We in the genealogical community regularly experience the rush that comes with genealogical discovery. We know well the feeling of triumph at seeing a name or date we’ve been seeking for more than a decade. We know the borderline (or not so borderline) obsession the genealogical quest can result in, and we understand the importance of knowing from whence we came. Many of us share our excitement, via email, lectures or just old fashioned face-to-face conversations with others. A global network has emerged as daily shifts in record availability and research technologies and collaborative opportunities make this easily the most exciting time in which to focus on genealogy.

One demographic has been “left out,” so to speak, of all the excitement: Our children. Yes, most schools, and the Israeli school system as a whole, include a family history project of some sort. But these assignments frequently fall far short of creating the meaningful experience intended by well-meaning educators and administrators. They often consist of a quick survey of family members, neglecting the more difficult and rewarding process of conducting actual research. I would like, therefore, to begin a conversation regarding the use of genealogical research in Jewish Education, in particular, by outlining some of the educational benefits and the opportunities for our fellowship of researchers to aide in the implementation of a widespread youth genealogy program. This, I firmly believe, is a conversation that could transform our genealogical community and the Jewish community at large.

 

Genealogy For Students: Good For Students

A detailed family history project goes far beyond what currently takes place in schools. By the time they reach middle school most students have, at one point or another, been asked to create a family tree, generally going back two or three generations. I am suggesting much more. Students should undertake intensive research of their family’s history using every available resource including computer programs and websites, online records indexes, oral family histories, and documents both online and off, mining the nuggets of information that prove so crucial to constructing a detailed family tree.

Simultaneously, they should study the experiences of their ancestors in Jewish and world history, explore their cultures and customs in courses on social studies or Jewish law, and discuss the implications of their findings on their lives. In presenting their findings, schools or students may choose to “zoom in” on one particular ancestor or “zoom out” and broadly describe their family experience.

Any amateur genealogist can attest to the patience and perseverance genealogical investigation demands. Genealogists come into contact with a variety of sources and documents and must extract details applicable elsewhere. They must develop and test hypotheses, think creatively, and sometimes experience the frustration of running into a dead end. As a result, our student-genealogists will learn patience, analytical skills, and most importantly the mental toughness required for any real research or intellectual endeavor. Success in family history projects is directly correlated with a willingness to perceive a topic from multiple angles and approaches.

Another strength of genealogical research lies in its versatility. Many classes can be adapted to play a role in such a long term project. History classes, both Jewish and general, gain from the students’ realization that their ancestors lived the events in their books. Indeed, the further back students can trace their roots, the more meaningful history becomes. Understanding an ancestor’s proximity to important figures and places in Jewish history grants a vibrancy otherwise lost.

Other subjects similarly benefit from genealogical discussions. Genetic genealogy, the newest frontier in the field, demands understandings of cells, DNA and heredity. Students are fascinated by a study of common Jewish genetic diseases. They can read books or poems depicting their ancestral areas, research relevant art or Judaica, experiment with Yiddish or Ladino, cook traditional foods and more. Using sheet music that may be found online, musical students can even play or sing melodies their ancestors heard in their ancestral synagogue on Shabbat or holidays. Possibilities for cross-curricular and interdisciplinary projects are practically endless.

We need not limit ourselves to implementing a genealogy program in traditional schools. In fact, congregational schools may benefit the most from such a program, and youth groups could also viably incorporate a genealogy program with similar results.

Genealogy for Students: Good for Judaism

Yet for all the educational benefits genealogical research can offer, its potential as a meaningful Jewish experience most strongly advocates for its inclusion in our educational programming. Implicit in both Judaism and family research is the value placed on tradition. Learning about our roots speaks to some unconscious sensitivity within us and awakens a connection with the past our fast paced world often lacks. We don’t just discuss Shabbat or holidays, we connect with how our ancestors celebrated and identified with them. We can celebrate the concept of minhag and take pride in those customs native to our ancestral homes.

Even a seemingly ordinary activity, preparing a cholent for example, becomes replete with meaning when we awaken a consciousness of and connection to our ancestors who did the same. Additionally, discussions of tradition will yield a contextualization of practice our students are searching for, and a heightened understanding of the “whys” behind Jewish life. They become aware of family customs, their source and significance, and simultaneously develop a newfound respect for tradition in its broader Jewish sense.

But rather than discussing these issues in broad strokes, students personalize the struggle and its implications. “Jews had to decide whether to stay in Europe or journey to America” transforms into “your grandfather had to decide.” Some students are lucky enough to have an opportunity to discuss previous generations’ challenges with grandparents or great-grandparents. Our students rarely seize such an opportunity and fail to ask the questions they may wish answered later in life. This intergenerational dialogue, so crucial in Judaism, anchors our students in their grandparents’ experiences and nurtures an awareness of the value in looking back to answer contemporary questions and dilemmas.

Conducting organized family history research opens a discussion of perhaps the most important questions we and our students face: Why am I Jewish? Inevitably, as students climb further along their family tree, they will find relatives who no longer identify as Jews. Some may even be strongly identifying members of other faith groups without an inkling of their Jewish roots. We can and should ask our students why their family identifies with Judaism, emphasizing the aspects of Judaism their ancestors found compelling.

We must encourage the continuation of that conversation when our students return home. So often, we neglect discussing these larger issues as a result of curricular demands and a never ending shortage of class time. In this context, the single question “why am I Jewish?” hovers above the students, demanding each one find a uniquely personal answer.

Initially, I was nervous about teaching students from families with non-Jewish ancestry. I have been pleasantly surprised, however, with how enthusiastically they have embraced their projects. They enjoy learning about their own families, and they approach discussions of Jewish experiences with interest comparable to students with exclusively Jewish roots. Themes like identity and tradition resonate with every student, and each student confronts similar questions regarding their relationship with Judaism. Personally, as half of my family tree is not Jewish, I have found meaning in every generation while tracing the story of how I came to be the Jew and person I am today.

Genealogy for Students: Good for Genealogists

Like it or not, the stereotypical genealogist is a middle-aged individual who begins looking into their family history in their free time. I myself became excited about my family tree when I was in my twenties and focused on research in my thirties. I am haunted by the fact that I did not begin in earnest at an earlier age. A quick glance at my tree demonstrates how many more people could have been contacted and interviewed had I begun just five years earlier. Think of all the data, narrative and otherwise, that can be preserved for years to come if students are taught how to appropriately research and contact family members near and far! As we know, the larger the pool of researchers, the more likely our finding a long sought connection or detail.

While perhaps scary to some, introducing genealogical research to students will also have the effect of skewing the genealogical community younger quickly. Aside from the always beneficial swelling in numbers of researchers, we will also be tapping into a technologically savvy and creative group with much more time at their disposal. Who knows what new tools can be invented by a cadre of young inspired minds? Gilad Japhet, the founder of MyHeritage.com began his love of genealogy while working on a school project. Who will be the next innovator to make their mark on the world of genealogy?

In addition to new endeavors, we can also teach students about the importance of the tried and true opportunities to contribute. Students are always in awe when I describe the indexing process and remind them of how much work making images of documents searchable necessitates. Whether online or in person, a group of ten students spending an hour indexing could yield hundreds of new records available for the public. Such projects, with the right guidance, could become popular volunteer opportunities. BillionGraves.com already has an information sheet available for Eagle Scout Candidates, and we can only benefit from increased participation.

Obviously, not every genealogist is adequately trained to teach, let alone teach a room full of teenagers or pre-teens. Little good can result from non-educators thrusting themselves into such a setting. A well-meaning genealogist may want to share their passion with students, but lacking in classroom experience may cause more harm than good. So, given that we have established the myriad of benefits resulting from introducing sustained genealogical research for students, how can we as a community support our institutions in implementing such a program?

Most basically, genealogists can advocate genealogy in the classroom. The vast majority of us have a school of some sort in our community. Some may have children or grandchildren that attend a Jewish school or after school program. We are best positioned to “preach the gospel” of the power with which genealogical research can be infused. As advocates, we can encourage our community institutions to make family history research a core of their programming.

As with most incidences of advocacy, however, offering advice becomes much more powerful when paired with the offer of support, whether it be financial or in man-hours. A seasoned genealogist can offer their vast repository of tips and techniques as a resource for easily frustrated students. As a speaker, a genealogist with experience can alert students to some of the pitfalls and challenges we have all encountered. They can give words of encouragement when a student struggles, and may even help a student break through a brick wall in the path of their discovery. No matter the method, offering assistance supports the initial “nudge” schools may need, and greatly increases the students’ chances of success.

While grassroots efforts are important, the genealogical community at large must adapt to welcome the involvement of a new generation of genealogists. Even more, we can take steps to encourage students to join our fellowship. Planning tracks at IAJGS conferences, both for educators who may not be familiar with genealogical research, and geared towards student age participants may give some the push they need to begin their journey. Many educators are skeptical of the impact research may have on their students, but we can share with them the benefits, educational and holistic, of genealogy. Working with existing organizations, schools, and youth groups can spread the implementation of a thorough genealogy program while strengthening our genealogical organizations simultaneously. I would even go so far as suggesting that every event undertaken by every Jewish Genealogical Society should keep in mind how we can best translate our excitement to students and those who work with them.

Most ambitiously, I would like to suggest that our extended community closely examines how we can organize to lead the charge towards the vision I have presented. A relatively small cadre of educators could oversee a worldwide program of genealogical advocacy and create a network for both teachers and students, supporting them in their search. I admit that such an undertaking would require additional resources, and I am fully aware of the hesitancies many will instinctively experience at the possibility of drawing valuable monies and man-hours away from the many important projects already begun. My suggestion is not an either/or proposition, fortunately, and we must examine how to initiate programs without creating additional strain on existing ventures. But successful organizations and communities are ones that possess vision, and by implementing this vision each and every one of our institutions and programs, and the Jewish people as a whole, will find strength and vibrancy we never thought possible.

When I teach students genealogy, I always tell them about the generosity of the larger genealogical community. Along the paths of my research I have encountered college yearbook editors willing to sacrifice some of their weekend to pour over old yearbooks and scan pictures for me. I have received phone calls from secretaries in high schools letting me know that even a hurricane will not deter them from searching for my relative’s transcripts. And, most importantly, I have encountered countless individuals from across the world willing to help me even when my research will not directly benefit their own. Part of our genealogical journey is the feeling that we are part of a larger group of people. In an age where so many decry the absence of real connections, we can seize the initiative and boldly welcome the future of Judaism and Jewish genealogical research with open arms.

[An earlier version of this article appeared in HaYidion: The Journal of RAVSAK, Summer 2013]