Online Journal


The Rav-SIG Online Journal is a journal of original and previously published articles on topics of interest to researchers of rabbinic genealogy. To submit an article to the Online Journal, please see the General Guidelines for Submitting Material or contact Webmaster for further information.

Documents and Translations

The Children of Rabbi Meir ben Isaac Eisenstadt, also known as MaHaRaM A"Sh or Panim Meiroth, by Bernard Israelite Kouchel
Translation of excerpt from The Grave Inscriptions of the Old Jewish Cemetery in Eisenstadt, by Wachstein.

Family Research

Early History of the Rabbinical Weil Family (Clarifying Some Historical Errors), by Werner L. Frank
Includes relationship to Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg and descendants charts.

How I Discovered My Rabbinic Ancestry, by Arthur Kurzweil
Descent from the Stropkover Rebbe and the Holy ShLaH, Isaiah Horowitz.
Kassin Rabbinic Dynasty and Labaton Rabbinic Dynasty, by Sarina Roffé
Syrian Sephardic ancestry.

Essays

Ashkenazic Rabbinic Families, by Dr. Neil Rosenstein
The origins of Ashkenazic rabbinic dynasties, including a genealogical chart.

The Reliability of Genealogical Research in Modern Rabbinic Literature, by Rabbi Meir Wunder
How modern rabbinic genealogy began and which sources are reliable.

The Oldest Jewish Dynasty: A 3400-Year Line of Descendants, by David Einsiedler
The Kohanim.

A series of articles by David Einsiedler on Davidic descent:
Are You a Descendant of King David? A Look at Rabbinic Sources
Ashkenazic families of Central and Eastern Europe.

Can We Prove Descent from King David?
Karo, Yahia-Charlap, Sassoon, and Abravanel/Abarbanel families.

Descent From King David - Part II
Sources pertaining to Judah Loew the Elder.
A series of articles by Yehuda Klausner:
European Rabbis Throughout the Generations
Development of the Jewish communities in Europe and origin of the generations of rabbis and rabbinic families. Appendix includes early rabbinic works, surnames of rabbinic families, and rabbinic genealogical literature.

The Hasidic Rabbinate, Part I
Birth and foundation of the Hasidic movement and the persons responsible for its formation. Appendix includes students of the Baal Shem Tov and Dov Ber the Magid of Miedzyrzec (Mezritsh).

The Hasidic Rabbinate, Part II
Latter generations of the Hasidic movement and organization of the movement into dynasties. Appendix includes succession of Hasidic dynasties.
A series of articles by Sarina Roffé on Sephardic rabbis:
Sephardic Rabbis Impact Halachah
Yoshiyahu Pinto, Shmuel Vital, Yosef ibn Zalach, Yosef Caro.

Sephardic Rabbis: Four Short Biographies
Yitzhak Attia, Shabatai Beda, Shalom Hedaya, Ovadya Hedaya.

Rabbi Murad Maslaton, A Great Leader
Rabbi for the Ahi Ezer community in Brooklyn and Damascus.
Fathers of Jewish Genealogy, by David Einsiedler
Authors who made great contributions to Jewish genealogy: Azulai, Dembitzer, Kaufmann, Wettstein, Wachstein, Horowitz, Friedberg, and Gelber.

Rabbinic Succession in Bukhara 1790-1930, by Giora Fuzailoff
Factors in becoming Chief Rabbi of Bukhara (in present day Uzbekistan) and the development of the Jewish community.

Reviews
Book Review: Meorei Galicia: Encyclopedia Lekhakhmei Galicia (Encyclopedia of Galician Sages), reviewed by Chaim Freedman
Description of this five-volume work, including translation of part of the Auerbach family entries.

Web Site Review: JewishEncyclopedia.com, reviewed by Lawrence D. Weinberg
This site features the unedited contents of the original Jewish Encyclopedia (1901-1906). Tips on how to search and navigate the site are included in the review.