Am haZikaron: Building the Jewish Future by Restoring Our Past The Jewish People have survived for millennia by remembering. Our history is not merely a collection of stories; it is a living blueprint, a divine message containing the keys to our continuity and our unique mission in the world. At the Am haZikaron (The People of Memory) Institute for Science, Culture and Heritage of the Jewish People, an Israeli non-profit organization, we believe that to build a vibrant Jewish future, we must first restore and understand our past. Our Mission We approach the sacred task of memory with the tools of the 21st century. Our work is not based on belief alone; it is rigorous, scientific, and endorsed by an international committee of 55 Nobel laureates. We study the remarkable historical longevity of the Jewish People as a scientific phenomenon, using interdisciplinary methods and the statistical analysis of big data. Our research has led to groundbreaking discoveries. In our peer-reviewed paper, "Occupational structure of bearers of Jewish rabbinical, occupational and generic surnames" (F1000Research), we proved that the professional preferences of descendants of rabbis and other groups remain statistically distinct for over 200 years. Our deeper research into specific clans, some stretching back 950 years, reveals that each family carries a unique, heritable signature—a distinct profile of talents, social behaviors, and proactive tendencies that are preserved across generations. By restoring family trees, some containing hundreds of thousands of individuals, we are not just connecting names; we are decoding the very essence of what makes each Jewish family unique. Our Impact: From Data to Identity This research is the foundation of our transformative community work. Our "My Jewish Roots" workshop has already touched the lives of nearly 60,000 Jews. We have provided participants from Birthright and Masa, students in the Naaleh program, new immigrants, and vulnerable members of society like the elderly with a tangible connection to their identity: a specially prepared Certificate of Family Origin, detailing the meaning of their surname, the history of their ancestors, and the famous Rabbis and Zionists who share their lineage. We also provide critical assistance in recovering documents necessary for those making Aliyah, strengthening the Jewish state one family at a time. We partner with such organizations like The Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, Your Donation: A Bridge Between Generations Today, we stand at a pivotal moment. Your support is essential to take our mission to the next level. Your donation is not just a gift; it is an investment in the memory and future of the Jewish People. With your help, we will: Create an impactful Jewish genealogical platform. We will completely renovate JewAge.org, transforming it into a public repository of Jewish family trees – containing 19th century documents and family trees. It will be a public treasure for generations to come. Give names back to the forgotten. We will build a comprehensive memorial for the 300,000 Jews murdered in the pogroms in Russia between 1918-1921, ensuring their names and stories are never again erased from our collective memory. Reunite families torn apart by the Holocaust. Where hope has faded, our methods provide a new path. Your support can help us find relatives lost in the Shoah, healing wounds that have scarred our people for decades. Give Your Children Their Past, and You Give Them Their Future A nation that has no past has no future. The same is true for a family. To want your children and grandchildren to continue the family legacy, you must give them their family history. Our work does more than honor ancestors; it empowers the living. By understanding a family's unique historical talents, strengths, and values, we provide a roadmap for the future—a way to guide children toward their innate gifts and to consciously continue the family's unique mission. Help us restore and preserve our national memory. Join us in this sacred work. Your donation will build a bridge from our unique past to an even more extraordinary future.