Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova

Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova is a comprehensive genealogical resource published in 1999 through a collaboration between Miriam Weiner, the Ukraine State Archives, and the Moldova National Archives. The book catalogs Jewish historical records and documents from both countries, providing an extensive inventory of 1,392 towns and over 5,000 record entries. The volume combines practical archival information with visual historical documentation, featuring maps, antique postcards of town life, and contemporary photographs. It includes detailed listings of holdings from multiple archives, including the Ukrainian and Moldovan state archives, various town halls, and several Polish institutions. This reference work functions as both a research tool and a historical document, preserving information about Jewish communities in these regions while providing practical guidance for genealogical research. Updated versions of the archival holdings are now accessible through the Routes to Roots Foundation's online database. The book represents a significant contribution to Jewish genealogical studies, bridging the gap between historical documentation and family research while preserving crucial information about Eastern European Jewish heritage.

Readers describe this book as a reference guide for genealogical research, with archives and documents related to Jewish communities in Ukraine and Moldova. The book contains maps, photographs, and detailed listings of record holdings. Readers appreciated: - Town-by-town listings of available records - Clear organization of archival information - High quality historical photographs - Detailed maps showing Jewish settlements - Research guidance for specific regions Common criticisms: - High price point - Some outdated archive information (published 1999) - Limited coverage of certain regions - Heavy physical weight makes it cumbersome Ratings: Amazon: 4.5/5 (12 reviews) No ratings found on Goodreads One researcher noted: "The archival inventories alone saved me months of work." Another reader mentioned: "Maps are exceptional but contact information for archives needs updating." The resource value outweighed the cost for most readers doing family history research in these regions.

The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn The book chronicles a journey through Eastern Europe to uncover the fate of family members who perished in the Holocaust through archival research and interviews with elderly survivors.

We Are Here: Memories of the Lithuanian Holocaust by Ellen Cassedy The text documents Lithuanian-Jewish history through genealogical research, cemetery records, and conversations with locals about their wartime experiences.

The Family Tree: A Journey Through Poland by Alan Wieder The work combines historical records, photographs, and oral histories to trace Jewish ancestry in pre-war Polish towns and villages.

Image Before My Eyes: A Photographic History of Jewish Life in Poland by Lucjan Dobroszycki, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett The book presents photographs and documents from archives to illustrate Jewish community life in Eastern Europe before World War II.

Where Once We Walked: A Guide to the Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust by Gary Mokotoff, Sallyann Amdur Sack The reference work provides detailed information about thousands of towns where Jewish communities existed before World War II, including their locations, name variations, and historical documentation.

🌟 Weiner was granted unprecedented access to Soviet-era archives, making her the first Western researcher to extensively document these Jewish records 🌟 The book features over 1,400 rare photographs and postcards, many of which had never been published before its release in 1999 🌟 Each documented town includes GPS coordinates and multiple names (Russian, Ukrainian, Yiddish), helping descendants locate their ancestral communities 🌟 The project took over 10 years to complete and involved collaboration with more than 40 different archives across both countries 🌟 The book's documentation helped preserve records of many Jewish communities that were completely destroyed during World War II, making it an invaluable resource for Holocaust research