Family Story Finder

The sweep of family history across the generations

Janis Brenner—a Ratner in motion
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An innovator in modern dance and choreography since breaking in with the Murray Lewis Dance Company in the 1980s. The Ratners moved geographically. Janis moves artistically.

Last Christmas in Berlin
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In December 1937, the Feidt and Lewi family members share a last holiday together

Long Beach—taking in the Klein family
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During the Depression, families helped each other out. The Kleins moved in with the Rubys in Long Beach.

Mercantile roots in old Danzig
  • 1850 - 1910

Three brothers of the Kleemann family from the Weinberg district of 19th century Danzig operated a coffee and tea import business. Hugo Lewi married into the family and was a dealer in military effects. 

Rabbi Spektor's true genealogy
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Most of what we discovered about Rabbi Spektor's genealogy was entirely true. All but the myth of our family's connection to it

Rosa’s fateful choice
  • 1936 - 1940

Rosa Feidt was the only Lewi sibling who got out, to her everlasting remorse

Sandy Klein
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A precocious Ratner girl takes on life in midcentury America.

The Klein family in the 1940s
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Leon Klein continued to work for American Spirits as its upstate New York sales representative

The Yeserskys of Volkovysk
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Joseph Rabinowitz’s mother was Bertha Yesersky. Was she related to Sora Yesersky, the wife of Rabbi Elchanon Spektor?

Yichus and our relation to the famous rabbi
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Walter thought he had proved the family legend of descent from the celebrated Kovno Rav, Rabbi Yitchak Elchanon Spektor. Later facts emerged that suggested a more tenuous connection.