In a message dated 7/20/2005 6:34:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il writes:
There are many thousands of Jews who's family traditions claims that they
are descended from priests or levites.
Edward Rothstein. "DNA Teaches History a Few Lessons of Its Own." The New
York Times "Week in Review" (May 24, 1998). Excerpt:
"Last year, for example, Michael Hammer, a geneticist at the University of
Arizona, showed that a genetic analysis of the Y chromosomes of Jewish men
who
ritualistically identified themselves as descendants of the Biblical High
Priest Aaron and are known as Cohanim showed a high transmission of markers
that were less prevalent among Jews who did not identify as Cohanim. This was
evidence, Hammer said, of the accuracy of the oral tradition."