A Noble Heritage Chapter 4 Quiz – Two Tablets of Stone
1.
Why was I reluctant at first to search for my great-grandparents, Nathan and Bessie Polonsky’s birth and marriage records? a) I believed that they were most likely destroyed in a pogrom or during the Holocaust b) I didn’t know their original Russian or Hebrew birth names c) I would be unable to translate them d) All of the above
2.
What changed my mind about searching the Russian archives for their records? a) I found out that many years’ worth of vital records survived for Shpola b) I found out that there was only a single year’s worth of surviving birth records for Shpola, but that year happened to match Nathan’s birth year c) I found out that Russian vital records could be searched online d) I found out that these records were already available on JewishGen
3.
The first step in my search was to send an email message to Jeffrey (Yefim) Briskman asking for his assistance. What did Yefim recommend that I do? a) Find out what cemetery Nathan was buried in and look at his gravestone. b) Search the rabbinical literature for a list of descendants of the Shpoler Zeida c) Search the Mormon library for Shpola vital records d) All of the above
4.
The information on Nathan Polonsky’s gravestone provided what information? a) His father’s name b) That he was a grandson or descendant of Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz c) That he was a grandson or descendant of the Shpoler Zeida d) All of the above
5.
What was my next step after locating Nathan and Bessie’s gravestones? a) Locating their birth records b) Locating their marriage records c) Locating their death records d) All of the above
6.
Nathan’s birth name, as inscribed on his gravestone was _____. a) Nahum Menakhem Polonsky b) Menakhem Nahum Polonsky c) Levi Yitzhak Polonsky d) Aharon David Polonsky
7.
Nathan’s father’s name, as inscribed on Nathan’ gravestone was _____. a) Nahum Menakhem Polonsky b) Menakhem Nahum Polonsky c) Levi Yitzhak Polonsky d) Aharon David Polonsky
8.
The story in Bertha Paull Friedman’s memoir about our being descended from two disciples of the Baal Shem Tov from each side of the family is ______. a) Mostly folklore with no evidence to support it b) True, but both disciples were on Nathan’s side of the family c) True, but both disciples were on Bessie’s side of the family d) True, just the way it was told in the story
9.
By the end of September of 2008 ______. a) I knew who Nathan Polonsky’s ancestors were and where they lived b) I knew who our family was descended from c) I didn’t know how Nathan Polonsky was descended from either Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz or the Shpoler Zeida d) All of the above
10.
Our family can trace our descent all the way back to Rashi through which of our ancestors? a) Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz b) The Shpoler Zeida c) Bessie Shapiro d) All of the above