Why do many Ashkenazi Jews have blue eyes?

This is certainly true of some ashkenazi but what I think you are missing is that not all levant people are dark skinned. I've met many Arabs from Lebanon and Jordan who look European themselves with light eyes and skin. read more

Also, many Ashkenazi Jews do not have blue eyes or even pale skin, and have a very Middle Eastern look: These are all fully Ashkenazi Jews (meaning both parents come from Ashkenazi origins). You could find many more examples in this website: Gallery. read more

Many studies (more than 30 in the last 20 years) have proven again and again that Ashkenazi Jews do indeed descend from Middle Eastern people, are closer to other non-European Jewish communities than to their European neighbors, and are also close to other, non-Jewish Eastern Mediterranean people. read more

Not many Jews are blonde and blue eyed (from what I've seen), but blonde blue eyed Jews exist in almost every Jewish group (not just Ashkenazim) and I've seen Palestinians and Lebanese people with blonde hair and blue eyes. read more