Ellen Kowitt
ProGen Member Overview
Adding to your story is what I do. With over 25 years of experience, I'm available to document personal or community history by identifying and locating original and online records; creating family trees in your desired format; crafting a narrative or other communications material for you to share with relatives or research partners; or lecturing on a variety of beginner and specialized topics about genealogy research.
Education
ProGen 46 Certificate
Gen-Fed 2023
GRIP 2021: Immigration with Rich Venezia and Marian Smith
SLIG 2021: Russian Empire Research with Joe Everett
SLIG 2019: Advanced Methods with Tom Jones
DAR: GEP I, II, III, DNA, & Registrar
Experience
I began accepting genealogy research clients in 2015 after serving as a volunteer in many leadership capacities throughout the genealogy world. Some of the best, and most unique sources I know about result from participating on indexing and translation projects. I am an experienced lecturer and have been instructing on Jewish and general genealogy topics since the late 1990s. Although I am now "professional" I remain true to my roots and currently serve as volunteer Director of JewishGen's USA Research Division and as Jewish Specialty Reserch National Vice Chair for Daughters of the American Revolution.
Publications & BLOGs
America's Alligator Family: The David Crystal Story. May 2023. Available on Lulu: softcover or hardcover versions.
Article featuring Ellen Kowitt by Megan Hamby, "Identifying and Recognizing Jewish Patriots: Committee Helps Members, Prospects Unearth Genealogical Treasure." Daughters of the American Revolution American Spirit Magazine, January/February 2023.
Book review of David Watson Kruger’s "Families of the Diaspora: Alkalay, Behmoiras, Merenzón, Barcan" in National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), December 2022.
"Plans to Grow the JewishGen USA Research Division." Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy, Spring 2021.
"Find Your Jewish Roots Online." Family Tree Magazine, May/June 2021.
"The Case of the Missing Ancestors: 8 Genealogy Tips from Nancy Drew." Family Tree Magazine, Jan/Feb 2021.
"Jewish DNA? 8 Strategies." Diahan Southard's Your DNA Guide Blog Guest Author, Dec. 10, 2020.
"Bridging Daughters of the American Revolution and Jewish Genealogists" Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy, Fall 2020.
"How to Build a Genealogy Sleuth Kit." Family Tree Magazine The Genealogy Insider Blog Guest Author, Aug. 27, 2020.
"First NSDAR Jewish Task Force Launches." DAR Registrar General Sunrays Blog Guest Author, July 24, 2020.
"Town Finding Aid Created for Novohrad-Volynskyi District Revision Lists on Krakovsky Website." Lara Diamond's Jewnealogy Blog Guest Author, Aug. 19, 2019.
"Jewish Resources on the Giants: Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com, and MyHeritage.com." Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy, Aug. 2019, with Sunny Morton.
"Yahad-In Unum Documents Holocaust Mass Gravesites in Nine Countries." Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy, Feb. 2019.
"A Colorado Immigrant's Tale of Three Husbands." Avotaynu: International Review of Jewish Genealogy, Feb 2018 with Karen Franklin.