Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love

Confirmation bias is a term used in the field of psychology. It refers to the process by which the mind seeks to confirm what it already believes. Shapiro spent her life ignoring the signs that she was not her father’s daughter. Comments about not looking Jewish did not shake her sense of self, nor did learning she was conceived by artificial insemination. She held on to her beliefs, even when presented with contradictory evidence.

The term halacha refers to Jewish law. Shapiro worries about the religious implications of not being Paul’s biological daughter, but Rabbi Lookstein and Shirley set her mind at ease.

The Hebrew word hineni translates as “here I am.” Shapiro ends her memoir by silently calling these words to her father.

L’odor vador, meaning “from generation to generation,” is a fundamental tenet of Judaism. The words emphasize family legacy. Shapiro uses them to describe her powerful connection to her ancestors, who not only serve as her compass, but also inspire her writing.

Neshama is a Hebrew word that translate as wind or breath. Neshama is ephemeral. It disappears whenever one tries to capture it. Shapiro uses the term to describe her father’s presence, which manifests itself as chills running down the length of her body.

Pru u’rvu—which means be fruitful and multiply—are God’s first words to Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis. Shapiro once took comfort and pleasure in knowing that her son Jacob was her father Paul’s biological descendent. Learning the truth about her parentage leaves her devastated and heartbroken for her father. However, according to Rabbi Lookstein, Paul would have seen the fertility treatments as a fulfillment of pru u’rvu.

A shul is a synagogue. Some of Shapiro’s most poignant memories of her father take place in shul, where they prayed together and connected through Jewish rituals.