In this challenging time, many parents and guardians are looking online for meaningful activities for their children that don’t require too much prep or too many materials. Each weekday on this blog, the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will post an activity geared to a range of ages that guide children how to explore heritage, history, and learning through artifacts.

The Schachter Family Tree is a valued part of the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s collection. It is a visual reminder of how families are connected through the generations, and the importance of remembering this continuity.

Schachter Family Tree

Ask your child to view the family tree (open in a separate window here).

Ask the following questions:

  • What do you notice about the family tree? What information does it contain?
    • Family trees tell us the names of our family members and how they are connected through the different generations.
  • How is this family tree structured?
    • The oldest generations are closer to the trunk of the tree, and the younger generations are on the outside branches of the tree.
  • What languages do you see on the tree?
    • Hebrew and English
  • If you look closely, you’ll see that some of the names repeat throughout the different generations. Why do you think that is?
    • In Ashkenazi (Central and Eastern European) Jewish tradition, children are named after relatives or people important to us who are no longer living. This is to carry on their memories, as well as a hope that the child will possess the qualities of the person they are named after. In Sephardi Jewish tradition (Jews of Iberian or Middle Eastern origin) children can also be named after living relatives.
  • Do you know the story behind your name – why do you have that name? Does it have a special meaning?

Activity: create a family tree. Interview other relatives for information about family members – this is a great opportunity to call relatives you haven’t spoken to in a while to connect!

We encourage you to share your child’s work with us! Please email education@mjhnyc.org so that we can feature it on our Museum blog!