Gary Mokotoff

Gary Mokotoff is a prominent Jewish genealogist and author known for developing tools and resources for Jewish genealogical research. He created the Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex System, a specialized phonetic algorithm designed to better match Jewish surnames with similar sounds but different spellings. As the past president of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), Mokotoff has published several authoritative works including "Where Once We Walked," a gazetteer of Jewish communities in Europe. He also served as the publisher and editor of Avotaynu, a leading journal of Jewish genealogy. Mokotoff's technical contributions extend beyond publishing, as he helped develop JewishGen, the primary online resource for Jewish genealogy. His work has focused particularly on documenting Eastern European Jewish communities and developing methodologies for tracing Jewish ancestry despite the challenges posed by name changes and lost records. His expertise in Jewish genealogy has made him a frequent lecturer at genealogical conferences and workshops throughout the United States and internationally. Mokotoff's efforts in Jewish genealogy earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award from the IAJGS.

Readers consistently highlight Mokotoff's technical accuracy and comprehensive approach to Jewish genealogical research. His books receive praise for including detailed maps, cross-references, and practical research methodologies. What readers liked: - Clear explanations of complex naming patterns and migration routes - Specific examples that demonstrate research techniques - Thorough documentation and source citations - Regular updates to data and methodologies in newer editions What readers disliked: - Dense technical sections that can be challenging for beginners - High prices for some reference works - Limited availability of older editions - Some outdated information in print versions compared to online resources Ratings: - "Where Once We Walked" averages 4.6/5 on Amazon (42 reviews) - "Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy" receives 4.4/5 on Goodreads (28 reviews) One genealogist wrote: "His Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex system alone revolutionized how we search for Jewish surnames." Another noted: "The gazetteer is exhaustive but could benefit from more beginner-friendly navigation aids."

Where Once We Walked A comprehensive gazetteer documenting over 23,500 towns in Central and Eastern Europe where Jews lived before the Holocaust, including original and variant place names, map coordinates, and historical information.

Arthur Kurzweil has written extensively on Jewish genealogy and authored foundational guides for tracing Jewish family histories. His work "From Generation to Generation" provides methodologies similar to Mokotoff's approach for navigating Jewish genealogical research.

Miriam Weiner specializes in Eastern European Jewish genealogy and has created comprehensive archival inventories of Jewish records. Her "Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova" documents Jewish communities in ways that complement Mokotoff's geographical research.

Sallyann Amdur Sack co-founded Avotaynu with Mokotoff and published significant works on Jewish genealogical research methods. She developed research guidelines for accessing Jewish records in various countries and contributed to the standardization of Jewish genealogical practices.

Alexander Beider focuses on the etymology and documentation of Jewish surnames through scientific analysis. His reference works on Jewish surnames from various regions provide linguistic insights that build upon Mokotoff's soundex system.

Jeffrey S. Malka created databases and research tools for Sephardic Jewish genealogy and published guides for accessing Mediterranean Jewish records. His work "Sephardic Genealogy" extends Mokotoff's methodologies into different geographical and cultural contexts within Jewish genealogy.