FINDING THE LOST TRIBE

“If anyone knows the whereabouts of my daddy who was last seen behind a tombstone please contact me because I miss him!” These are the words of Sonia Rosenblatt from a letter she wrote to the Irish Jewish Genealogical Society which was founded by her father Stuart over 14 years ago,so its safe to say Stuarts family life has suffered since he started out all those years ago.

Dublin born Stuart Rosenblatt provides help for countless Irish Jews with his database of more than 40,000 people which continues to grow.What started as a quest to trace his own family history has turned into an exceptional archive of Irish Jewry spanning almost four centuries.

Stuart devotes “two weeks out of every one” to this unpaid and relatively unacknowledged work.

“I have had no donations,help or encouragement,”he said.”It is all on my head”

“Only two people in the Irish Jewish community have made personal contact with me to see if they could give me their family details,obviously this makes me feel bad”

So what drives Stuart to continue his work?

“Generations past have allowed us to live the way we do today ,”he explained.

“Its a privilege we have our lives today so my work is a gracious thank you to our ancestors who gave so much”

Stuart, who is 68 this year tells me, “This is a one-stop shop for those searching for their roots. It started when I was researching my own family tree and I branched out into other areas, discovering records about the Jewish community that others would not know existed. It’s now a compulsive hobby. ”

Stuart,at his own expense,has put together 16 volumes of the Rosenblatt Series which he recently donated to the National Archives of Ireland.

The 16-volume record dates back to 1664 and includes births, marriages, burials and inscriptions, school records and census information concerning Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Dublin and other towns in Ireland where Jewish people lived.

He adds: “I want anyone with any Irish ancestors to contact me, as we have 42,000 names and may be able to help people look for their family.”

As I spoke to Stuart in his office on Dublin's Dame St, the phone was constantly ringing and his computer sounded its email alert every few minutes,not, as I thought, connected to his cheque cashing business,but mostly people looking for their Jewish ancestors.

Irish Jews and the countless number of Irish Jewish diaspora certainly owe Stuart a debt of gratitude for his voluntary work and everyday,including weekends,he receives around 20 emails and numerous phone calls,from people as far afield as America and Australia,all trying to obtain or impart information.

“Its not a full time job,but it takes up all my time ,”he laughed.

“I update the records every day,”said Stuart.

Stuart has contributed to the popular television programme “Who Do You Think You Are”on two occasions,the first on the Irish series with Dervla Kirwan,the Irish actress who discovered her Jewish ancestry through Stuart, and also on the American version with Rasheeda Jones,the daughter of Quincy Jones,the famous music producer.

He recalls with great fondness the kiss on his cheek from Rasheeda when filming for the programme was finished,but is quick to point out,”Contributors don't get paid for these programmes”,but he is very happy nonetheless to help.

As well as his genealogical work,his cheque cashing business and his work with the Irish Jewish Museum,Stuart has also found the time to write a book,The Yidiots Guide to Jewish Ancestry.

This book is designed to provide researchers with information on how to find out more about their Irish Jewish heritage. In the process of this search, the researcher will also discover how to access other details that would otherwise be almost impossible to find.

Stuart is rather proud of his achievements so far,and rightly so,”Not bad”,he says,for a pupil who was told by his school principal,”you have no academic future”

Irish genealogy depends on individuals like Stuart Rosenblatt who become possessed by the need to retrieve the past,and will not let go.Stuart has converted his 16 volumes into a database,searchable at www.irishjewishroots.com.

It really is the only place you need to go if you have Jewish ancestors who lived in Ireland.