I’ve adapted Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.
Each week I follow my children’s ahnentafel numbering to select the featured ancestor, ensuring no one through the mid–sixth generation is left behind.
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2026 Week 44: What Surprised Me Most
Introduction
My Week 44 ancestor is Rubin Rabinovich. He’s a fairly recent addition to my tree, listed as the father of my husband’s great-grandfather.
According to my notes on Rubin, he was born circa 1804 in Suwałki Governorate, married by about 1822 (first known child), and died in 1877 in Suwałki. (I have his death record.)
My First Surprise
Initially, I was going to write this post about finding that Rubin seems to have had children by two or three wives. There is a gap between the second and third so it’s possible we are looking at a different generation.
Digging Deeper
But then I got a higher-level view. Mortkhel’s birth record has not been located. So, to write this post, I re-examined my information and I do not have GPS-level proof that the Rubin Rabinovich in my tree was Mortkhel’s father! I do have a Mortkhel Rabinowitz in Suwalki who was the son of Rubin – but that is all I know. Which Rubin Rabinowitz was he? Were there multiples in the same location? What location exactly am I looking for? I have neither Mortkhel’s birth, marriage, nor death records. I do have vitals on several of his children, which consistently name him as Mortkhel son of Rubin, and I have his wife’s death.
What a Surprise
I do believe that I “found” Mortkhel and family early in my Jewish seeking, and it seems that my confusion led me to accept conclusions that weren’t fully supported by the evidence. It seems that this 52 Ancestors post has shined a light on a portion of my tree which needs more looking at!
Sometimes the biggest surprise in genealogy isn’t what we discover about an ancestor, but what we discover about our own research.
Thank you, Amy!
AI Disclosure
This post was created by me with the help of AI tools. While AI helps organize research, the storytelling and discoveries are my own.
Next Week’s Topic: A Family Value
