Jennifer Mendelsohn is a sought-after genealogist who specializes in helping Eastern European Jewish families shattered by the Holocaust reclaim their history. Her journey began in 2013, when she reunited her husband's grandmother—a Polish Holocaust survivor who had lost her entire immediate family and most of her extended family—with three living first cousins she had never known. Since then she has worked on scores of cases, solving complex family mysteries using a blend of traditional and genetic genealogy. Her sleuthing was featured in the 2019 bestseller Inheritance by Dani Shapiro. In 2022, she co-founded the DNA Reunion Project at the Center for Jewish History, now called the Holocaust Reunion Project, which provides free DNA testing and genealogical consultation to help Holocaust survivors find family. Their work has garnered international media attention. 

A native Long Islander now based in Baltimore, Mendelsohn serves on the board of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland, is the administrator of Facebook's Jewish Genetic Genealogy group, with over 13,000 members worldwide and lectures frequently. In 2023, she was honored as a Baltimore Magazine “GameChanger” for her efforts helping Holocaust survivors.

Mendelsohn is also known for the innovative use of genealogy as a tool for activism. She created the viral hashtag #resistancegenealogy, which generated stories on CNN, The New Yorker and The Washington Post. Prior to her work as a genealogist, Jennifer spent many years as a freelance journalist. Her work has appeared in countless publications including People, Slate, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, Time, and Tablet.

 

 

 

 

Additional specialities or search keywords
Jewish

Publications/Media
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/holocaust-jewish-genealogy-dna/2021/05/27/af8d21b8-be8d-11eb-b26e-53663e6be6ff_story.html

Research Time Periods

• 20th Century
• 19th Century

Degrees
B.A., University of Virginia (English/American Studies) With Highest Distinction