Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog

Michigan: Capt. Ocskay film, Nov. 22

2009-11-10T08:00:00.004+02:00

Three great programs were scheduled by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan this month, kicking off with the innovative Steve Morse, then author Steve Luxenberg ("Annie's Ghost") made an appearance.

The next program - on Sunday, November 22 - is a screening of the film, "Captain Ocskay, The Forgotten Hero."

The film centers on Captain Ocskay who saved 2,000 Jews in 1944-45.

Following the film, JGSMI past president John Kovacs will relate his personal experiences escaping deportation from Miskolc to Auschwitz.

The program runs from 11am-2pm at the Holocaust Memorial Center, Farmington Hills.

Admission: JGSMI members, free; others, $5.

Please RSVP on the JGSMIwebsite .

Florida: Palm Beach County education program, Nov. 19

2009-11-09T08:00:00.004+02:00

Naturalization and how to obtain documents is the topic at the Jewish Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County on Thursday, November 19.

The venue is the South County Civic Center in Delray Beach, and the day begins at 11.30am with Galicia and Hungary SIG sessions, a 12.30pm Brick Wall session, and a 1pm business meeting, followed by JewishGen education vice president Phyllis Kramer's presentation.

FEE: Non-member guests--$5 (guest fee may be applied toward membership dues)

Kramer will demonstrate how to find and use naturalization records for family research. She teaches a quarterly JewishGen online genealogy course and frequently lectures at International genealogy conferences.

She also runs the monthly meeting Brick Wall Q&A sessions. Kramer taught a beginner’s genealogy course at last winter's JGSPBCI Mini Conference, and will again speak at this year's Mini-Conference set for December 9 at the JCC in Boca Raton.

Submit Brick Wall session questions in advance; click here for information on special interest groups. For program information, contact Tracing the Tribe's good friends Sylvia Nusinov or Marilyn Newman.

Fee: Members, free; others, $5 (which may be applied towards membership).

San Francisco: DNA at the Bay, Nov. 15

2009-11-08T09:35:00.010+02:00

"Using DNA for Genealogy" is the topic at the next meeting of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS) on Sunday, November 15.

The program runs from 12.30-3pm at the Jewish Community High School in San Francisco.

Speaker Dave Howard, whom I know from my annual visits to northern California, will demystify using DNA for genealogical purposes. He'll present simple, clear answers to your DNA questions; which company, the costs, understanding results, matching results with major databases and how to deal with your genetic matches.

Dave will explain it all in simple terms, not scientific jargon. Bring your questions.

He's not a scientist, but a retired tax lawyer/CPA who used to develop tax strategies for large multinational corporations and had to explain those strategies in simple terms to corporate officers.

An SFBAJGS board member, Dave holds BS, MPA and JD degrees and has - for more than 30 years - been the FamilyTreeDNA.com Group Administrator for the Jewish_Q group and the Horowitz Surname project for more than three years.

Don't miss this meeting if you want to learn more about DNA genetic genealogy. If you go, make sure to ask hDave about the Jewish Q group - that should be a meeting all on its own!

Los Angeles: Ostrich feather mystery, Nov. 17

2009-11-08T08:05:00.002+02:00

Learn about the ostrich feather mystery at the next meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles, on Tuesday, November 17, in Santa Monica.

The session begins at 7.30pm, at Sha'arei Am Santa Monica Synagogue, as Israeli author Miriam Romm discusses her new book,"Ostrich Feathers: A Holocaust Mystery." A book sale and signing will follow.

Romm was eight years old when a neighbor's careless remark changed her world, when she learned her father was not biological but adoptive. A yearning to know the truth about her life began, not until she was a grandmother did she find time to look into her past.

For 10 years, she's been conducting genealogical research, and has traveled the globe pursuing the fragile chain of information that might lead her back to her biological father who had disappeared during the Holocaust. Romm's research has culminated cin her narrative non-fiction book, "Ostrich Feathers."

From the USHMM and Yad Vashem to archives in Poland and Slovakia, following ghostly tracks and fragments of memory she painstakingly arranged the pieces of her life's puzzle until they formed a coherent picture.

The book is an English translation of her critically acclaimed Hebrew novel, Notzat Yaen (2007).

Romm holds an engineering degree from The Technion (Haifa) and worked in marketing for many years. She's married to an Israeli Air Force pilot and diplomat, and volunteers with and initiates Jewish commemoration projects in Israel and Poland.

For more information and directions, visit the JGSLA website, go to our website.

Museum of Family History: What's new?

2009-11-08T07:00:00.000+02:00

The Museum of Family History has three new November exhibits.

-- Paint What You Remember: The Memories of Mayer Kirshenblatt of Opatów, Poland

Mayer Kirshenblatt left his hometown of Opatów (Apt), Poland in 1934 at age 17 for a new life in Canada. He brought along some physical possessions, but also a storehouse of memories that he would carry with him for many decades.

Thanks to his daughter, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett (Core Exhibition Development Team leader for the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw) and his wife - both urged him to paint what he remembered -Mayer began painting in 1990. He has created more than 300 paintings, each one a memory of life in his hometown, where thousands of Jews once lived.

Barbara allowed Steve to create an exhibit of her father's work. In this exhibit and a second one, hear Mayer's voice and see dozens of his acrylic-on-canvas works dealing with his family life and Jewish communal life in the 1920s-30s. See his works and listen to him speak on nearly 20 audio clips.

Mayer says that "every Jewish town is the same," so perhaps, writes Steve, we wouldn't be taking liberties to imagine that our families, our European ancestors in a town populated by thousands of Jews, might have lived just like this.

This is a good incentive for viewers to draw or paint their own childhood memories in Europe, the US or elsewhere. Record them on paper or canvas and also audio record the stories for your children and grandchildren.

The first exhibition is here (many audio clips and three video clips); the second exhibition is now part of a larger "Shabbat and the Jewish Holidays exhibit, with his paintings and comments.

-- A Multitude of Immigrants: American Newspapers and How They Addressed the Immigration Issue

This is a series of eight articles from three New York City newspapers published 1891-1910 -The New York Daily Tribune, The Sun and The World. Immigration to the US was extremely high during this period. Politicians and the public were split on what US policy should be toward immigrants, especially the uneducated and unskilled, and not wanting immigrants to become "pauperized." What kinds of restrictions should be imposed, not just on Jewish immigration, but on other nationalities?

-- 250 Years in America

1905 was considered the 250th anniversary of the first Jewish settlers in the US in 1655. Read three articles discussing the contributions of Jews to the US. One is specific to Jewish contribution to New York, while another considers the future of Judaism.

The Museum now has an archive of some 60 historic newspaper articles. Each listing on this web page is linked to an exhibit. Take a look and find articles of interest, arranged by exhibit. Many articles have been added since last month. Most were published 1880-1910, important years for Jewish immigration, pogroms, and other events. Reading them can be a learning experience.

Steve Lasky does a great job in frequently posting new, interesting material. Readers may want to check-in every few days. An even better way is to go to his blog and sign up for alerts via email or RSS.

At the Philly 2009 conference, Steve asked me how he could let people know about the online Museum of Family History and my immediate response was that he set up a blog. His next question was "how?" We sat for a few sessions at a table on the main conference floor and managed to do most of it. I thank Steve for his kind words about helping him to accomplish this, as I am a firm believer in passing on knowledge and assistance to those who deserve and appreciate it.

For more information about his museum, contact Steve.

France: Issue 99, Revue du Cercle de Genealogie Juive

2009-11-07T09:21:00.011+02:00

The newest issue of Revue du Cercle de Genealogie Juive (Paris, France) is available.

Issue 99 contains the following articles:

-- The descendants of Raphael Vorms from Bionville (Moselle).

Louis Vorms and Guy Worms, descendants of Raphael Vorms (d. 1763) and his two sons Hayman and Salomon, trace the family. The article offers copies of the documents used to accomplish their research.

-- How to find and obtain vital records in Poland and Galicia.

Basile Ginger and Daniel Vangheluwe provide a step-by-step "how-to" manual for genealogists in France who speak no Polish, but some English. This articles updates the chapter on Poland in the Guide pratique de genealogie juive en France et à l'etranger, by Ginger, which was published by the Society. New accessibility of catalogues and databases online make it easy now to obtain many documents.

-- Vital records from Constantine (Algeria) 1843-1895.

Fernand Deray announces the completion of his project which indexes all existing vital records of the Departement Constantine, one of three Algerian administration areas. The source is the "CAOM-Centre des Archives d'Outre-Mer" in Aix-en-Provence. His work, with some 15,000 entries, is searchable on on the society's website. with full access in the Members' Corner.

-- Algerian Jewish assimilation after the Cremieux Decree.

Joëlle Allouche-Benayoun provides a description of the life, culture, religious and social practice of the Algerian Jews after the 1870 Cremieux Decree transformed "natives" into full-fledged French nationals. The assimilation process is shown over more than a century, compiled from a massive bibliography.

-- Hebrew monograms.

Eliane Roos-Schuhl focuses on the Hebrew monogram (lamed peh quf) on Mordechai (Simon II) Marx's headstone (i.e. a graphical arrangement combining the three characters in one elegant composition). The set of characters indicates that the date following is 770 and not 5770 for the complete Hebrew year.

--ASF rehabilitates the Jewish cemetery in Crehange (Moselle).

Pascal Faustini details work by young Germans, Poles and Russians from ASF - Aktion Suehnezeichen Friedensdienste - who, during the summers of 2007-2009, restored the Jewish cemetery in Crehange (Moselle). They were guided by two staff members of the Brussels Jewish Museum.

-- The 19th century registers of the Nuremberg commercial school.

Francoise Lyon-Caen writes about the registers (1809-1905) of a Nuremberg school that can be a genealogical source.

For information on the society, how to join or to obtain the new issue (or previous issues), send an email or see the society's website. The website is in English and French versions.

Technology: Breeding isolation or interaction?

2009-11-07T09:00:00.002+02:00

For several years, cyberspace has been full of articles indicating that technology makes us into social hermits sitting at home in pajamas and losing contact with the outside world, and that the cause is the Internet and cellphones.

Tracing the Tribe has seen cartoons of people physically sitting around a table and communicating via texting on their cellphones, instead of audibly talking to each other.

The New York Times technology column "Bits" has a story by Stefanie Olsen on a new study that shows just the opposite.

Writes Olsen:

Hundreds of daily updates come from friends on Facebook and Twitter, but do people actually feel closer to each other?

It turns out the size of the average American’s social circle is smaller today than 20 years ago, as measured by the number of self-reported confidants in a person’s life. Yet contrary to popular opinion, use of cellphones and the Internet is not to blame, according to a new study released Wednesday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

The study interviewed via phone 2,512 adults living in the continental US in July and August 2008 and discovered:

Those who regularly use digital technologies are more social than the average American.

They are more likely to visit parks and cafes and volunteer for local organizations.

Cellphone users' circle of close friends is 12 percent bigger than for nonusers.

Those who share online photos or instant messages have social circles 9 percent larger than nonusers.

Americans’ social networks are becoming less diverse (fewer people from different backgrounds).

Social circles of cellphone and and instant-message users were more diverse than nonusers.

Face-to-face communication remained the preferred method.

On average, people see loved ones in person 210 days/year, and were in touch via cellphone 195 days/year.

Those who use social networks are 30% less likely to know their neighbors and 26% less likely to provide them companionship.

From the report itself, I pulled these stats:

Mobile phone use replaced landline phones as the most frequent form of communication – 195 days per year.

Text messaging tied the landline phone as the third most popular contact method between close ties – 125 days/year.

71% of all social networking service members have at least one member of their core network as a “friend” on a social network.

Cellphone users, frequent Internet users at work and bloggers are more likely to belong to a local voluntary group, such as a neighborhood association, sports league, youth group, church or social club.

Bloggers are 61% more likely to visit a public park than Internet users who do not maintain a blog, or about 2.3 times more likely than non-Internet users.

I love that last one. I wish I had more time to go to the park! Maybe their parks have Wi-Fi? Mine doesn't.

The questions asked (see the 97 questions here and the results for each) were supposed to get at the relationship between social isolation in America and use of digital technologies. The study also wanted to change earlier research suggesting that technology caused people to become socially disconnected.

The 2006 study indicated that people saying they had no one to confide in had almost tripled from 1985-2004, but the new study showed that only 6 percent of the American population felt that way, not a significant change over the past 25 years.

Read the complete story at the NYT link above, as well as the complete study at that link.

Modern trees: Designing your family

2009-11-06T14:00:00.001+02:00

Ever look at what's available for family tree art?

There are an infinite number of companies offering different styles, sizes, colors. Many are traditional. But if you are looking for something different, here they are.

Tracing the Tribe can see these as delightful baby gifts and for any gift-giving occasion. All items in this post are very contemporary designs from Jen O'Neill, who lives in Vermont.

This tip comes from my daughter in New York who found "My Tree and Me" noted on DesignerSpongeOnline.com, a site launched in 2004, dedicated to home and product design run by Grace Bonney, of Brooklyn, New York. DSO covers student design, national and international design shows, and is updated 6-10 times a day. Find interesting store and product reviews, videos, podcasts and trend forecasting. If you are into design, or know someone who is, let them know about DSO.

Reviewed on DSO, Jen's site, My Tree and Me, provides very modern family trees.

She became interested in family history when her first child was born.

As a new mother, it felt incredible to take my place in the long line of mothers who had come before me. And in the more challenging moments, it was comforting to think that all of these generations of parents had raised children, day-by-day, year-by-year, through the highs and lows, and they made it through! I didn’t want to lose that sense of connection. By graphically interpreting our history, our family tree serves as an emotional reminder that we always have the wisdom, humor, and experience of generations to draw upon.

She hopes that in creating these modern charts, "your history and your connections will serve as a very personal form of art on your walls—one that inspires curiosity, reminiscing, and storytelling. " Jen also donates a portion of profits to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Charts come in various sizes and colorways, and can be customized for specific occasions, such as birthday or wedding date. Depending on the style selected, some can be customized to feature siblings, while others have room for only one name at the top of the tree.

Read Jen's site carefully to understand about ordering and creation of custom charts - which take about 2-3 weeks.

NewspaperArchive.com: Now access it for less

2009-11-06T13:10:00.015+02:00

If you are a member of GenealogyWise - part of World Vital Records - you can receive a 40% discount from the regular annual cost of a NewspaperArchive.com subscription.

Billed as the world's largest online newspaper archive, it claims more than 95 million pages, from 1759-present. Find historical articles, obituaries, social announcements, historic advertisements and much more.

Tracing the Tribe has been very successful using NewspaperArchive.com in my search for relatives, and was able to construct a very detailed picture of our TOLLIN family in Chester, Pennsylvania, as well as fascinating articles about members of our DARDASHTI family. There were items among those billions of pages that I would never have discovered as easily.

Access all the resources and tools for the special price of $71.88 ($5.99/month), instead of $119.88 ($9.99/month).

The site also has a semi-annual subscription that breaks down to $11.99/month, as well as a monthly-only rate of $17.88 (which might be useful for a specific project or paper).

Memberships offer all the bells and whistles, including search tools to help members find exactly what you are looking for. You'll have the ability to view, save and print what you find. In addition, you can organize your discoveries and share them. Other free features include:

-- E-mail alerts for archive updates and learn when new articles that match your search criteria come online.

-- The Daily Perspective is an e-newsletter that connects the headlines of today with history via past articles.

-- Beyond The Headlines is a feature that demonstrates the history behind a current news story or event.

For more information, visit World Vital Records or go directly to NewspaperArchive.com to take a look around.

Poland: Sopot Jewish cemetery desecrated

2009-11-06T13:09:00.000+02:00

According to the Jerusalem Post, vandals have desecrated a Jewish cemetery near Gdansk in northern Poland.

Scrawled on graves and the surrounding wall in the seaside Sopot Jewish cemetery were anti-Israel and anti-Jewish messages.

The desecration took place October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day when Polish Catholics visit the graves of deceased relatives.

The local Jewish community head told the Jerusalem Post that it was a "really bad incident." Authorities reacted immediately promised to do more to protect the cemetery, which is owned by the municipality.
"We are terribly sorry this act of vandalism happened. Unfortunately, human stupidity cannot be helped," Sopot Deputy Mayor Pawel Orlowski told a Polish newspaper, adding: "We apologize that this has happened." The act provoked a spontaneous reaction from the citizens of Sopot, who brought to the cemetery candles, flowers and a banner with the message “We are sorry”.
Established in 1913, the cemetery also has a monument to Jewish soldiers who died during World War I. Immediately before the Holocaust, Sopot's small Jewish community numbered 130 - about half survived.

This is the second recent attack on area Jewish cemeteries. In September, anti-Semitic slogans were painted on the Gdansk Jewish cemetery entrance.

Police are investigating both incidents.

Read more at the link above.

Spain: Preserving Jewish heritage

2009-11-05T13:59:00.011+02:00

Newspapers are great resources historically and for current events. Tracing the Tribe likes them for keeping up with the whereabouts of friends, such as this story about Spanish architect David Stoleru.

With Dominique Tomasov Blinder (also an architect), David is the co-founder of the Zakhor Study Center for the preservation and transmission of Jewish heritage of Spain, and of the Jewish Heritage Commission of Catalunya, both in Barcelona.

Both Dominique and David are friends from Barcelona. It was good to know that David is in Israel this year on athe Mandel Leadership Institute Program, and I will recommend that our genealogy societies arrange to have him speak.

Read more about Zakhor Center here.

Just one bone to pick with the Jerusalem Post's copy editor. View the caption to the story's illustration (right). It refers to the 1492 Edict of Expulsion as the Alabama Decree instead of the Alhambra Decree. Ever wonder how many Jews were in Alabama in 1492? [insert Smiley Face here].

The Jerusalem Post story is here.
Coming to Jerusalem by way of Barcelona, Spanish architect David Stoleru plans to educate Jews of Spanish heritage about their roots, by teaching them about the historical sites abandoned after the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492.

Stoleru, who began his fellowship at the Mandel Leadership Institute program in September, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that during his year in Jerusalem, he hopes to promote understanding and leadership in Jewish communities around Spain and throughout the world.

"My idea in this project is to develop a concept of using these sites that show off the Jewish heritage in Spain as well as sites throughout Europe, and teach these Jews about their roots," he said.
He has worked to preserve the ancient Jewish cemetery and structures in the old city of Toledo from around the 13th century as well as the ancient cemetery of Montjuic in Barcelona. The Center's involvement in Montjuic led to Catalunya declaring it a national heritage site.

"There were no Jewish communities throughout Spain more than 500 years ago," he said. "In general, the Jews of Spain began their relationship with Judaism completely outside the strong anti-Semitism seen in Spain in the past. Most of their knowledge comes from the outside world, from people asking question and telling stories about their roots in Judaism."

An award-winning architect, Stoleru took part in the Jewish Young Leadership Seminary of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, founded the Talmudic Studies Circle in Barcelona and is a researcher and teacher of Spain's Jewish heritage.
"Restorative architecture is an important educational act," Stoleru said. "The connection to the historical heritage, especially in the context of the Spanish Jews, raises moral and educational questions.
"For me, architecture is a means to create an educational and cultural dialogue," he said.
The Mandel Leadership Institute fellowship program is in its 27th year.

Read the complete story at the link above.

Such a bargain! - A DNA sale

2009-11-05T10:53:00.011+02:00

From FamilyTreeDNA.com comes a great-end-of-year promotion.

Their recent Full Mitochondria Sequence sale was the most successful promotion in the company's history. Growing the databases - Y-DNA and mtDNA - at FamilyTreeDNA means that more researchers around the world are more likely to find genetic connections.

Tracing the Tribe has, in the past, received emails from people who say "But I have no matches!" I remind them that all they have to do is wait. The more people that test with FamilyTreeDNA the better the chances of finding matches.

With the largest comparative database in the industry (and of most interest to Tracing the Tribe, the largest Jewish DNA comparative database), the probability of finding genetic matches grows every day.

So, if you've been waiting to test, here are some good prices that may convince you that now's the time to do this.

The holidays are coming up - what better Chanukah gift than a DNA genetic genealogy test? Please note that this sale is contingent on orders placed and paid for by December 31, 2009. Having a big family reunion for Thanksgiving? Make testing of different family branches a family affair at your get-together.

The sale includes Y-DNA 37- and 67-marker tests, mtDNAPlus and SuperDNA:

Y-DNA37 – special price $119 (regularly $149)
Y-DNA67 – special price $209 (regularly $239)
mtDNAPlus – special price $139 (regularly $149)
SuperDNA – special price $488 (regularly $665)

If you are a project administrator, spread the word to your members and publicize the sale to encourage more people to sign up.

Also, FamilyTreeDNA released the new permanent prices for the Full Mitochondria Sequence:

Have you already tested Y-DNA? Then the mtDNA Full Sequence test is $249.
Is this your first test with the company? Then the mtDNA Full Sequence test is $279.
To upgrade from HVR1, $229. To upgrade from HVR2, $209.

Join the club, help to grow the FamilyTreeDNA database and find genetic matches. Be prepared for the surprises you might discover!

For more information, read all about DNA testing at FamilyTreeDNA.com

Out of Africa: Dr. Spencer Wells in San Diego, Nov. 11

2009-11-05T10:14:00.010+02:00

National Geographic's Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Spencer Wells will speak at the San Diego Natural History Museum, on Wednesday, November 11.

The program begins at 6.30pm in the Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan Theater. The related exhibit is at the Museum of Man.

"Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project" tackles the universal questions of who are we and where we come from. We look different, are we all related? Wherever we live, we all share a common birthplace: Africa, says Wells. "We are all effectively cousins separated by no more than 200 generations."

He has dedicated much of his career to studying humankind's family tree and closing the gaps in our knowledge of human migration. Wells applied new scientific techniques to dig deeper into the details of our ancient past. Following strict ethical protocols, regional teams of Genographic scientists are collaborating with indigenous and traditional people worldwide to analyze their DNA. Because of their relative isolation, they retain the ancestral context in which their genetic diversity arose.

The Museum of Man exhibit takes visitors along the migration map from 60,000 years ago and traces the routes of female and male descendants of the earliest African hominids. Their paths are found in our own DNA.

For more information, call the Museum of Man, 619-239-2001 or send an email.

New York: Catskills then and now, Nov. 15

2009-11-04T08:00:00.000+02:00

Tracing the Tribe just heard from Phil Brown of the Catskills Institute about this screening of "Four Seasons Lodge" and a session on Catskills nostalgia on Sunday, November 15, in New York City.

Readers who attended the 2006 International Conference on Jewish Genealogy in New York City, will remember Phil's very emotional talk on the Catskills.

A Paradise Off Route 17: The Catskills Then and Now

“Four Seasons Lodge” is the award-winning documentary about a bungalow colony populated by Holocaust survivors. The program continues with a lively discussion about Catskills nostalgia, mink coats in July and the quest for an American-Jewish utopia in the mountains of upstate New York.

Director Andrew Jacobs will be joined by Tania Grossinger, author of “Growing up at Grossinger’s,” and Rachel Kranson, a Jewish Catskills writer and historian.

The program venue is the IFC Center, at 6th Avenue and Waverly Place, at 3 pm followed by refreshments and a 45-minute chat around the corner at the Cornelia Street Cafe.

Tickets are $20 for the film and the post-screening event. To reserve a seat, call 212-343-2011 or email Andrew Jacobs.

Watch the film's trailer and learn more here.

Illinois: Family history Internet resources, Nov. 8

2009-11-03T22:00:00.001+02:00

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois will host Harriet Rudnit on "Using World Wide Web Resources in Researching Your Family History," on Sunday, November 8.

The program will cover use of various websites and the finer points of searching Google, Ancestry and JewishGen. It is geared to all levels of researchers.

Doors open at 12.30pm at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie for attendees to use the library or receive help from experts. The main program starts at 2pm.

For more information, click here.

Gesher Galicia: Lviv Photo Project

2009-11-02T09:00:00.002+02:00

For many researchers around the world, traveling back to the homes of our ancestors may an impossible dream.

Wouldn't it be great to see the house our great-great-grandparents lived in? Or, to bring it forward to more contemporary times, perhaps the house you or your parents lived in?

Thanks to volunteers around the world, it is becoming possible. Now it is a reality for some whose families came from Lviv/Lvov/Lemberg (was Galicia, now Ukraine), thanks to Gesher Galicia's "Lviv House and Street Photography Project." See it here.

When a Dutch-born teacher, now working in Germany, volunteered to do work during his summer in Lviv, the project took off. For four weeks in July, Dick Koops covered the city in search of the streets, lanes and pathways our ancestors once walked, enabling many Gesher Galicia members to have photos of the places where they or their ancestors once lived.

When Koops sent the photographs to Pam, he wrote:

I very much hope that my work in Lviv, will be meaningful for the Jewish grand-grandchildren of those who were victims of the Nazi-regime and those who supported it or allowed it to exist. We cannot change history; at least to learn from it is already very difficult.

Many street names have changed during the past 70 years. Thanks to the Henri Nouwen Foundation, one worker researched the street names, and the brother of the Foundation's local head, Petrov Kokor, served as Koops' guide and translator. Read more at the link above.

When you click on the site link, photos are listed in alphabetical order according to street name and number. In some cases, there are interior/courtyard and street views and more than one house is included.

Feel free to download the photos for personal use only as Koops holds the copyrights to these images. Email him to obtain permission for another purpose.

Visitors to the site are invited to add comments about the house (the age of the building, the identity of residents and when they lived there) by emailing (see below) the details to Pam Weisberger. Viewers may also add comments on Flickr via the provided link.

Eventually, says Pam, the details will be in a searchable database. Gesher Galicia also plans to create an interactive Lviv map, overlaying old maps onto contemporary ones, with photo links and resident details.

Many readers actually lived in these buildings before and after the war, and those personal stories are very important to the project; make sure to contact Pam if you have stories to share.

For more information about Gesher Galicia, click here. Email Pamela Weisberger if you have additional information for a photo or personal story. Credit where credit is due: Special thanks to Brooke Schreier Ganz for formatting the photos for the Internet.

New Jersey: Steve Morse to speak, Nov. 12

2009-11-02T08:00:00.002+02:00

Dr. Stephen Morse will present "A Hodgepodge of Lesser Known Genealogical Gems" at Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor, New Jersey, on Thursday, November 12.

The Beth El Jewish Genealogy Club is hosting Steve's appearance, which will begin at 7.30pm.

His popular One-Step site offers many useful utilities and tools for genealogists and family history researchers.

His talk will describe many of these offerings including problem solutions, genealogy searches, identity theft, DNA and other topics.

A Brooklyn-born San Francisco resident, Steve has received many national and international awards for his innovative work, including his utility that has made it possible to efficiently search the Ellis Island Database.

In addition to being an internationally known computer professional with an electrical engineering doctorate, he has been a genealogist since a young age, as well as a researcher, writer, teacher, inventor and developed the chip that made our modern PCs possible.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly recommended; send an email.

JGSLA 2010: What's happening?

2009-11-02T08:00:00.001+02:00

JGSLA 2010 will feature nearly non-stop programming and activities for six days. The conference officially begins at 10am, Sunday, July 11 and ends at 12.30pm, Friday, July 16.

As the weeks go by, more details about the conference will be announced via the JGSLA Conference Blog, the Newsletter, the Facebook Page and Twitter. Sign up for the conference blog or the newsletter and you'll know exactly what's happening and when.

Some highlights:

The keynote speaker and dessert reception will be on Sunday evening, July 11.

On opening day (Sunday), there'll be beginners' workshops, films, classes and a Special Interest Group (SIG) Market Square.

Arriving early to recover from jetlag? The conference will offer Shabbat-friendly, pre-conference learning on Friday and Saturday, July 9-10, as well as tours and classes.

There will be a special afternoon Talmud study session, Friday and Saturday dinners, Jewish-themed tours, Classes are free; tours and special meals are for fee.

Attendees will be able to meet with foreign archivists and international experts who will be lecturing later in the week.

Remember that the banquet is Thursday, July 15 (details soon).

Go to JGSLA 2010 and sign up for the blog and the newsletter.

Remember that the Call for Papers will open November 15, so start preparing a proposal if you're interested in speaking.

Michigan: 'Annie's Ghost' author, Nov. 15

2009-11-02T08:00:00.000+02:00

"Annie's Ghost: A Journey into a Family Secret" author Steve Luxenberg speaks on Sunday, November 15, hosted by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan.

The event takes place from 1-3pm, at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills.

Steve is a Detroit native and the book is based in the area, making it most appropriate.

A 30-year journalist, Steve will provide a detailed look at the genealogical and investigative reporting techniques he used to unearth the story behind a family secret, and answer questions about how to dig into your family history.

As a genealogist and journalist, I loved the book as it works its way through the techniques as both to find the answers to his family's secret. If you haven't read it yet, do so before the meeting, so you can ask him questions.

He'll also sign books (bring your own copy or purchase one at the meeting).

Admission: JGSMichigan members, free; others, $5. Reservations are recommended.

Australia: Jewish genealogy conference website now live

2009-11-01T12:10:00.002+02:00

Are you reading this from "down under" or are you planning on visiting Australia in March 2010? Learn about this great event.

The website is now live for the Second Australian National Conference on Jewish Genealogy - Sunday-Tuesday, March 7-9, 2010 - in Melbourne.

Hosted by the Australian Jewish Genealogical Society (Victoria) in association with the Makor Jewish Community Library, the conference will be held at the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre, Melbourne.

Go to the new AJGS (Vic) website and click on the Conference Link at the right side. Right now, the conference flyer and registration form (with much information) is available, but conference chair Allan Jankie says that more will be available in the coming days and weeks. Also sign-up for their newsletter - the next one may be out next week - send an email to be placed on the list.

Themed "Our Jewish Roots," several international speakers (watch for announcements) will be presenting along with local experts in an innovative, interactive program highlighting recent advances in genealogical research, while also focusing on helping attendees' research interests.

This should be an exciting and rewarding experience for family history researchers regardless of their skill levels, from beginner to experienced. It will also provide an opportunity to meet others with similar interests, share findings and learn about what's new.

The program will offer lectures and presentations, panel discussions, special interest group (SIG) meetings, a cocktail party along with visits to Jewish institutions and public genealogical resources.

Major sessions will run early morning and late afternoon on Sunday and Monday, while mid-mornings and early afternoons will feature smaller parallel sessions dealing with specific countries and topics, covering available resources and techniques.

The Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre, in Caulfield, is central to Melbourne’s large and diverse Jewish community and cultural institutions. It offers excellent conference facilities, and includes the Makor Library, community offices, a plenary hall and smaller meeting rooms.

Most conference activities – sessions, resource room and computer workshops – will be at the center, which also provides facilities for the disabled.

Guided tours are set for Tuesday for attendees to pursue independent research and private study at various institutions.

Makor Library resources will be available Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. For information about the library's holdings, see the Makor link above. Attendees will be able to access online genealogical sites and databases via the Library's computer workshop. Bring your laptops, as the event will provide Wi-Fi.

The registration fee - A$120 - includes attendance, morning and afternoon tea, lunch (Sunday/Monday), and the cocktail party. All food at the venue will be kosher, while the cocktail party will be vegetarian.

Learn more about the conference, the program and accommodations and receive updates by sending an email to the conference committee. Tracing the Tribe will also provide updates as well.

New York: JGSNY member brunch, Nov. 15

2009-11-01T08:00:00.020+02:00

The Jewish Genealogical Society of New York will hold its membership brunch on Sunday, November 15, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan.

The kosher dairy buffet at 11am will be followed by guest curator Karen Franklin speaking on "Creating the Morgenthau Exhibition: a Family Historian confronts the Twentieth Century." Karen will lead opening day tours of the exhibit after her program.

For more information, click here. The reservation deadline is November 6. Fee: members, $20; others, $25.

She will describe how a simple genealogy request resulted in her participation in an exciting reinterpretation of the family's role in public service and service to the Jewish community.

Karen uncovered fascinating personal stories and documents through two years of research in dozens of archives, libraries and private collections, and she will describe these discoveries, many of which are not in this exhibit.

A co-chair of the Board of Governors of JewishGen, she is a past president of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies and a past chair of the Council of American Jewish Museums. She serves on the board of ICOM-US (International Council of Museums), and the International Committee of Memorial Museums of ICOM, and is an Obermayer German Jewish History Award juror. She also holds the distinction of being the Jewish museum director elected to the American Association of Museums board.

A researcher on looted art, she has worked on cases for the Origins Unknown Agency in the Netherlands, the Commission for Looted Art in Europe, and the U. S. Treasury Department. In June she spoke at the Holocaust Looted Assets Conference in Prague as a member of the Judaica and Jewish Cultural Property Working Committee.

For more information, click here or send an email. The reservation deadline is November 6. Fee: members, $20; others, $25.

Seattle: Eastern European Jewry, Nov. 9

2009-11-01T08:00:00.019+02:00

Eastern European Jewry up to the great migration, with Professor Natan M. Meir, will be discussed at the Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, on Monday, November 9.

Doors open at 7pm and the program begins at 7.30pm at the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island. The JCC offers Wi-Fi, so bring your laptops. The JGSW library will also be available for attendees.

Although many American Jews think that their Eastern European ancestors were “traditional” shtetl Jews until they left for the US, the historical reality was more complicated.

This program will survey the history of Eastern European Jews from the twilight of old Poland at the end of the 18th century through the vicissitudes of subjectship under the 19th century Russian Empire. Gain an understanding of the vitality of Jewish life in Eastern Europe and the multiple crises that Russian and Polish Jews faced at the turn of the 20th century – the age of the “Great Migration.”

Topics will include tsarist policies towards Jews, Jewish leadership shifts, the roles of pogroms and anti-Semitism, internal cultural and religious dynamics, as well as economic and demographic transformations.

The program will mainly cover the Russian Empire (Pale of Settlement) but will also refer to Russian Poland (Congress Kingdom) and Austrian Galicia.

Born in Jerusalem and raised in New Jersey and Quebec, Natan M. Meir is the Lokey Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies at Portland State University (Oregon). He holds a Ph.D in Jewish History (Columbia University), taught at the University of Southampton (UK), and was a Hebrew University Yad Hanadiv postdoctoral fellow.

His interest is modern Jewish history, focusing on the social and cultural history of East European Jewry in the 19th-20th centuries. His first book, "Kiev: Jewish Metropolis, 1859-1914," is forthcoming from Indiana University Press, and he's now working on a second project tentatively titled "Jewish Marginals in Eastern Europe."

Admission: JGSWS members, free; others, $5.

For more information, visit the JGSWS website.

Chicago: Fragile family ties, personal histories, Nov. 12

2009-11-01T08:00:00.012+02:00

Fragile family ties and conserving personal histories will be discussed at Chicago's Spertus Museum in Chicago, on Thursday, November 12.

An exhibit viewing (see below) is set from 6.30-6.15pm, with the presentation following from 6.15-7.15pm.

This program should be required for anyone who has ever wondered about the importance of family objects in their home and, of course, for everyone interested in Jewish and genealogical history.

An artist and author, Chicago Conservation Center CEO Heather Becker will help participants understand the important role that conservation of family treasures play in family and cultural history.

Drawing on personal items conserved by the CCC, Becker will demonstrate images from before, during and after restoration. These items have a lasting impact on how families and communities understand themselves.

The related exhibit - What Does It Say to You? - presents more than 60 objects from the museum's collection.

Related programs, such as the one by Becker (above) are an important component of the exhibit. On the second Thursday evening of each month, the public joins museum staff, community leaders, scholars, artists, performers and others to explore the roles objects play in our lives.

For more information, click here.

UK: Who Do You Think You Are? February 2010

2009-10-31T08:00:00.019+02:00

Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk in your family's past?

The next edition of the fabulous "Who do You Think You Are? LIVE" is set for London's Olympia National Hall from February 26-28, 2010. It may be the place where you find answers to your questions about your family's unique history.

Some 15,000 enthusiastic and passionate-about-genealogy visitors are anticipated over the three-day show. Sponsors include Ancestry.co.uk, FamilyTreeDNA.com and others.

The show has a new website with all the latest information. Readers should sign up for the newsletter to receive breaking news and more information. The sign up box is above the left sidebar menu.

Family history research is always an exciting ride down discovery road, and we're never sure of what we might find along the way. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned researcher, the event will have something to enjoy and many experts to help.

The Society of Genealogists Family History Show, sponsored by TheGenealogist.co.uk, will feature UK family history societies, whose specialists with local knowledge will help find answers to questions, and provide information to help you discover your own unique story. The SoG workshop program will offer more than 100 workshops and seminars on many topics. Some 200 exhibitors will help even more. Everything's under one roof, making it very convenient.

I've tried to attend the show for two years without success - something has always forced a change in plans - but I'm hoping this year I'll really make it.

The Olympia National Hall in London is easily accessible by tube (subway for non-Brits), bus and other transport. It's just a short bus ride from our cousins in Chiswick (and there's a great Persian restaurant across the street from the hall!).

Tickets go on sale soon (show tickets, November; workshop tickets, January). Show hours are Friday (10am-6.30pm), Saturday (9.30am-6pm) and Sunday (9.30am-5pm).

Sign up for the newsletter!

Footnote.com: Answering some questions

2009-10-31T08:00:00.008+02:00

Every time that an online site announces the addition of new collections, you can be sure that geneabloggers will chime in with questions and suggestions.

Footnote.com's recent announcement has produced responses by both Diane Haddad of the Genealogy Insider blog at Family Tree Magazine and Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings.

Diane asked Footnote's Justin Schroepfer a few good questions about the recent interactive census announcement. Her post provided the questions (below) and Justin's answers:

1. Is Footnote creating new census images and indexes? How is this being done?

2. When will we start seeing the new censuses added to the site? What states will be first? When do you anticipate the collection will be complete?

3. Looking down the road, how will the census addition affect Footnote’s subscription pricing ($79.95 per year or $11.95 per month)?

4. Will changes to the workings of the site be necessary to accommodate the added data, searches and traffic?

Check out Diane's post at the link above for the answers.

On the same subject, Randy Seaver's post on Genea-Musings offered an excellent suggestion for Footnote.com to consider.

The site offers Footnote Pages for the 1930 Federal Census (and many other collections), so visitors can create a page for each individual of interest. This means that each census can create a separate page for each person. The problem is that there will be multiple census pages created for one individual listed in many censuses.

Randy's suggestion:

In my humble opinion, Footnote.com needs to find a way to combine the several records for a person so that there is only one Footnote Page for an individual. If they can accomplish that, then Footnote.com may well be the best place online to have a wiki environment collection of Person Pages, with user-submitted photographs, documents, stories, vital records, etc.
Excellent idea, Randy!