On the front page of Global Family Reunion, A.J. Jacobs is pictured with cousins President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, John Legend and Daniel Radcliffe. The author is inviting anyone and everyone to join him June 6 for a worldwide family reunion. People can find out how they are related to famous people and infamous people, and the benefits all go to charity, especially to one dedicated to curing Alzheimer's.
In a column for the New York Times, Jacobs wrote that in 2014, he received an email from a stranger named Jules Feldman who lives on a kibbutz in Israel and had read one of Jacobs' books.
We have in our database about 80,000 relatives of yours," Feldman wrote in the email. "You are an eighth cousin of my wife who, in my opinion, is a fine lady.
Jacobs said he was both confounded and comforted.
There I was, alone in my office, connected to 80,000 other humans," Jacobs wrote for the New York Times. "In a world where extended families lose touch as they spread across time zones, this seemed remarkable.
Instead of being content with 80,000 relatives, Jacobs used WikiTree, Geni and other genealogy websites to find that he has 77 million relatives. That led to his decision to throw the world's largest family reunion in the New York Hall of Science on the Worlds Fair Grounds, where he is hoping to have Sister Sledge sing We Are Family, an appearance by Morgan Spurlock of "Supersize Me" fame, presentations by famous scientists and celebrities (remember hes related to Daniel Radcliffe), music, comedy by Nick Kroll, games, interactive exhibits and food.
Jacobs said the reunion is a huge undertaking and a massive task with plenty of pitfalls. But the goals he and his collaborators have in mind are uniting people and helping them learn their history.
I know this sounds idealistic, but my collaborators and I believe it might make the world a kinder place," Jacobs said. "Yes, families dont always get along But overall, humans are biased to treat family members with more consideration.
In a column for the New York Times, Jacobs wrote that in 2014, he received an email from a stranger named Jules Feldman who lives on a kibbutz in Israel and had read one of Jacobs' books.
We have in our database about 80,000 relatives of yours," Feldman wrote in the email. "You are an eighth cousin of my wife who, in my opinion, is a fine lady.
Jacobs said he was both confounded and comforted.
There I was, alone in my office, connected to 80,000 other humans," Jacobs wrote for the New York Times. "In a world where extended families lose touch as they spread across time zones, this seemed remarkable.
Instead of being content with 80,000 relatives, Jacobs used WikiTree, Geni and other genealogy websites to find that he has 77 million relatives. That led to his decision to throw the world's largest family reunion in the New York Hall of Science on the Worlds Fair Grounds, where he is hoping to have Sister Sledge sing We Are Family, an appearance by Morgan Spurlock of "Supersize Me" fame, presentations by famous scientists and celebrities (remember hes related to Daniel Radcliffe), music, comedy by Nick Kroll, games, interactive exhibits and food.
Jacobs said the reunion is a huge undertaking and a massive task with plenty of pitfalls. But the goals he and his collaborators have in mind are uniting people and helping them learn their history.
I know this sounds idealistic, but my collaborators and I believe it might make the world a kinder place," Jacobs said. "Yes, families dont always get along But overall, humans are biased to treat family members with more consideration.
