THE SHOFAR pient of B'nai B'rith Youth Organization lumnus 00 per ALEPH ZADIK ALEPH (AZA) (To be Youth B'NAI B'RITH GIRLS (BBG) ned the 17 17 Oratory December, 1977 honor ch con- nber to In- and the odol of Late Bar Mitzvah norary Region Even More Memorable Soviet gram is national by Elsa Solender J prob- vention The Bar Mitzvah boy was not 13. He For Arthur, the delayed Bar Mitzvah, stockpil- didn't give the old "Today I am a man" which he says he didn't really miss before Digging Up Your Jewish Roots xtensive speech or any other speech. There was no now, took on special emotional and intel- caterer, no orchestra, not even a new suit. lectual significance. Much more, he feels, energy Arthur Kurzweil gram of It was a real Bar Mitzvah. And 16-year-old than the customary Bar Mitzvah at age 13 y AZA. Arthur Friedman of Texoma Region was the would have had for him. Genealogy did not begin with Alex Haley's prised at how large your family tree can be. Bar Mitzvah "boy" in July at the BBYO In- "Before I came to the BBYO Kallah," he Roots or the efforts of those wanting to join It is not uncommon for a family tree to S were ternational Kallah. stats at explains, "I didn't have that sense of identi- the Daughters of the American Revolution. stretch back five and six generations simply lay and Rabbi Kenneth Berger of Mishkan Torah fication. I didn't have a feeling for Judaism. In fact, it is fair to say that genealogy itself on the basis of memory. It is important to turn off Synagogue in Greenbelt, Md., who pre- Despite several years of religious school, I has its "roots" firmly planted in ancient remember, as well, that a family tree is not sided, called it part of "the most meaningful still didn't have what I would call a sense of Jewish tradition. just a genealogy which goes back in time. bliances thing I've done in the rabbinate." Jewish association. It is known, for example, that the Temple You should record the names and dates of ng; and Arthur Friedman didn't have a Bar Mitz- "I mean, it sounds sort of corny when you in Jerusalem had a special room devoted living cousins also. Learning about ancestors C trans- vah when he was 13 because of family talk about 'Jewish identification, but that's exclusively to the storing and maintaining of who have been long gone is fascinating, but events. ed their complications. But he had studied Hebrew the only way I can put it into words. I just family genealogies. Discussions of genealogy it is often even more rewarding to see how lled for for several years and was "legally" a Bar didn't have a real feeling for are scattered in the Talmud and one need wide your family is, how "international" it Mitzvah from age 13 without the ceremony. Arthur feels that the seeds of his new emo- not be a Biblical scholar to know that hardly is, and how many interesting people you are y act of He continued his religious education at his a refuge tional bond to Judaism began to develop in a character is introduced into the Biblical related to. synagogue and was even confirmed last confirmation classes earlier this year and drama without being accompanied by a After you have contacted as many rela- requests duress; spring. came to full fruition in the informal but in- family tree. The famous begat paragraphs tives as possible, asking them for names, of Genesis are a crucial part of the first book dates, places, occupations, and family stor- around of the Torah, and there are scores of com- ies, you are then ready to search the records ities for mentaries on the meanings behind these genealogies. PUBLIC RECORDS Most of us have a tendency to think that JEWISH INTEREST IN GENEALOGY our own families could never appear in Jewish interest in genealogy, beginning books or records- this is simply not with early tradition, has continued to the true. Let us say, for example, that your great present day. Current Jewish customs and grandparents came to the United States in texts reflect the importance which Judaism 1848 (which is quite probable if they came attributes to a "generational" view of life. from Germany, since this was the height of ts are to When one is called to the Torah, for ex- German-Jewish immigration). If this is so, e. ample, that person is called by his or her then there is little doubt that your family national name and then the parents' name. In death would appear in the 1850, 1860, 1870, nges are as well, our tombstones are engraved with 1880 and 1900 Federal census récords (the executive the name of the deceased and his or her 1890 records were destroyed in a fire). Each parents' name (or names). In fact, our tra- of those census records would add names, national dition sees our names accurately as two dates and other information to your family (mem- names joined by ben or bat (son of or tree. All of the U.S. Census records, from nd Kat- daughter of). 1900 on back, are open to the public, SO if ograms) Modern liturgy also reflects the Jewish in- any part of your family came to America effect of terest in genealogy. When we say "Abra- before that year, you would be able to find Program ham, Isaac, and Jacob" we are reciting a them there polishing genealogy: father, son, grandson. Other li- BOATS AND PASSENGER LISTS Chair- turgical references are genealogical as well. Another research variant is the Naturali- While it is quite easy to recognize gene- alogical interest in Jewish tradition, the ques- zation record. Most of our "immigrant an- Chairper- Arthur had also become an officer of AZA tensely Jewish atmosphere of the BBYO tion arises: Can a present-day Jew have any cestors" (our families' first member to arrive he Inter- and early last spring decided to sign up for Kallah. success in tracing his or her family tree? in this country) became citizens. Often the Board to Kallah at B'nai B'rith Perlman Camp. If Arthur Friedman had his way, Bar Mitz- citizenship records, or more specifically the G pro- That's where the idea of finally having his vah would not occur at age 13 for most kids. INVESTIGATING JEWISH ROOTS applications for citizenship (which are avail- BG Sab- Bar Mitzvah developed. able to the public) contain important family don't know when you can set the age," The answer is a definite "Yes," and the n Anni- "I was sitting on top of what is called "myth" that all Jewish records from Europe history information, like the ancestors' na- ponsible 'Mount Baldy' here," Arthur explains. "I he says "but I'm almost positive that it's not were destroyed is just that a misconcep- tive town and the name of the boat which was talking with an Orthodox girl from Port- 13. When I was 13, I really didn't have a of The land, Ore., named Toby. As I was telling her concept of what the Bar Mitzvah really was." tion. There are records, there are books, brought them to America. With the name of and there are many other sources which the boat you can obtain the steamship pas- Pro- why I was never Bar Mitzvahed, we both Rabbi Berger feels that Arthur's Bar can help the average family trace itself back senger lists from the National Archives. came up with the same idea why not have Mitzvah is a real beginning to further Jewish through the generations. There are countless other sources in the it now? knowledge, not the end to study which Before you are ready to consult the li- U.S. alone, such as birth, death and mar- seemed so great because this is where it represents for altogether too many braries, archives, and record centers which riage records. Early "city directories," which I'm really learning about Judaism. This is youngsters. can help you in your research, you must be- look like, but pre-date telephone books, may TES, where I feel I have the most identification He terms the Bar Mitzvah experience gin your family tree at home. There is no list your relatives. with Judaism. So it all just fit into place." "one of the frustrations that most of us pulpit substitute for interviewing family members UNCONVENTIONAL RECORDS Arthur approached Rabbi Berger and rabbis must deal with." and beginning to plot a family tree simply by Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg of Congregation drawing from the memories of your rela- Non-American Jewish records are more ICE Beth Sholom, Washington, D.C. They He adds that this, his first BBYO Kallah, -especially the older ones. In fact, if difficult, but still possible, to locate. If your shared his enthusiasm and began preparing has been a landmark experience in his you successfully "dig out" your long lost family was from Eastern Europe, you should him for the big day. rabbinate. cousins and great aunts, you will be sur- (Continued on page 3)