The Matza Family Reunion

I went to a family reunion last weekend. The Matza family are Greek Jews from the town of Iaonnina, the same town where my paternal grandfather’s family is from. They are called Romaniote Jews – different from the more well known Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. The Romaniote have been in Greece for over 2000 years. The Jews who came to Greece after the 1492 expulsion from Spain formed a separate Sephardic community. Where my family fits into either of these communities, I have no idea. I started a few Facebook groups to try to find relatives from my Greek side, as they’re such a minority within a minority and I know nothing about their background. I was raised a bagel and lox eating Ashkenazi Jew, sprinkling my English with the Yiddishisms from my maternal grandparents. My father died eighteen years ago, and since he lost touch with most of his Greek side, it got even harder to find them after he died.

But slowly, I’m meeting some relatives; and recently, Rhonda Matza found me on Facebook and invited me to her family reunion. Chances are, we’re not related. Though it's quite possible that our families in Greece married each other at some point as it seems like there wasn't a whole lot of Jews to choose from in Iaonnina. From what I hear, we have some cousins who married each other… thankfully, I wasn’t born with any noticeable genetic mutations. Everyone has a wagging tail at the end of their spinal column, right?

I met some great people at the reunion, and although we’re still piecing together the family tree on Geni.com, Rhonda introduced me as “adopted family” and made me feel welcome. I had delicious homemade baklava and they invited me to take part in the family reunion picture. My family never had reunions. I always thought it was so cool when I heard from friends who went to them. I’d love to put one together one day. But in the meantime my suggestion to all of you is start “family reunion crashing.” It's well worth it. And, if you go back far enough, aren't we all related at some point, anyway?

Barbara, age 92.



Sarah, age 91.



Orie and Evie, married for 44 years.



Orie and Evie, married for 44 years.