Have You Ever Wondered How Your Family Ended Up Where You Were Born?

Jewish Connection News

May 2, 2025

Do You Know Where Your Grandparents Were Living And How They Raised Their Children? Someday, When You Become A Parent And Your Children Ask You About Family History, What Will You Be Able To Tell Them?

The search for one’s roots is a hobby. Most hobbies require one to learn new skills and improve those by practice. A hobby requires the investment of time, and as much money as one could comfortably spend.

What are the returns from these investments? Discovery of people who came before you and others with whom your family lost contact. In the old days most people lived and died within a small area where they were born. A child grew up knowing all of their aunts, uncles, cousins and of course, their grandparents.

Discovery is a gradual process. Those whose hobby is Genealogy, often feel victorious and happy each time they find something new and interesting. It is a joyful series of breakthroughs.

In our time, families are often scattered all over the country or even globally. “America is a nation of immigrants.” Native Americans kept their stories either through word-of-mouth, or by recording it through art and other permanent recordings.

Those who are descendants of immigrants, often had lost contact with relatives left behind in a generation or two. Not only the distance becomes a barrier, but the language as well. Good news: with modern tools, such as the internet and various archives much of the history of a family can be recovered.

Have you heard of the Television Program: “Finding Your Roots!”? Professor Henry Louis Gates of Harvard interviews two or three guests in each episode on public television, and then presents each one with the guest’s family tree along with stories discovered from various sources.

A few examples from past programs: A Cuban born Fashion Designer learned about his centuries old roots from the Canary Islands, the ancestry of an African-American celebrity, a football star turned tv host, was traced to Charlemagne (748-814), the first emperor of Western Europe. The hostess of “Fresh Air” on public radio had no idea about her relatives who perished in the Holocaust; a well-known television news anchor discovered his roots both in Africa and in Western Europe.

How is it done and who can do it? 1. Interview your elders, record it, or take lots of notes. 2. Ask and search for your family’s records, e.g., Birth, Marriage and Death Documents, Diplomas, Immigration Records, Union Cards, even Criminal Records. 3. Ask for photos and search both the albums and the shoeboxes. 4. The internet seems to be a bottomless well of family data. Census Records are free, the Mormon Church Records are accessible, Public Records of family events Are open to all. 5. Genealogy websites; such as: Myheritage, Ancestry, etc. charge a fee but are often accessible for free at Public Libraries. 6. DNA Analysis is a powerful tool and its cost has declined considerably over the years. 7. Newspaper Archives are a rich source of Birth, Marriage, and Death Announcements.

What to do with all the data you find? Some people focus on building a family tree, others collect stories and produce a family log. Some write a history of the family. Others use the research results to connect with distant relatives. Along with learning about people, most Genealogists also learn a lot of history, geography, politics, etc. One of the joys is to travel to places where one’s ancestors lived and visit their former homes, Schools, Cemeteries, etc. One may get to connect with lost relatives.

Genealogy Is Like A Sport:

The more you search, the better you get at it. Join a group or club. Learn from experienced members. Ask your school to offer a class. It is not only about research, but a social activity, where people with similar interests become your friends and helpers.

Let me introduce my two groups: the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Miami and the Genealogy Society of Greater Miami, Inc. The JGSGM had been meeting monthly at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, North of Downtown Miami, but since the epidemic started, we Zoom. The JGSGM had been meeting at the Pinecrest Branch of the Miami-Dade Public Library. Visitors are welcome at both groups!

Activities of the JGSGM: At each meeting there is a speaker. The topics range from “How to…?” to “How I found my xyz.” There are interesting presentations about specific national or social groups, their history, traditions, customs, etc. There are workshops for beginners and for anyone interested in specific tools. There is an active “cemetery group” who photograph, catalog and map cemeteries.

Activities of the JGSGM: Excellent training sessions about “How to…?” Both for beginners and advanced researchers’ talks by visiting speakers about a wide variety of topics.

National And International Meetings

There are many Genealogy groups and subgroups with special interests. For instance, there are groups interested in a country or area of origin, or in a period of history, such as the American Civil War, or the World Wars, etc. These meetings take place at different places and they are very interesting, But quite expensive considering the cost of travel, accommodations, registration and the temptation to buy “stuff,” souvenirs, tools, books and so on… The speakers and group events are very high quality and provide the opportunity to meet and consult with world class experts.

On behalf of both societies, we invite you to test the waters by coming to meet our members who would be happy to discuss any subject in relation to Genealogy research. Thanks for listening! Any questions?

Paulette Bronstein - President

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Miami Member

For more information, view our website at: https://www.jgs-miami.org