Content
About this webinar
We are so busy searching and documenting the past and our ancestors, but don't stop to think that someday we will be the ancestors of someone. What are we leaving behind besides the genealogical legacy? Will our descendants know who WE really were? our unique voice, our feelings and experiences, what messages and lessons do we leave behind?
About the speakers
Key points and insights
Preserving Your Legacy: Genealogy for Our Descendants
In the digital age, family history is evolving beyond the collection of birth certificates and census records. This insightful webinar, "Genealogy for Our Descendants" presented by Janna Helshtein, shifts the focus from uncovering the distant past to intentionally documenting our present lives for the future. Helshtein explores the profound human need to leave a trace, tracing the history of documentation from prehistoric cave paintings to modern social media. The presentation serves as a poignant reminder that while genealogists often focus on the names and dates of those who came before, we are currently the "first digital ancestors" for our own future lineages. By bridging the gap between cold data and authentic personal narrative, researchers can ensure that their true essence—their values, struggles, and unique voices—remains vibrant and accessible long after they are gone.
Key Takeaways- Move Beyond "Data Genealogy": While names, dates, and locations are essential for building a tree, future generations crave an emotional connection. The webinar highlights eight categories of personal information—such as life challenges, spiritual beliefs, and proudest moments—that provide a richer, more human understanding of an ancestor’s life than a government record ever could.
- Embrace Intentional Authenticity: Documentation today happens instinctively through smartphones, but it often lacks depth. Helshtein encourages genealogists to use a mix of traditional and digital tools—like handwritten letters, unedited video messages, and even recorded cooking sessions—to capture an "ethical will" that reflects their authentic self, complete with the quirks and imperfections that make them human.
- Prevent the "Fourth Death": In genealogy, a person is said to experience a "fourth death" when their story loses its meaning and descendants no longer understand the context of their choices or struggles. By creating clear access instructions for digital files and documenting the stories behind family artifacts today, researchers can ensure their life's narrative remains coherent and meaningful for centuries.
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Comments (94)
Loved this webinar and think it is one of the most important ones that have been presented, as we are the most knowledgeable about our own lives and what really took place and how we felt about things. I found the part about what you would want to know about if you could only ask a single question to an ancestor in your family tree who had died, as I found that very insightful as to what people in the future would probably like to know more about. Also, because I do not have children of my own, I cringe every time I hear someone say something like I have to draw the line when researching my family tree someplace, and so I do not bother with tracing family members who didn't marry or have children of their own, as if they are unimportant to the family tree. I understand the mindset, but those people are family too, and may be the persons who have the stories because they had time to hear them since they were not busy raising their children.
What really hit home was the notion that I can prevent future generations from the pain that I feel in not having the voices of my ancestors. It won't be easy but I can see where it will be worthwhile. Thank you for opening the door.
This was my first time watching a webinar by Janna Helshtein, but it won't be my last. I always put off documenting my story, but she has given many moving reasons to begin today. Thank You!
I"m already thinking about thing I can do after hearing you THANKS!
Janna was such a pleasure to listen to. She was so comfortable with her lecture, she didn't read from a script. So many ideas for leaving behind audio, photo and written history of family. Had tears in my eyes a couple of times when she spoke about her own family. Look forward to listening to her again.
WONDERFUL! Janna Helshtein encourages us all to make our family's life stories 3-dimensional--not just with documents, but STORIES, feelings, VOICES, life history questions, a handwritten letter for those who come after us, recipes, challenges, spirituality--it was GRAND!!! It will make our genealogy story an evolutionary discovery.
Wonderful ideas and just how to use them!
Excellent webinar - great info, fantastic presenter