We're all mutts!

I was doing some genealogy work on ancestry.com yesterday and came to a startling realization. We're all mutts! No, I didn't say nuts. I said we are all a conglomerate of nationalities because of our families trying to assimilate here in the good old U.S. of A. Let me explain.

I have been involved in genealogy since my kids were in high school. (My son and daughter haven't been in high school in almost 20 years. Oh my goodness.) Anyway, as a junior year project, the kids were supposed to document their family trees going back at least three or four generations. This class project for both kids has turned into an obsession for me. I have documented at least eight generations going back to my great-grandparents and going down to a lot of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren in our family. In fact, I have documented more than four sides of the family -- my mother's, my father's, my husband's mother's and my husband's father's sides of the family. It all gets very complicated and wouldn't be possible to keep it all straight if not for computer programs and sites like ancestry.com. (For more on my genealogy pursuits and family history, go here.)

When we ask what nationality others are, most people would say, I'm Irish, I'm German, I'm French, I'm Canadian, or something like that. In reality, all our families are becoming more diluted and complex with each generation.

In the old days, like married like, otherwise, it was taboo. Today, anything goes. Just yesterday I watched two movies where the beautiful tawny-skinned upper-class girls were engaged to, falling in love with, or marrying white guys. This made for some funny movies but, in fact, it's indicative of real life. Last month my cousin's daughter married into a family whose father is Jewish and mother is Indian. In my family, every one of the aunts and uncles married nice Jewish boys and girls. Their children, however, are a different story. Each of my cousins "did their own thing" as far as choosing their mates and their children are going a step beyond assimilation. I'm Jewish of Russian, Polish, and English descent married to a Mexican-American. My son is married to a Philippine-American and my daughter is married to an American of Scotch-Irish descent. And my grandchildren are a conglomeration of all this mix. We are your typical American family.


If you are fan of the Harry Potter books and movies, you will be familiar with the phrase "mud bloods." This derogatory term means someone of mixed heritage (i.e., wizard and non-wizard). And yesterday, on CNN, there was a story about the Rev. Al Sharpton and his probable ancestry to the southern segregationist Strom Thurmond. I think Mr. Sharpton was pretty upset and is going to demand DNA testing to prove or disprove this connection.

Speaking of DNA testing, what about that Anna Nicole Smith's paternity issue? The only loser in that deal is going to be the baby who is being played like a ping pong ball all over money.

As far as the rest of the world is concerned, I say get over your differences and get on with life. Stop fighting and killing and start living. Who cares if you're a different religion, ethnicity, or race. Life is short and in the long run, we're all still mutts.

Finding a Chinese Jew

Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant. "Sid," asked Al, "are there any Jews in China?"

"I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?"

When the waiter came by, Al asked him, "Are there any Chinese Jews?"

"I don't know sir, let me ask," the waiter replied, and he went into the kitchen. He returned in a few minutes and said, "No, sir. No, Chinese Jews."

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"I will check again, sir," the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen. While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere."

When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Chinese Jews."

"Are you really sure?" Al asked again.

"I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews."

"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have Orange Jews, Prune Jews, Tomato Jews and Grape Jews, but we have no Chinese Jews."