Rachel S. Silverman

Rachel S. Silverman is a professional genealogist specializing in Jewish family research, with over 20 years of experience.12 She currently serves as the Senior Genealogist for Operation Benjamin, a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and correcting cases where American Jewish soldiers from World War II were mistakenly buried under Latin Cross headstones instead of Stars of David.12

Expertise and Background

Rachel specializes in Jewish genealogy in North America and Eastern Europe, including areas that were formerly part of the Russian Pale of Settlement, Congress Poland, the Austrian Empire, and the German Empire.1 Her expertise covers modern-day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany.1

Some key aspects of Rachel's background include:

• Advanced skills in using online and technological resources for genealogical research1
• Ability to read and interpret Hebrew headstones and Yiddish signatures2
• Formal training in multiple languages, including German, Czech, French, Spanish, and Latin, which she applies to her research1
• A Bachelor's Degree (Magna cum Laude) from New York University1

Role at Operation Benjamin

As Senior Genealogist for Operation Benjamin since 2017, Rachel conducts thorough research to document that soldiers lived, fought, and died as Jews, using government files and other public resources.3 Her work supports the organization's mission to correct historical mistakes and ensure these soldiers are buried under the correct religious markers.13

Rachel has presented Operation Benjamin's work on various platforms, including JewishGen Talks and multiple Jewish genealogical societies.1 She has been involved in numerous cases where headstones were successfully changed to reflect the soldiers' Jewish heritage.3

Rachel is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Jewish Genealogical Society of New York.1 She resides in lower Manhattan and continues to contribute her expertise to honoring the memories of Jewish American soldiers through her work with Operation Benjamin.12