Event Details
The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will present its annual Mishpachah Festival: A Celebration of Genealogy, Heritage, & Immigration, on Sunday, May 31, 2026. The day-long festival - which runs from 11:00am to 7:00pm - celebrates and explores Jewish genealogy, heritage, and immigration along with JewishGen, the Museum’s Jewish Genealogical Research Division and other partners.
Throughout the day, attendees of all ages can experience Jewish genealogy lectures, Jewish heritage panels, cooking demonstrations, live music, Yiddish dance, and activities for children and families. They can engage with their family’s genealogy at the Peter and Mary Kalikow Jewish Genealogy Center, learn about historical immigration, and reflect on how we tell our individual and collective stories.
“The Hebrew word Mishpachah means family and the Mishpachah Festival is a day for bringing together families and communities to explore Jewish genealogy, heritage, and immigration” said Jack Kliger, CEO and President of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. “This year, as we celebrate JewishGen’s anniversary, we’re proud to give visitors to our Museum and website easier access to further research their family history.”
The event coincides with the 40th anniversary of JewishGen, a global leader in Jewish genealogy that connects people with their family histories through extensive digital archives, research tools, and a vibrant international community of volunteers and scholars. As the Museum’s Jewish Genealogical Research Division, JewishGen provides access to millions of historical records, educational resources, and collaborative projects that help people worldwide discover, preserve, and share their Jewish heritage.
“The Kalikow Center and JewishGen will preview a beautiful new user interface that greatly improves user experience and access to JewishGen's great resources. This step reaffirms our mission to make Jewish history and genealogy accessible to all our visitors, whether they are in-person or virtual,” said Paul Radensky, Director of JewishGen and Kalikow Jewish Genealogy Center at the Museum of Jewish History.
You can view the full schedule and RSVP at https://mjhnyc.org/events/mispachahfestival2026/