Family tree

After the recent loss of my father at the good age of 90, and the realisation that he barely, if ever, talked about his family or shared photos of his parents, I became more curious about the history of my family and an increasing awareness that if I didn’t research it now, those few living relatives with stories to share would no longer be alive, there are barely any left; and my children and grandchildren wouldn’t come to know their history when it is the time for them to ask those questions.

I submitted my DNA and the profile returned as 98% eastern European Jewish, though it came as no surprise, I guess I was hoping for something a little more unknown and mysterious, though some might say this is mysterious!

As a person born of Jewish parents, I made the assumption that many, if not most of my family would have perished in the holocaust and while many did, I have discovered many generations of family on both sides through the ancestry website using my DNA profile. Which has made it possible to connect with family on both sides and have discovered an amazingly rich history which includes being connected to the first king of Portugal, well-respected Rabbis, and living family who have all added to the story of our shared history.

This journey has been truly humbling when I look at the tree which now has more than 700 people on it, and is still growing almost daily. I see myself, my children, and grandchildren down near the bottom of it and the realisation that each of these people no matter how long they lived has contributed in some way to our human existence.

As a result, I have noticed a particular emotional connection to the women who came before, who gave up their family names despite the established orthodox that a child of a Jewish mother is Jewish, regardless of the father's lineage. (This has always made more sense to me, as you know who the mother is, but not always the father)

These women, who bore many children and did everything in their power to provide and care for their families, who despite many hardships, also seem to carry the weight of grief and sadness that I feel pervades the movement of Jews across countries, wars, pogroms, and landscapes.

I am Jewish by birth but not in practice and yet It feels incumbent on me to work on not only my ‘stuff’ but also to send healing back through the generations to them all energetically, which is something that I am lucky enough to be able to do through, regression therapy, meditation, reiki, and spiritual practice.

So much of who we are comes from those who came before, even if we never met them, whether that is through a bloodline or from teachers or storytellers and I have never been so grateful to all those that made my today possible.

If you feel that there are issues that affect you today which may be related to your family lineage, genetic, or otherwise, then we can take that journey together toward healing, for yourself and for those that came before.