Disclaimer: I am only going to focus on my mother’s side of the family because I don’t have a relationship with my father since he got remarried three and half years ago and had another baby three years ago. Also, my grandma was so happy that I was asking her about my family history. She […]
A friend of mine once made a joke that might too accurately sum up how I view life. He said, “Waffles are top priority. School is second.” He went on to change it slightly to say, “Okay, waffles aren’t top. Sleep is top. Then friends, then food in general, then waffles, and then somewhere at […]
I never really cared to ask about my family’s history to be honest. Most of what I know is from what I’ve overheard from conversations among family members. I just thought, “Eh, maybe this is all there is to know so why bother ask about it?”. I thought I already knew much of my family’s […]
On 14th of August 1947 the British Vice Roy Lord Mountbatten signed the Partition Plan in which the Indian Subcontinent was divided into the Dominion of Pakistan which included East (which in 1971 became Bangladesh) and West Pakistan and the Union of India. During this partition my grandparents were in their early childhoods. They witnessed […]
I come from an interracial family. We have similar goals in life, particularly about education. After all, opportunity is what is supposed to make America quite appealing. Due to my background, certain opportunities, namely higher education, have been available. My grandfather encouraged my father to pursue higher education, probably because he wasn’t able to. My […]
Often times, we as people intentionally or inadvertently, forget that who we are is a culmination of our family’s and ancestor’s roots. Each and everyone one has a heritage that is unique. Whether or not someone chooses to embrace their culture and make it part of their identity, is the decision of that individual. Nonetheless, […]
Prior to doing this exercise, I thought I knew all there was to know about my family history. And maybe this is true, but reflecting on my roots really got me thinking about what exactly I felt connected to. And it also really got me thinking about how choices my family had made in the […]
Tracing the trajectory of my familial roots has exposed a trend towards the less traditional, enhanced with each passing generation. I’ve come to recognize the rebellious streak indelibly shaping genes at the heart of my being – perhaps not quite as radical in the eyes of my peers, but certainly drastic within the context of […]
I am so eager to talk about my background history because it really shaped me to who I am today. My parents were both born in Syria in the 1970’s. Life in Syria at that time was not simple. The Syrian Jews established themselves rather well, despite living among the duress of the Syrian government. […]
Roots are a part of what defines the individual. My roots are complicated by the fact that my parents’ nationality and culture contrasts with my own. Furthermore, having an identity different from the mainstream American culture have also presented some problems. However, despite the drawbacks, I came to realize that my roots have brought me […]
My name is Batsheva Ettinger. I am a highly motivated, pre-dental, American, Jewish girl. The person I am today is very strongly influenced by my roots. Looking back at my father’s parents who immigrated from Poland and my mother’s parents who were born and raised in Brooklyn, both played a major role in my development […]
Both of my parents are immigrants. But contrary to the typical “rags to riches” story that many immigrants have, my parents made their stories sound plain and simple. We overcame this obstacle, but it doesn’t really mean anything. We got this job, we got that job. We raised a family. Although my parents made their […]
Daniel Cohen Roots Exercise My family are primarily the descendants of Jewish immigrants from Russia, but even my grandparents are second-generation. However, my family looks very, very white, and doesn’t interact with the Jewish community, resulting in a white American lifestyle, and all the benefits and disadvantages that come with it. My mother went to […]
My maternal grandfather completed public high school in Williamsburg. He worked as a clerk for the Metropolitan Transit Authority until his retirement. He did not go to college. My maternal grandmother also grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and attended Brooklyn College. At the time it was free; however she recounts that use of the student […]
In class presentation: April 13th Final Upload to class site: April 15th Assignment: In a comprehensive essay — which means don’t just list the answers and create a unique title for it. Answer the tree of life questions. You may want to ask your grandparents, parents or other siblings for information. Disclose as much or […]
