeli state policy, Jewish identity was not reckoned via genetics. While academic studies looked for genetic similarities among Jewish communities, these similarities did not determine Jewishness or state policy. This article is the first study spotlighting the novel use of mtDNA testing in order to determine the Jewishness of Israeli citizens who immigrated to Israel from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) 1990 onward. These tests offered by the Israeli State Rabbinate are accompanied by heated political and religious wrangles, in particular between leaders of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and the political party claiming to represent immigrants from the FSU. We aim to understand this current debate on determining Jewishness by mtDNA. We examine the reciprocal relationship between science, religion, communal identity and state policy, and question the possible social implications. In contrast to claims that the change in Jewish’ definition is guided by science and technology, we argue that this change is dictated primarily by specific historical and socio-political circumstances. Furthermore, enthusiasm or rejection of the use of mtDNA for Jewish recognition depends on inclusive or exclusive ideologies, not on the indecisive content of science or religion themselves.

直到最近，在犹太教徒言论以及以色列的国家政策中，犹太人的身份还没有通过遗传学被推算出来。虽然学术研究一直在寻找犹太社区之间的遗传相似性，但这些相似性并不能决定犹太裔或国家政策。本文是首次研究mtDNA测试的新颖用途，以测定从1990年以前的前苏联（FSU）移民到以色列的以色列公民的犹太身份。以色列国家犹太教教士提供的这些测试伴随着激烈的政治和宗教纠缠，尤其是在超东正教犹太人社区的领导人与声称代表FSU移民的政党之间。我们旨在了解当前有关通过mtDNA确定犹太性的辩论。我们考察了科学之间的相互关系，宗教，社区身份和国家政策，并对可能的社会影响提出质疑。与声称犹太人定义的变化是由科学技术指导的说法相反，我们认为这种变化主要是由特定的历史和社会政治环境决定的。此外，对mtDNA用于犹太人认可的热情或拒绝取决于包容性或排他性意识形态，而不取决于科学或宗教本身的优柔寡断的内容。