The first seven months after my DNA surprise was a living hell. I had no idea who I was anymore; where I came from. I splattered the Internet with my DNA trying to figure out who my biological father was and tried to pick up the pieces of my shattered identity. I desperately wanted to learn about my new heritage and what my biological father was like. Did I look like him? Did we share personality traits? Oh, and what was his medical history?
Putting the DNA pieces together, I determined my biological father was Sam Rubinstein, a local businessman and philanthropist who passed away in 2007. Knowing who he was alleviated the franticness I felt, but my biological family decided they didn’t wish to have contact with me. Their decision left a deep hole within me. I yearned to learn about Sam, my ancestors, and my rich heritage.
I found myself unexpectedly Jewish in Seattle without the help of family to guide me. I didn’t know anyone Jewish. Not one to do things halfway, I decided to immerse myself (well as best as I could with three children and tons of other things on my plate) into all things Jewish. I also compiled an extensive paternal family tree dating back to the 1300s and decided to reach out to anyone and everyone who knew Sam to try and paint a picture of who he was.
This is my journey to learn about my biological father Sam Rubinstein and what it means to be Jewish.
(Information in my blog is my opinion and interpretation of events and things. The names of some individuals will be changed to protect privacy.)