Tracing the Descendants of the Shpoler Zeida - A Real-World Application of Innovative Genealogical Tools and Technology

Rebbe Yehuda Leib (1723–1811), better known as the Shpoler Zeida (Grandfather of Shpola), was a revered tzaddik, Chassidic leader, and a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidic Jewry. One of the goals of my forthcoming book, “The Shpoler Zeida: The Life, Legends, and Descendants of the Grandfather of Shpola,” was to identify the Shpoler Zeida’s descendants and build a family tree to preserve their heritage for future generations.

Using a combination of traditional and innovative genealogical research tools, including DNA technology, I will explain how we constructed a family tree containing over 5,600 descendants and how these methods were employed to break through brick walls and reconnect hundreds of descendants to their lost Jewish heritage. This real-world application of innovative genealogical tools and technology to reconstruct long-lost lines of descent will be of widespread interest to genealogists of all experience levels. Jeffrey Mark Paull was born an…