A Noble Heritage
Availability and Purchase Information
A Noble Heritage: The History and Legacy of the Polonsky and Paull Family in America is a richly illustrated and meticulously documented work that traces the rediscovery of a lost noble Jewish lineage across generations and continents. Drawing on archival research, family records, and genetic genealogy, the book weaves personal history into a broader narrative of Jewish identity, memory, and inheritance in America.
The book is currently available in two hardcover print editions: a Full Color Edition and a Black & White Edition. Each copy includes a personalized note from the author, making every volume a distinctive keepsake.
As the project approaches the end of its current limited print run, copies of A Noble Heritage remain available and may be ordered directly from this page for a limited time.
Readers who wish to stay informed about edition availability, potential future printings, or related announcements are invited to join my Noble Heritage Readers’ Circle. To do so, please use the contact form and indicate your interest in receiving updates for A Noble Heritage.
A Noble Heritage — The History and Legacy of the Polonsky and Paull Family in America
This superbly researched family history invites readers on a compelling journey of discovery, as Dr. Jeffrey Mark Paull recounts the story of a family of ancient and noble Jewish descent spanning more than a millennium of European and Russian history. With compelling narrative skill and keen historical insight, he re-creates the remarkable rediscovery of the Polonsky family’s lost heritage, tracing its origins to the renowned medieval rabbi and biblical commentator, Rashi, and onward through a vast network of illustrious rabbinical families.
Guided by deep respect for those who came before, Dr. Paull follows his ancestors’ centuries-long passage across Europe, culminating in their immigration to America from Czarist Russia. He brings to life their courage and determination, their assimilation into American culture and society, and their enduring devotion to their new country. Interwoven family biographies form a rich narrative spanning six generations of the Polonsky family in America.
More than a personal family chronicle, A Noble Heritage is a work of historical reconstruction shaped by a profound search for Jewish identity, spiritual meaning, and ancestral truth. Through meticulous archival research and the pioneering use of genetic genealogy, Dr. Paull restores a lost lineage and reconnects a far-flung contemporary extended family, forging a living bridge between past and present.
A Noble Heritage also serves as both a guide and an inspiration for others seeking to explore their own family histories, illustrating how genealogical discovery can reconnect modern American Jews to their cultural and historical heritage in enduring and transformative ways.
Beautifully illustrated and meticulously documented, A Noble Heritage is a moving and authoritative account of a family’s journey from the Old World to the New — a truly American story of enduring and universal resonance.
Selected Reviews
Scholarly Reviews
In this major contribution to Jewish family history, Dr. Jeffrey Mark Paull records the origins, tribulations, and achievements of his branch of an ancient pan-European family — one that found itself in the Russian Empire in the late eighteenth century and ultimately became deeply rooted in the United States, where it flourished and multiplied. He traces both the family’s distinguished ancestry and its more recent history with evident pride and deep humanity. It gives me great pleasure to offer this approbation for an outstanding study of a cousinly line.
— Dr. Edward Gelles
Genealogist and author of An Ancient Lineage: European Roots of a Jewish Family
This is a most impressive piece of work. This well-researched and fascinating account of the history of the Polonsky and Paull families will be of enormous value to all those interested in Jewish history and genealogy.
— Dr. Antony Polonsky
Albert Abramson Professor of Holocaust Studies at Brandeis University
Reader Reviews
Fantastic historical research & written beautifully!! This book was obviously a labor of love and is such an interesting read about the history of a Jewish family's roots and connections to ancient, renowned rabbis and scholars.
— NYCGirlinOz (Amazon Verified Purchase)
A true labor of love. I'm incredibly impressed with the author's research about his extended family, and I LOVE the many wonderful photos. Even though I have no connection whatsoever to the author, I found the write-up to be quite interesting.
— A voracious reader (Amazon Verified Purchase)
Science, history, detective work, human drama. This isn’t just a book about one family — it’s about the universal experience of discovering where we come from. The author combines rigorous genealogy with heartfelt storytelling. “Those who do not look upon themselves as a link… do not perform their duty to the world.”
— Anonymous (Amazon Verified Purchase)
What a rich family history! This book opened doors I didn’t know existed in my family’s quest to find our lost relatives. Through a DNA test, we discovered our Jewish roots and met with our local Rabbi. The book is well organized and richly written. A treasure for those who share — and will share — their family stories.
— Annette Carson (Amazon Verified Purchase)