Renee Stern Steinig
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- Non-Research Specialties
- Editor
- Instructor
- Lecturer/Presenter - On-site
- Lecturer/Presenter - Virtual
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- Research Specialties
- Emigration & Immigration
- Heir Searcher
- Holocaust
- Jewish
- Naturalization
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- Research Counties
- Kings County, New York, United States
- Nassau County, New York, United States
- New York County, New York, United States
- Queens County, New York, United States
- Suffolk County, New York, United States
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- Research Provinces / States
- New York, United States
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- Research Countries
- Germany
- Poland
- Ukraine
- United States
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- Research Time Periods
- 19th Century
- 20th Century
- 21st Century
Renee Steinig began to do genealogical research in the late 1970s, inspired by a cousin in Israel who made it look easy. Many family trees and some 18 years later, she went on to accept client work, serving attorneys as well as individuals eager to learn more about their families' pasts.
Her specialties include New York research, Jewish roots in Galicia, location of lost family, and due diligence for probate cases. She has testified as an expert witness in several New York Surrogate's Courts.
Renee's work in these and other areas is enhanced by her creativity, broad knowledge of genealogical resources, over 40 years experience, and deft use of numerous online databases.
Renee's research projects have brought her to archives and libraries across the United States, in western and eastern Europe, and in Israel. She was a member of the first group of genealogists permitted access to the files of the International Tracing Service (now the Arolsen Archives) in Germany, where she documented the fates of many family members who perished in the Holocaust.
In June 2014, Renee's discoveries about the Jewish roots of New York City’s late Archbishop John Cardinal O’Connor were the subject of front-page coverage in the New York Times. She also made the news after finding evidence that the wife of a White House staffer was once on the Russian government's public relations team. Most recently, a news report covered her findings about the ancestry of Long Island congressman George Santos, disproving his claims that his grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust.
Her greatest joy has come from reuniting clients with previously unknown family.
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- Degrees
- Barnard College - Bachelor of Arts (Sociology)
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- Languages
- English; some French, German, Hebrew, and Yiddish
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- Repositories
- Plainview, N.Y., Family History Center
Jewish cemeteries in Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties, N.Y., and in Baltimore, Md. and vicinity
Subscription access to numerous genealogy, newspaper, and people-finding databases
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- Testimonials
- "Your genealogical kung fu is definitely the best. I am in awe." -- Michael Chabon, author
"Thank you to... Renee Steinig for her expert genealogical help." -- Daniel A. Cohen, Associate Professor of History, Case Western Reserve University, in "'Hero Strong' and Other Stories: Tales of Girlhood, Ambition, Female Masculinity, and Women’s Worldly Achievement in Antebellum America"
"I turn to Renee Steinig for ongoing genealogical advice." -- Lawrence J. Epstein, in "At the Edge of a Dream: The Story of Jewish Immigrants on New York's Lower East Side, 1880-1920."
"YOU ARE AMAZING. Seriously, I am floored by your incredible kindness and the effort you have given to help." -- Lisa E., researcher
"You are a wizard..." -- Thomas A., researcher
"The information that you sent me sent shivers down my spine -- all the details, dates of my grandmother and great-grandmother. This is such a tremendous help to me." -- Gitty S., researcher
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- Lectures
- Lectures given at recent Jewish genealogy conferences and to local genealogical societies and community groups include:
The American Dream: A Look at
Some Influential Americans' Immigrant Ancestors
Finding Cousin Mimi:
Looking for Lost Family in our Small Jewish World
From Bella to Joe, 2-3-43:
In Search of a Jewish GI's Family
Galicia Basics: What Every Galitzianer Needs to Know
It's a Small, Small World: Three Degrees of Jewish Separation
Paging Dr. Smith: In Search of a Birth Father
Scandals, Shandehs, and Lies:
The Stories Families Don’t Tell
Tall Tales and Transformations: Researching
Two Families Who Changed More Than Their Names
What's a Jewish Boy Like You Doing in a Cathedral Like This? The Surprise on John Cardinal O'Connor's Family Tree
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- Affiliations
- Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island - co-founder, past president, longtime board member
Gesher Galicia - director, discussion group moderator, Family Finder editor
Jewish Records Indexing-Poland - Mielec Town Leader
Geni.com - curator
JewishGen Press - board member
Jewish Genealogical Society-NY - member
German Genealogy Group - member
Israel Genealogical Research Assn. - member
New York Genealogical & Biographical Society - member
National Yiddish Book Center - book "zamler" (collector)
JewishGen Discussion Group - active contributor
Work Contact
Phone: | (631) 549-9532 |
Email: | genmaven@gmail.com |
Street Address: | 37 Westcliff Drive |
Address 2: | |
City: | Dix Hills |
State/Province: | New York |
Country: | United States |
Zip/Postal Code: | 11746 |