Why is the iq of ashkenazi jews so high is the reason genetic environmental cultural educational a unique combination of several here are eight theories squeezed into brilliance jews in europe were officially excluded from common occupations such as agriculture from 800 1700 ad this restriction forced the ashkenazim for 900 years into intellectually more demanding vocations such as trade and finance ashkenazim who werent mathematically and verbally adept . Why is the iq of ashkenazi jews so high is the reason due to their genetics environment culture education or a unique combination of multiple factors in my initial publication of this essay i provided eight reasons for high ashkenazi iq but then i received a flurry of email suggestions many from professors providing me with additional information twenty theories are now listed in . Jewish people are over represented in positions of competence and authority because as a group they have a higher mean iq there is no evidence whatsoever that ashkenazi jews are over represented in any occupations interests for reasons other than intelligence and the associated effects of intelligence on personality and political belief. Why why is the iq of ashkenazi jews so high is the reason due to their genetics environment culture education or a unique combination of multiple factors in my initial publication of this essay i provided eight reasons for high ashkenazi iq but then i received a flurry of email suggestions many from professors providing me with additional information twenty theories are now listed