The Mystery of Alanis Morissette's Missing Family Members | Finding Your Roots | PBS

Official website: to.pbs.org/fyr10 | #FindingYourRoots
Alanis Morissette discusses her Hungarian Jewish heritage and learns about her grandfather's search for his lost brothers during the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust.
Alanis Morissette is one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians/artists in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise, 14 Canadian Juno Awards, 7 Grammy® Awards (with an additional 14 nominations), two Golden Globe nominations, a BRIT Award and sales of over 75 million albums worldwide. Her debut album JAGGED LITTLE PILL, was followed by nine more eclectic and critically acclaimed albums, all of which continue to influence and inspire fans and fellow artists alike. Her artistic impact can also be seen via “Jagged Little Pill, the Musical,” which made its Broadway debut in December 2019, was nominated for 15 Tony Awards, with 2 wins, and continues to tour globally.
This program is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station: www.pbs.org/donate
Subscribe to the PBS channel for more clips: / pbs
Enjoy full episodes of your favorite PBS shows anytime, anywhere with the free PBS App: to.pbs.org/2QbtzhR
FOLLOW US:
Facebook: / pbs
Twitter: / pbs
Instagram: / pbs
TikTok: / pbs
Shop: shop.pbs.org/
#AlanisMorissette #HenryLouisGates #PBS
About the series:
Renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. guides influential guests into their roots, uncovering deep secrets, hidden identities and lost ancestors. Using genealogical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis, Gates guides influential guests deep into the branches of their family trees, revealing surprising stories of forgotten ancestors that transcend borders, illuminating an American root system fortified by its diversity.

[@teresalegler2777]

This is why history must be taught in its entirety. We must learn the lessons of the past so as not replicate in the future.

[@olliverklozov2789]

One would think victims of this would not become the persecuters ...

[@peterchapman3740]

or they been their and are not going again ,grow up @@olliverklozov2789

[@missmishpot]

@@olliverklozov2789Your perception is confused and backwards. Victims of these atrocities refuse to let this happen to their people ever again.

[@Annissa-dv6kc]

But it doesn't stop them from perpetuating them and carrying them out on others. Victims become victimizers.🙏🕊

[@jonnym4670]

@@olliverklozov2789 according to the left being a victim or an abuser is a matter of skin tone

[@Creepcanroll]

My friend gave her a massage. She left a $500 tip. Pure class. She loved her.

[@nickl6715]

Jagged Little Pill was and is such a pillar of my development and musical taste. Rock on, Al.

[@masterfulsky]

happy ending?

[@Creepcanroll]

@@masterfulsky she wishes

[@Stylomagic]

My grandmohter and her three years older sister were sent to Kasachstan in the WW II when my grandmother was only five years old. Both were so called Russian Germans. Both girls survived typhoid fever and my grandmother married my grandfather when she was only 17 years old. She gave birth to eight children of whom one died immediately after birth. Seven survived. My mother is the only daughter of my grandmother. My grandmother passed away when she was only 58. She didn't witness that all of her children moved to Germany and live now here for over 30 years in the same town. Sadly one of my uncles passed away. But six siblings live here and they almost all have children and grandchildren. So because the little girl survived typhoid fever a lot of people could have a life, including me, for what I am very thankful! ❤❤ I love you granny!

[@Locomaid]

I knew two Hungarian holocaust survivors ( both brothers have now long passed). When they were rescued, they both weighed under 50 kilos (both more than 1 meter 85) and both had shrapnel in their bodies that could not be removed. They lost the entirety of their families. It was the first time I actually saw the number tatoos. The horrors they faced, losing wives, children, parents and siblings, is still unimaginable for me, even after 35 years. RIP Jakob and David

[@Lily_of_the_Forest]

I’m so sorry they didn’t survive. Never forget. Never repeat.

[@barbarabreunis7788]

It's still happening every day elsewhere in the world

[@gluonjck63]

Thank you for keeping this alive. We again live in dark times and history is repeating itself. I am Christian and the hate we see again is beyond my understanding.

[@sachielangel]

I didnt knew i have Jewish ancestry until recent (am 50 years now) My great grandmother (on my mother side: my mother her grandmother) was Jewish. And when i follow the paper trail, so far still existing, they came from East Prussia from the pale. They left before the pogroms (so far i can see based on the information) and survived ww2, But there is very little known about other relatives. DNA ancestry opens more up and i notice distance cousins more and more with Jewish ancestry are now coming in. Its quiet amazing. A new world opened up. I hope i do well enough in honoring my ancestors. I hope to write a small family history book about them for future generations to come. I speak and understand German, am from Holland myself, Feuerstein is literally Firestone...but can also be called Flintstone (not related to the cartoon series).

[@davidalbro2009]

Every time Alanis opens her mouth I fall in love with her again. Her words are like poetry.

[@TheRanaro]

I have a childhood friend who, like Alanis Morissette, did not even know he was Jewish. His grandparents were born in the same city as my grandparents - Lublin in Poland. His mother was born soon after the war in a DP camp. She kept their identity secret for the same reason as Morissette's parents did. It wasn't until much later that he and his siblings discovered that they were Jewish. PS: we both grew up in the same part of Queens, NY. I always had a gut feeling that he was Jewish though.

[@EllaBella-76]

@TheRanaro•My friend Male is Polish they lived right near or his Mum still does ,the Trauma to be honest she passed on ,if he did not eat she would say -See the Gas Chamber where my Family died ?The Grandma also she adored him but he was absolutely as an adult obsessed by his weight and controlling it I can relate the Grandma was half Russian .It was the male relatives that died only the Grandmother survived I don’t actually think they realised that by telling him so young somewhere really remote in Poland up in the Mountains he lived and I can safely say he seriously struggled with PTSD he would not accept that he had any problems until he told me this knowing I had gone through trauma the two off us did not make a great couple we had fun ,I really hope that he is happy and well ..Last time we spoke he was .It was just a person that I could not fix with a drink problem smoking etc ..He was a lovely guy..I hope he finds happiness or at least some peace

[@sifi699]

Amazing! I almost can't believe what I'm seeing. My family is Feuerstein, also from Hungary. My ancestors emigrated to Minnesota by the 1880s or so. My great-great grandfather Jacob Feuerstein was likely born in Abaújszántó Hungary. His brother Salaman/Soloman Shlomo Feuerstein stayed in Budapest, Hungary. When they came to the USA, they changed their name to Firestone from Feuerstein. I wonder if we might be cousins to Alanis...

[@RichardM1366]

She is a great lady!

[@matthew-jy5jp]

Pbs is our national treasure

[@looneygardener]

So is Skip

[@SharrenDabs]

thank you for showing your story! this is why history must be shared so we can understand the past, present and future.

[@debbeasher-k4764]

I’m glad you took this journey to share it with us.❤😢😮😊

[@Spooky_515]

Mmmmm

[@FreeArtsakh2024]

Dr. Gate and Alanis Morissette, my two favorite celebs in one table.👌

[@everythingman987]

Alanis is JEWISH? THAT IS SO AWESOME

[@MamaStyles]

And it’s happening again 😢not only my watch!

[@martyb6903]

Alanis is a gorgeous articulate individual, wish i could meet her one day

[@sandraspruill4831]

Wow. Thank You!!! ❤

[@sergeantmasson3669]

A former co-worker was a Hungarian immigrant that didn't know he was Jewish until later in his life also.

[@middleclassic]

I could watch that show for hours on end.

[@user-tu4ro8cu6d]

This is why we can't let any of this happen we can't let dictators take over the United or put anyone are all human being

[@johnbaldock6353]

No Words!😢

[@bayareableepers]

I think my family did the same and did so just after the turn of the century. They changed their last name and stopped practicing Judaism altogether. For some reason my grandmother, whose father was the first generation of my family to grow up in the US and to have changed their names, did not know anything about being Jewish, supposedly. An envelope for a letter she received as a child included a message in Hebrew so our assumption is that she knew Hebrew as a child but by 90 years old when we got DNA tests for me, my mom and my grandmother, being told she was of Jewish descent was a lot. She did not like it. We knew there was some anti-semitic feelings that she had but how that happened, I'm not sure. I've never been very attached to any religion but have always said that I would, if forced to choose a religion, likely choose Judaism. I never knew why. But it seems that perhaps something in me knew.

[@chickybluetherealone]

History of our past must be honored and is a force to always reckon.~

[@your-name-here.]

I ❤ her

[@vinzanity68]

Alanis has turned into a beautiful swan😮

[@enjoliturner4179]

Any time that I hear stories From times like the The Holocaust or things that are happening in North Korea or any horrific thing I am truly taken aback and dumbfounded. I cannot put into words the emotions that I feel, The outrage, the terror that i feel for others suffering and injustice. It is truly eye opening how Evil can live in humans. I could NEVER imagine treating another individual with hate, malice and distance. or think that they are somehow less of a person so need to be wiped off the the planet. my heart ache through the centuries for others.

[@igor79cz]

Every war leaves for life deep scars..u lose evrything and evryone u know

[@thrillcker68]

I hope she does a small scholarship every year. My daughter received scholarships. I learned so much from them in an evening

[@Ana-Maria-Sierra]

💔💔💔

[@albertmartenson3299]

Staying alert darling

[@Absurdist-or7tf]

It is amazing how far baby singing will take you.

[@teresakaminska5716]

Drohobycz was a Polish town, for centuries, and when her ancestors were born and living there, it was Poland but under Austrian occupation because since 1772 Russia, Austria, and Germany all took part in the partitions of Poland, which was dividing Poland's territory illegally and occupying it. I wish this show did a better job of presenting Eastern Europe's ever-changing geography and history than this.

[@Spooky_515]

Mmmmmm, mmmmm, MMMMMM

[@gracietilert8952]

Perhaps they were not as educated or aware of all of those historical facts as you are, and it is very generous of you to share it with everyone so we can all be enlightened.

[@markstevenson6635]

That would be a different program. And important.

[@natemansur]

I feel this is only snippets of the show and they do get more in depth with it. Though I do not feel what you wrote needs to be in as it is distracting from the point

[@Fastvoice]

@teresakaminska: The town you mention was indeed never part of Hungary and AFAIK also not mentioned as the birthplace of her ancestors in this video. So why did you bring it up?

[@Happy_HIbiscus]

"thank you"

[@heatherspence3848]

❤

[@tr051982]

She is aging very well seems like a very nice woman

[@rb239rtr]

The former US Secretary of State, Madelein Albright has the same history, her parents hid their jewish past from her.

[@daisy9910]

I found out I am a quarter Jewish in my late 40's.

[@Ontariosound]

Search was over years ago. Anthony Kiedis is her twin

[@grewntd]

Irony can be a devastating problem

[@TrulyJefferson]

Not as devastating as deliberate stupidity.

[@adamfstewart81]

Alanis to her kids: “You oughta know” 😐🕺

[@angharadswansea9343]

We must not stop telling people what happened. Sadly it hasn’t ended look at what’s happening in Gaza right now.

[@jimmyboy03052006]

you ought to know

[@ellenhenderson6865]

She seems wholly untouched by this.

[@beepboop204]

[@adamfrbs9259]

I just learned it was about Joey from Full House. Lol jeez, 30 years, had no idea.

[@richardb1791]

I don't know whether she is attractive or not. She has one of those faces. But her speaking voice and her demeanor are very attractive.

[@chasingsunsets87]

Whats frustrating about stories like this is that it wasnt just the jewish. Non jewish poles had the same experience.

[@ohana8535]

The vast majority were Jewish.

[@judycroteau482]

@@ohana8535Yeah like over 6 million Jews! So horrifying!

[@kerens8222]

Why they hid they are Jewish? Well it's 2024 and I think we can still understand why

[@threebuckshot]

My uncle was kidnapped

[@QueenRamones]

why does she look so different

[@jasonwilkerson9497]

It's called getting older, having children, post-pardum depression, spiritual crisis, trauma, middle age and still touring, and still looking great. I'd admire her from afar.

[@QueenRamones]

@@jasonwilkerson9497 🙄

[@bryanluis9445]

Wonder if they died in Stalingrad

[@JohnnyPunish]

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are religions. They are man-made constructs. They are choices. They are NOT DNA traits. Alannis is a European Canadian whose ancestors practiced Judaism. That does NOT automatically make her Jewish. Alannis was raised Catholic. What religion or faith she is today is NOT clear. It is a choice

[@jeffstevens4262]

Then why do you think she just identified herself as being Jewish? She may have been raised a Catholic but that was before she was made aware of her true family heritage.

[@JohnnyPunish]

@@jeffstevens4262RELIGION is a CHOICE; not a trait! It's a man made construct. Anyone can choose to convert to Jew, Christian, or Muslim. In other words, ONE is NOT born with a religion. It is passed down by culture NOT by genes. In the case of ANCIENT HEBREWS 5000 years ago, 95% of Palestinians DNA come from Ancient Hebrews. Why? Because they are from there. Over the centuries, many converted to Christian and Muslim. However, in the case of Alannis, it appears her ancestry comes from Europe. European Jewish DNA is NOT from the Middle East. It is European. Their DNA is generally from the Baltics area. It appears, like so many over the centuries, through military conquest, they are converted to Judaism from other religions around 1000 A.D. Thus Alannis has zero ancestry from the Ancient Hebrews. Claiming so is as big a narrative lie as "Christopher Columbus Discovered America". For Columbus, he discovered America for Europeans. There were over 100,000,000 natives in the Americas when Columbus first arrived on Hispanola. There were already in the Americas for about 20,000 years! These are facts proven by evidence and science. Now, please know that religious conversion through Military Conquest has happened all over the world. In fact, the MOORS controlled Spain for 800 years. They were Muslim. But in 1492, The Reconquista converted the population to Catholic. Study history and you'll find these human truths everywhere in every area of the world. So Alannis can choose her religion! That's FREEDOM! And her family ancestors are from Europe too! That's also true! She has every right to be proud of her heritage. And we, as historians, must be honest about it to the world. That's the right thing to do!

[@jeffstevens4262]

Of course, but the choice to follow a religion (or not to follow any religion) is purely down to the individual, but whoever you are, you cannot deny your own heritage.

[@Fred-vy1hm]

What are the odds that two of Canada's musical icons, Alanis Morissette and Geddy Lee of Rush, are both descendants of holocaust survivors? 🤔

[@mayam1141]

So most people are Jewish or Irish...😂

[@CGM_68]

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

[@joeharris3878]

Well ! Isn't that ironic ? I guess not .

[@virgiliustancu9293]

In 50 years: look what happened to your Palestinian ancestors....

[@dannys9811]

Do you not have to practice the jewish faith to be a jew

[@TonyKoji]

It is also an ethnicity.

[@williamjackson5942]

@dannys9811 No, it is an ethnicity as well as a religion.

[@dannys9811]

@@williamjackson5942 oke thank you i didn,t know that

[@theeffect3927]

I wish she hadn't froze her face, it makes it look like she has zero emotion on this.

[@JulianGonzalez1974]

Knowing this about her own family, I wonder if she is speaking out against Hamas and its reign of terror on her Jewish ancestors?

[@tothelighthouse9843]

Additionally, there are many Jews speaking out both against the terrorism perpetrated by Hamas & the mass atrocities being committed by the state of Israel against the people of Gaza. Alanis may be one of those courageous people.

[@Big_Perm]

Ironic. Don't you think?

[@black4460]

You’re not born in to a religion. You practice the religion and then become it…. So you’re only Jewish if you follow it.

[@briandeschene8424]

Yes if you define an identity by your current choice to observe it or not, you are correct. But blood lineage is what it is and cannot be changed. If you are born of Catholics, it is accurate to forever be known as a Catholic or Christian from that sense even if you choose to practice Judaism as your religion. Do not people born in America who are of Italian ancestry still identify themselves as being Italian? In this case they speak of their lineage and not their nation. Reminder: nations are relatively recent inventions in human existence. Many peoples trace their lineage prior to the invention of nations so they identify as being part of a lineage: Jewish, Gypsy, Persian. Some also equate to specific religions, others do not. Human history and personal identity are not so easily categorized throughout history.

[@jillconnelly8206]

This was well worded ​@briandeschene8424

[@Cheznrice]

How can you be Jewish and not know? I was born from a Catholic mother, but I'm not Catholic. I'm a Buddhist because that's the religion I have chosen to follow. If she didn't grow up practicing the Jewish religion, I would think she's not Jewish unless she chooses to be. I really don't understand that concept.

[@ethanmckinney203]

You really don't understand the concept. "Jewish" is both an ethnicity and a religion. Lots of people identify as Jewish atheists.

[@briandeschene8424]

It is the difference between blood lineage (i.e.: sometimes called ethnicity) and religious observance (i.e.: religion). I, like you, was born of Catholics so it will always be technically correct to describe me as being Catholic or Christian when speaking of my lineage. But I have chosen to live my life as a Jew as far as religious observance. Likewise, I am of French ancestry so you could say I am French that way but I am actually Canadian (like Morisette) if you speak of my national identity.

[@judycroteau482]

@@ethanmckinney203I came here to say the same thing.

[@Itzpapalotl.]

Supposedly because on my ancestry test, it turns out that I am Sephardic Jew.

[@IbraTsory]

free Palestine

[@jeffstevens4262]

From Hamas, yes.

[@Spooky_515]

I’m half Jewish and so sick of the victim story’s. I wont be defined by the past. I will tell my own story. Time to move on.

[@MalissiaCreates]

I’m Native American and my people went through a genocide but I can’t live in that. My grandfather and his 2 brothers were all that was left of their whole tribe and I honor my ancestors by living my best life now and not being a victim and embracing a full prosperous life in joy. But I know not everyone chooses that.

[@FreeArtsakh2024]

​@@MalissiaCreates I'm sorry 😞

[@MalissiaCreates]

@@FreeArtsakh2024 aww thank you, that was kind. 😌 blessings to you and you family

[@FreeArtsakh2024]

@galefromwaterdeep and that happened to us Armenians.

[@hustlecrowe9440]

Then stop claiming to be "half Jewish" - its a religion not an ethnicity, no one is "part Jewish."

[@user-he3yt1zn2l]

When someones career is downhill, they come up with full of BS. People still believe in the biggest lie. So pathetic.....

[@1sandinista]

Sounds like what she is describing is what Israelí soldiers are doing to Palestinian families in Gaza.

[@owenh.2265]

No, what is happening to Gaza families is what happened to German and Japanese families when their leaders started wars they couldn't win.

[@electricchef686]

now we know the source of her painfully annoying voice 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@daemondread380]

It's like looking into the face of a horse.