Gary Mokotoff

Gary Mokotoff was a prominent American author, lecturer, and researcher in the field of history, with a specialization in Jewish genealogy. Born on April 26, 1937, he dedicated his career to exploring and preserving Jewish heritage. As a leading figure in his field, Mokotoff served as the publisher of AVOTAYNU, a renowned international review of Jewish genealogy, and held the position of president at the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS).

Mokotoff's contributions to Jewish genealogy are numerous and significant. He developed the JewishGen's Jewish Genealogical Family Finder and the Jewish Genealogical People Finder, invaluable resources for researchers. Additionally, he co-authored the Daitch–Mokotoff Soundex system, a phonetic coding system used to identify similar-sounding surnames. Mokotoff also co-authored "Where We Once Walked: A Guide to the Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust," a comprehensive guide that sheds light on the history of Jewish communities lost during the Holocaust. He passed away on August 31, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking work in the field of Jewish genealogy.