From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Family History

by Arthur Kurzweil

Book Overview

Since it was first published in 1980, From Generation to Generation has inspired thousands to pursue the unique challenges and rewards of Jewish genealogy. Far more engaging than a mere how-to reference guide, this landmark book is also part detective story and part spiritual quest. As Arthur Kurzweil takes you along on his own fascinating journey through his family's past, you'll learn about the tools, techniques, and the step-by-step process of...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787970514
• ISBN13: 9780787970512
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Family History

All novice researchers of Jewish genealogy should own this book. Yes, Jewish genealogy is different from all other genealogy, but the author Kurzweil is more than equal to the task of explaining it. Admittedly, this review can include only highlights of this wonderful book. Not a collection of dry facts, throughout, the author inspires with the tale of his own quest to learn about his Jewish ancestors. On specifics, Kurzweil provides guidance on how to collect family stories, get the research underway, use historical records, and access key Jewish resources such as Memorial Books from Jewish communities. He claims that Jewish towns and surnames are the key to the research, and so he lists the towns with published Memorial Books, and provides lists of Jewish names. He gives extensive information and guidance to elaborate on these topics. Kurzweil thoroughly explains a wealth of other resources. Examples include helpful websites such as JewishGen.org.; journals of Jewish genealogy such as "Avotaynu"; resources for Holocaust research; and Jewish encyclopedias including "Encyclopedia Judaica". In the Foreward to the book Elie Wiesel said it all. That Kurzweil's beautiful and important book ....."shows us that each name is a mysterious call transmitted from generation to generation in order to force themselves to question the meaning of their survival."

Part detective story, part spiritual quest,, part how-to text

Along with the new Avotaynu Guide, indispensable. Kurzweil's book is not as lengthy and technical as the Avotaynu book, nor as concise and tightly organized as Barbara Krasner-Khait's Discovering Your Jewish Ancestors (2001). But what it offers is something unheard of in genealogy textbooks - a work that reads like a novel. He is not afraid to be expansive and anecdotal, even chatty. His personal stories with genealogy, dating back to 1970, are gripping. Especially so because Kurzweil (unlike many genealogical authors) knows how to tell a story. The book is often lyrical and intensely earnest, without being melodramatic or overwrought. His passion for discovering his ancestral roots is sincere and infectious. In fact, his discovery of a descent from a famous Hasidic rabbi led him to embrace more traditional Judaism in his spiritual life. But the book is not ALL personal stories, as interesting as they are. He packs the bulk of these into his opening chapters, and then sprinkles them as useful illustrations throughout the work. He covers all of the important topics, and is quite up to date on the online resources (through about late 2003). He has a great command of the details of doing Jewish genealogy, and he has some very brilliant recommendations for some unique and creative sources. (He was a founding father of Jewish genealogy in the mid-70s, and has given something like 600 lectures around the country). His enthusiasm is infectious, and he makes strong arguments for the moral and spiritual value for Jews to explore their roots (bolstering his case with short gripping quotes from the Old Testament, Jewish sages, and Talmud). Further, he makes a good case against cremation (with which this Christian reviewer agrees). The only shortcomings of the book: 1. As noted above, this is not absolutely comprehensive. You will want both the Avotaynu and the Krasner-Khait books to fill in all of the blanks. 2. While a good scholar and critically oriented, he is generally a littel more eager than I am to accept oral traditions or unproven claims of rabbinic lines. See, for example, the material pp.30-34. At the end he is willing to claim it is `likely' he is a direct descendant from King David, because a certain famous rabbi living 1500 years after David claimed descent from him (how could he know?). And another rabbi living 600 years later claims to be a descendant of that rabbi, etc. Four or five jumps like that and Kurzweil makes it to his famous 3x-great-grandfather rabbi. Utterly unprovable beyond perhaps the first or second `jump' backwards, and pretty unlikely. But in fairness, he acknowledges the problems with these rabbinic genealogies. In any case, a wonderful read, and a good practical tool. It might make a nice gift for a relative who is mildly interested in their family history, but in need of inspiration to get more involved. Also, every synagogue library, public library, and local historical society needs to have a do

Excellent Primer for anyone considering Genealogy Research

While this book focuses on one man's search for his family history, his examples could be of value to anyone who is considering beginning a research project. Mr. Kurzweil's joy of discovery is very compelling, and was probably a big reason why I got into the hobby myself.There is plenty of practical advice on how to start, where to look for documentation, how to interview, etc. While the book lacks depth in some areas, it covers every important facet of Genealogical research, and provides a point to jump from in search for more information.