Abstract:HLA‐DR and DQ alleles have been detected by DNA typing in Ashkenazi and non‐Ashkenazi Jews from Israel. Allele frequencies, characteristic DR/DQ linkage disequilibria, population distances and their corresponding dendrogram by using the Neighbor‐Joining method were used to study relatedness between Jewish and other Mediterranean and non Mediterranean populations. Closest relatedness is observed between Ashkenazi and non‐Ashkenazi Jews, and, in decreasing order, also with Algerians, Spaniards (including Spanish‐Basques), French and Italians. Also, particular characteristic Central European alleles are observed in Ashkenazi Jews and Mediterranean/African alleles in non‐Ashkenazi Jews. This is consistent with historical data, Jews being an ancient Mediterranean population, who have had a certain degree of admixture with their 2000–3000 years old neighbors in spite of cultural and religious traditions which have preserved identity o