The sweep of family history across the generations
Before he became Abe Ratner, he was Abraham Blokh from Minsk.
If Sholom Tulbowitz had gone to Dvinsk instead of Rostov, as his cousin did, his Ratner descendants might have grown up in Perm instead of Albany.
Family stories may be sweeping or specific. They capture some essential aspect of the family's generational journey.