Tag Archives: jews

Religion in Genealogy Part 4: Jews

I have to say that I am rather enjoying writing the posts in this series. Not only have I been able to share with you information that I already knew, but I have also set out to research things that I don’t know. Religion plays a huge role in researching our ancestors, and I am happy to be learning more about the various religions while sharing it with you. So far this series has covered the Quakers & Shakers, Anabaptists, and Huguenots & Doukhobors. Today my focus is going to be on the Jews. Jews practice the religion of Judaism, … Continue reading →

What is Hassidism?

We’ve seen them in airports, in movies, on the street, and (at least in my case) in our living rooms. Some of them wear fancy fur-lined streimels that sit atop their heads like huge crowns. Some have long sidelocks elegantly curled at each side of their heads, short sidelocks tucked behind their ears, or no sidelocks at all. The women may wear wigs alone, with hats or no wigs but helmet-like hats which cover every strand of hair. Yes, as implied by this lengthy introduction, they are most apparent for their dress, but who are hassidic Jews and what do … Continue reading →

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

It just doesn’t get any better than this – sitting at my computer, sharing with you all the reasons I love certain movies, and getting to relive each magical moment in my mind. “Fiddler on the Roof” caught my heart from the opening credits and has held me tight ever since. A little background on me – I have always been fascinated with Russia and was able to go there as a teenager. “Fiddler” takes place in a pre-Revolutionary Russian Jewish village called Annatefka, a poor, isolated village where the people depend on each other for their welfare. One such … Continue reading →

Why Do Jews Love Bacon?

I used to love spending the night at my friend’s homes. My favorite part was always breakfast. Every morning I would wake up to the sizzle of bacon. My friends’ moms soon caught on about my love for bacon and would always buy extra, just for me. I don’t like ham, and sausage is OK, but there is something about bacon that I have a hard time believing that it breaks all Kosherat laws. Keeping Kosher means observing the dietary commandments of God. One of them means you can not eat animals with split hooves. Back then, it had to … Continue reading →

Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews

If you have ever heard of these two words when speaking about Judaism, Ashkenazic and Sephardic, but were never quite sure what they meant, this will be a simple explanation. Ashkenazic Jews are the Jewish people and ancestors who came from France, Germany, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Sephardic Jews are the Jewish people who came from Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East. Sephardic Jews are often subdivided into Sephardim, from Spain and Portugal, and Mizrachim, from the Northern Africa and the Middle East. Ashkenazic Jews have certain customs and traditions that are different from Sephardic Jews. For example, … Continue reading →