From shtetl to Los Angeles - a joyful reunion

Our families have been talking about reunions for several years, but we just can't seem to get it together. Procrastination would seem to be genetic in both the Talalay and Dardashti lines.

Luckily, the Blackman (Blachman) and Zverow families are not as challenged as we are, and a crowd of them gathered in Los Angeles for a family weekend, as detailed here.

Some 95 relatives, running the age gamut from 4 to 93, came from all over to participate. The impetus was the celebration of the 90th birthdays of the two main organizers' mothers, and the event became more than a plain old birthday party.

A committee of eight cousins recruited others for projects.

All their efforts culminated in the “First International B-Z Reunion” of the Blackman and Zverow families, Aug. 24 to 26. In addition to the social events, organizers put together a family “Memories” book and family tree, and interviewed participants for a DVD.

The weekend of activities included interviews, research and tracing their tree back to the 1700s.