Harry Boonin majored in Russian in college, but it “wasn’t very important to me,” he said. Then he went to law school and became a lawyer, but he didn’t love practicing law.

Finally, in 1977 at age 40, he saw a book on the table at his mother’s house in Trenton called “Finding Our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy,” by Dan Rottenberg. Boonin took the book, drove home with his wife Ruth and their kids, put the kids to bed and started reading. He read until 3 a.m. — then woke up early the next morning to read some more.

He hasn’t stopped since.

Today, Boonin, who lives in Warrington and is a member of Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, is a Jewish genealogist. He founded the Jewish Genealogical and Archival Society of Greater Philadelphia in 1979 and grew it to include more than 400 members. He has written four books, including one about “The Jewish Quarter of Philadelphia,” and 250 scholarly articles. And in August, he received a lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies at its virtual conference.

“He was recognized for his pioneering role and over four decades of leadership, scholarship and mentorship in Jewish genealogy,” according to a news release.

“It’s much more important than the law,”…