Ep 3. Jennifer Grey

Who Do You Think You Are? is a popular genealogy series that follows celebrities as they explore their family history and uncover their ancestry. In season 9 episode 3, actress Jennifer Grey embarks on a journey to learn more about her roots.

Grey is most famous for her starring role in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, which has become a cult classic and a beloved staple of 80s cinema. But as she delves into her family history, Grey discovers that her ancestors were anything but dancers and movie stars.

Grey begins her quest in New York City, where she meets with genealogist Joshua Taylor to start researching her family tree. The first piece of information they uncover is an obituary for Grey's great-grandfather, Isaac Katznelson. Isaac was a Russian Jew who immigrated to America in the early 1900s, and his death notice leads Grey and Taylor to explore the Jewish immigrant experience in America.

Next, Grey travels to Chicago to learn about her grandmother, who died when Grey was just a teenager. With the help of local historian Ellen Roth, Grey discovers that her grandmother was an activist who fought for worker's rights and social justice in the early 20th century. This revelation inspires Grey to explore her own community involvement and activism.

From there, Grey travels to Russia to uncover more about her family's past. She visits her great-grandparents' hometown, which is now a bustling city, and learns about the horrors her ancestors faced during the pogroms, a series of violent anti-Semitic riots that swept through Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Grey is emotional as she stands on the same ground that her great-grandparents once called home.

Grey's final stop is Israel, where she learns about her Jewish ancestry and meets with distant relatives who share stories and photos from her family's history. She also visits the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, where she is moved by the stories of the thousands of Jews who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Throughout her journey, Grey is struck by the resilience of her ancestors and the sacrifices they made to create a better life for their families. She also gains a deeper understanding of her own heritage and the importance of honoring and preserving family history.

Overall, season 9 episode 3 of Who Do You Think You Are? is a touching and informative exploration of Jennifer Grey's family history and ancestry. It's a beautiful reminder of the power of genealogy and the strength of the human spirit.