Finding Your Roots

Our People Our Traditions

Learn about the ancestors of three celebrated Americans who not only share a Jewish heritage but also history of perseverance. Tony Kushner delves into the history of the Holocaust to discover his ancestors’ fate; Carole King confronts the discrimination her ancestors faced in America; and Alan Dershowitz finds out that the first Hassidic synagogue in Brooklyn played a secret role in WWII.

Aarón Sánchez's Revolutionary Roots

2m 44s

Chef Aarón Sánchez learns how his great-great-grandfather Rafael, who was once the wealthiest cattle owners in Northern Mexico, fled north to the United States among more than 890,000 Mexicans to avoid the revolution.

Previews + Extras

  • Our People, Our Traditions Promo: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Our People, Our Traditions Promo

    S2 E7 - 33s

    Alan Dershowitz, Carole King and Tony Kushner are three celebrated Americans who share not only a Jewish heritage, but also a history of perseverance in the face of withering opposition.

  • Tony Kushner's Mysterious Brooklyn Roots: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Tony Kushner's Mysterious Brooklyn Roots

    S2 E7 - 2m 11s

    Playwright Tony Kushner discovers that his Great-Grandmother, Cecelia Kushner, immigrated from Russia to Brooklyn eight years after her son, Tony's Grandfather, settled in Louisiana.

  • Carole King's Ancestral Immigration Story: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Carole King's Ancestral Immigration Story

    S2 E7 - 2m 26s

    Prized Singer-Songwriter Carole King uncovers a mysterious element in her family's immigration story -- thanks in full to the kindness of a mysterious helper, Carole King's Polish grandparents were able to gain entry to the United States.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.