Genealogists And Genetic Sleuths Will Trace Your Jewish Roots At New Zoom Event From The Braid

Ever wondered who your ancestors are and where you came from? Wonder no more. Two famous genealogists will give you tips on tracing your Jewish roots across the diaspora at a new Sunday Morning with The Braid Zoom event on Sunday, June 13, at 11 a.m. PT, 2 p.m. ET.

Libby Copeland and Tammy Hepps will bring their impressive backgrounds in journalism, science, and history to a fascinating discussion about Jewish genealogy at The Braid's (formerly Jewish Women's Theatre) popular event that starts off the week with information and inspiration once every month. For virtual free tickets, visit: www.The-Braid.org

Libby Copeland is an award-winning journalist and author who writes from New York about culture and science for such media outlets as The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Smithsonian Magazine. Her book The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are, published by Abrams in 2020, explores the rapidly evolving phenomenon of home DNA testing, its implications for how we think about family and ourselves, and its broad ramifications for American culture.

Tammy Hepps is a local historian who focuses on topics within American Jewish history, especially small towns and synagogues. Her projects combine research techniques from genealogy and history and draw heavily upon her technology expertise to break new ground in data gathering and interpretation. She is best known for her community reconstitution project focusing on the Jewish community of Homestead, PA, available online at HomesteadHebrews.com.

Tammy earned her AB in computer science from Harvard. The Braid's Sunday Morning with The Braid event is free to attend, but The Braid hopes viewers will consider choosing a virtual ticket from its website. For the link to register and more information on how to use Zoom, visit: www.The-Braid.org

Award-winning screenwriter and producer Arlene Sarner will interview Copeland and Hepps and host The Braid's virtual event, which will also feature a dramatic presentation. "I'm very excited to explore the fascinating subject of genealogy for what promises to be a lively and informative session," says Sarner. "It seems as if discovering our roots and where we came from has become a great new pastime."

The Braid, best known for its original salon shows, always features a performance that relates to the subject of its Sunday morning series. On June 13, two of the Braid's favorite actors, Michael Naishtut and Rosie Moss, will perform Zayde's Legacy, written by Maureen Rubin and directed by Susan Morgenstern.

"I believe we're all curious about where we came from. With the wide availability of DNA testing and the work of genealogists like Libby and Tammy, we're finding some fascinating and often surprising answers," says Ronda Spinak, artistic director of The Braid.

The upcoming genealogy- and genetic-expert guests are the latest in a series of noteworthy speakers who have shared their knowledge with The Braid audiences. Previous guests include Rabbis Naomi Levy, Toba August, and Laura Geller; LA Superior Court Judges Renee Korn and Angela J. Davis; writers Rob Eshman, Angella Nazarian, Judy Zeidler, Amelia Saltsman, Maggie Anton, Gina Nahai, Esther Amini, Melanie Chartoff, and Jacqueline Saper; politicians Jackie Goldberg, Joy Picus, Alicia Weintraub, and Laura Friedman; costumer Debra McGuire; and numerous other artists, attorneys, composers, musicians, philanthropists, and movie and TV executives.

The Braid (formerly Jewish Women's Theatre) is the 2020 winner of The Argonaut's Best of the Westside's "Best Live Theatre Award" and The Santa Monica Daily Press award for "Most Loved" in the live theatre category. Its performances present inspiring Jewish stories, art, and other programming that highlight Jewish contributions to contemporary life. Now in its 13th (bat mitzvah) season, The Braid's salon theatre of original dramatic shows, each written to a specific theme, displays the diverse and eclectic community of writers, artists, and creators who celebrate Jewish life, one story at a time. Learn more about The Braid at: www.The-Braid.org

For virtual tickets to Sunday with The Braid, featuring Libby Copeland and Tammy Hepps and featuring a dramatic presentation, visit: www.The-Braid.org.

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