Discovering Our Ancestors, Discovering Ourselves

Instructor: Rabbi Andrew Kaplan Mandel
Location: Zoom

While prayer, Torah learning, and social action are established Jewish methods for infusing life with sacred meaning, genealogy can be a source of holy exploration all its own. Beyond merely tracing past generations or identifying present-day relatives, this endeavor delves into the significance of our ancestors' choices, the consequences of those decisions, analysis of family mythology, contemplation of genetic inheritance, and the implications of relatedness itself. This course doesn't focus on genealogical research techniques but rather treats participants' discoveries as "texts" to analyze alongside other Jewish sources. No specific research or documents are required —just bring yourself and your knowledge of your family's history. Together we will draw out new truths from old stories.