"For example, one fascinating study of DNA recently showed that modern day Jews are closely related to Kurds, who live in Northern Iraq. Maybe from when they were in captivity in Babylon?"
Yup. Mosul sits on or near the ancient city of Nineveh(sp), that's where the Northern Tribe(s) were exiled. If you remember FReeper 'Lost Tribe', he believed the Northern Tribe were Celts.