Looking for you lost
Jewish ancestry?
MY STORY
My name is Menachem Keren-Kratz and I have been doing genealogical research for more than twenty years. I became interested in genealogy when I studied the history of my own family. It was so fascinating that it developed into a full historical study of one of Eastern Europe’s Jewish communities lost during the Holocaust. Using my genealogical skills, I was able to register thousands of names of Jews who lived in this community in the last two hundred years.
Looking to enhance my understanding of pre-Holocaust Jewish life in the diaspora, I completed in 2009 my Ph.D. in Yiddish literature (summa cum Laude) at the Bar-Ilan University. In 2013, I achieved a second Ph.D. in Jewish history at the Tel Aviv University.
I published a book on the Sighet - Maramores community and a second book on the Satamar Rabbi is coming soon. I'm a speaker at international conferences on historical, genealogical or literary subjects and regularly publish academic articles on those subjects and more (see: academia.co.il).
Using my expertise we can discover discover the names and facts of your ancestors and set your genealogical information in a historical and sociological context.
Looking for your lost Jewish ancestry? want to learn more about your Jewish roots? I can help!
Menachem Keren-Kratz, a professional with over twenty-year experience in genealogical research, two Ph.D. degrees in Jewish History and Yiddish Studies, and many satisfied repeating customers.
SERVICES
Family history
Based on the information you provide about the origin of your family, its religious affiliation, and its location, I will create a document that describes your family’s life in the Jewish community at that time. The text will be augmented by maps, drawings, documents and pictures that tell your family’s story. The final product can be printed as an album, used as a presentation or be uploaded to the internet.
Locating lost family members
With only a few details, I can help locate missing or unknown family members, using advanced genealogical technologies. I was able to locate people who disappeared before or after the Holocaust, or family members who changed their name after migrating to another country.
Detailed Family Information
Sometimes we have only basic information about a person or family and desire to learn more about them. Data exists about military service, professional life, books that were published, community service and education.
Locating Heirs
This service helps those who claim the right to inherit a deceased person. The service includes locating official documents that support a family connection and substantiate the inheritance claim.
Archive Research
Archival Research
There are many different archives in Israel that keep genealogical information that is not accessible online. To search these archives, one must not only be fluent in Hebrew but should also have some historical understanding as well as a good knowledge of how each of the archives operates, what type of genealogical information it holds, and where to look for genealogical data. I have searched these archives for over twenty years, both as a historian and as a genealogical researcher.
Family tree
After collecting documents and interviewing family members, I will prepare a comprehensive family tree. You will have the option to post this family tree on popular ancestry websites and learn about others who are interested in your family. The family tree is available in various formats that allow you to print it or present it.
Rabbinical genealogy
One of the areas I specialize in is rabbinical and Hasidic genealogy. This is a unique field in genealogy which requires an in-depth historical knowledge of the history of Jewish Orthodoxy and of Hasidism, as well as knowing the unique sources relevant for this type of research.
FEES
My fees are calculated based on time spent on the project.
- The basic hourly fee = $120. It includes research that covers dozens of sources such as old newspapers, Judaica books, archival materials, Yizkor books, cemetery registries, etc.
- A basic research package of 25 hours that is the minimum required to obtain an initial report = $2,700
- A medium research package of 50 hours for a deeper level information = $5,200
- An advanced package of 100 hours for a fullscale research project = $9,000
- Travel expenses to archives, libraries and museums are extra.
- Israeli customers should add %17 VAT