JGS of Illinois` Newsletter, Morasha

HERITAGE
THE JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF ILLINOIS
VOLUME XXIX• NUMBER III
FALL 2014
The
Box on a Closet Shelf
by Marcia Hirsch
Once upon a time…there was a box on a closet
shelf that was filled with old family pictures and
documents of unknown, unfamiliar, and forgotten
relatives. I kept promising myself that one day I
would dust it off and sort through the contents
and try to figure out some of the mysteries that
might be inside. I was frustrated not knowing who
some of the people in the pictures were. Basically,
all I knew was that some were my relatives and
some were members of my husband David’s
family. About six years ago, I finally took down
the box and was surprised that I actually matched
some names with faces, added more names and
continued to put some pieces together. That was
the beginning of my love of genealogy.
This year, I used some of the pictures and
documents from this box on a closet shelf to create
a poster that I submitted to the International
Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies
(IAJGS). I am honored that it was selected by
their committee to promote International Jewish
Genealogy Month (IJGM). There are over 70
national and local Jewish Genealogical Societies
worldwide that will receive this poster to use
during the month of Chesvan 5775/October 25 to
November 22, 2014. The IJGM’s mission is to honor
Jewish ancestors through the pursuit of Jewish
family history research.
To look back on the stories in my puzzle, I have to
begin with my father, Harry Bass. He is the pivotal
part of the jigsaw puzzle I created, as he had the
original box on a closet shelf of special pictures and
papers that he shared with those he loved. He told
endless stories of his life growing up in a shtetl near
Pinsk — Janow al yad Pinsk, or Yanova or Ivanava
— the spelling and the country borders can vary
depending on the year. He lived, as his forefathers
lived, in a wooden house with straw shingles and
a dirt floor, a fireplace to cook on and keep warm
with, and a refrigerator that was only a hole in the
frozen ground. He spoke of the miserably cold
winters with snowdrifts that were many feet high,
and the spring rains and muddy roads and Pripet
Marshes (The Pinsk Marshes; a vast natural region
of wetlands along the forested basin of the Pripyat River and its tributaries). He had six older sisters and was named after an
older brother who died long before he was born. His mother died when he was about ten. His father, Sender, a gentle man,
was a mushroom farmer who traveled to the market in Pinsk to sell his wares along with the other Yanova farmers. My father
remembered hiding in the woods when the pogroms destroyed their home, and his father taken to prison when the Polish con’t, page 4
Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois
P.O. Box 515 • Northbrook, IL 60065-0515
312-666-0100 • [email protected]
JGSI Board of Directors:
From the Editor…
by Peggy Morrow, Executive Editor
Congratulations to JGSI member Marcia Hirsch
on winning the annual poster contest held by the
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies
(IAJGS). Her poster was selected to promote International
Jewish Genealogy Month (IJGM) and has been distributed
to over 70 national and local Jewish Genealogical Societies
worldwide. Her cover article explains the family history
behind the poster. Since 2009, Marcia has used her
considerable talent to design and layout Morasha, making
each issue attractive and easy to read. She is also a pleasure
to work with!
Co-Presidents: Debbie Kroopkin and Robin B. Seidenberg
Recording Secretary: Scott Meyer
Corresponding Secretary: Barry Finkel
Treasurer: Michael Tarkoff
Membership Co-Vice-Presidents: Marcey Siegel and
Mike Karsen (acting)
Program Vice-President: Martin Fischer
Publicity Vice-President: Sandra Schon Kiferbaum
Special Events Chair: Wendy Hauser
Hospitality Chair: Open Position
Librarian: Belle Holman
Technology/Webmaster: Ron Miller
Immediate Past President: Mike Karsen
Marty Fischer and Harriet Rudnit have written articles
focused on specific sessions of the recent IAJGS conference
in Salt Lake City. DNA testing is a common theme in both
articles; Marty attended Sephardic lectures because he
learned thru DNA testing he has Sephardic roots and
Harriet attended DNA lectures to learn more about how
to use the testing to find family. Marty also provided
photos from the JGSI dinner at the conference.
Non-Board VOLUNTEERS:
Morasha
Executive Editor: Peggy Morrow
Newsletter Design/Layout: Marcia Hirsch
Co-Editor: Dale Amdur
Contributing Editors: Debbie Kroopkin, Scott Meyer,
Robin Seidenberg, Celia Wilk
Proofreaders: Dale Amdur, Barry Finkel, Judy Frazin,
Freya Maslov, Sandy Pakin, Bernice Rappoport
Editorial Committee: Dale Amdur, Peggy Morrow,
Robin Seidenberg
Distribution: Debbie Kroopkin, Barry Finkel, Ron Miller
Cemetery Project: Alvin Holtzman, Chair
E-News: Barry Finkel, Marcia Hirsch, Helen Stopek
Help Desk: Dennis Aron, Barry Finkel, Marty Fischer,
Marcia Hirsch, Alvin Holtzman, Mike Karsen,
Debbie Kroopkin, Ron Miller
JGSI TELEPHONE: Harriet Rudnit
TRIBUTE CARDS: Myrna Siegel
Editorial Policy: JGSI welcomes articles for publication
in Morasha which will help members further their research.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to accept or reject
any material submitted and to edit those articles which are
accepted. Articles must be typed to eliminate possibility of
errors. Send articles to [email protected]
Mike Karsen explores naturalization records in his first
in a series of articles called “Guide to Jewish Genealogy
in Chicagoland.” Marianne Handler has provided a guide
to using social media in genealogical research. Celia Wilk
continues her excellent job of providing summaries of
each JGSI meeting, even attending the September meeting
the morning after her daughter’s wedding!
We are looking for articles for the next issue, “family
photos that tell a story” and help mailing Morasha. If you
would like to volunteer, contribute an article to Morasha,
or have ideas that you would like to share with us, please
email [email protected].
LEGACIES
JGSI Membership Categories:
JGSI extends condolences
to the families of:
*Acknowledged in Morasha
U.S. Single/family membership............................................ $25
U.S. Contributing membership*.......................................... $36-49
U.S. Patron membership*........................................................ $50-99
U.S. Sustaining membership*................................................ $100+
Canadian membership (USD).............................................. $30
International membership (USD)...................................... $36
Send check/money order to:
JGSI, P.O. Box 515, Northbrook, IL 60065-0515
Noel Kartman, who died on April 8, was the
son of long-time member, Frances Kartman
Waxman. He was a professional diver for the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Walter H. Sobel, 100 years old, who died
in June. Walter was the father of JGSI
member, Richard Sobel, and was a renowned
architect and a veteran of World War II. In
addition to Richard, he is survived by four
other children and six grandchildren.
Table of Contents
The Box on a Closet Shelf.................................................................Cover
From the Editor • Legacies..........................................................................2
Board Business • Co-Presidents Message.............................................3
The Box on a Closet Shelf (con’t)...............................................................4
Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Chicagoland • The Box (con’t) ......5
Membership • Social Media and Genealogy.......................................6
Two Yizkor Books Published • Social Media (con’t) ..........................7
JGSI at IJGS Conference in Salt Lake City.........................................8-9
Recap: JGSI Monthly Meetings...................................................................10
IGRA Presentation Recap • Get Thee to a Library • Museum of
Family History............................................................................................... 11
Speakers • Mark Your Calendar............................................................. 12
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Esther Feinstein Sackheim, who died in July,
was a long-time JGSI member and the wife
of Professor George Sackheim, a former JGSI
Board member. In addition to George, Esther
is survived by four children, four grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren.
2
Board Business
From the Co-Presidents
A Mystery No Longer…
by Scott E. Meyer, JGSI Recording Secretary
It’s great to see that many of the hopes that
the Board has had for JGSI over the last several
months have come true!
With our move from Temple Beth Israel to
Temple Beth El now behind us, the Board
discussed suggestions for improving how we use
our meeting room. Some of those suggestions
have already been implemented and others
are sure to follow. Now in use are speaker
evaluation forms so that we can provide useful
feedback to our program presenters, and build
on that knowledge to produce additional helpful
programs in the future.
Since the relocation of JGSI headquarters,
materials had to be placed in off-site storage.
The Board has been carefully reviewing the
contents of the many boxes to reduce the
amount of material that needs to be stored.
We certainly don’t want to discard important
information related to our society’s history, and
we know there may be more space-saving ways
of making it available. Some microfilms, journals
and duplicates of some books in the JGSI Library
holdings were identified and we are pleased that
Chicago’s Newberry Library accepted them as a
donation for its collection and annual book fair.
Planning for JGSI’s participation in the
local Jewish Folk Arts Festival in June led
to a successful event: 54 people asked for
information about our society, and we made
sure we put them all on our list! This event will
not be held again until 2016, and so JGSI has
begun planning another Midwest Genealogical
Conference this coming June. Some committee
members have been identified (and others are
welcome to join). A venue has been selected
and planning is moving forward for this very
popular event. As well, discussions on updating
our informational brochure has resulted in an
upgrade that is soon to be unveiled.
Upgrades in our laptop computer and the JGSI
internet database system have taken place. This
has allowed the board to begin to implement
new JGSI website features and to test ways for
members to view JGSI programs via the Internet.
It is wonderful to think that so many plans have
come to fruition, and even more wonderful to
realize that more good news is sure to follow!
JGSI
MIDWEST GENEALOGICAL
CONFERENCE
JUNE 7, 2015
by Robin Seidenberg • Debbie Kroopkin
Last year was a year of transitions. Debbie and
I became co-presidents after Mike Karsen’s
long, very productive tenure; we welcomed
several new members to the JGSI board; and
we moved from Temple Beth Israel in Skokie to
Temple Beth-El in Northbrook.
Twenty-two JGSI members attended this
summer’s international conference on Jewish genealogy in Salt Lake City.
Conference registrants came from forty U.S. states and Canadian provinces,
as well as sixteen other countries. JGSI was well represented in the speaker
roster: Ava Cohn, Marty Fisher, Judy Frazin, Mike Karsen, and Robin
Seidenberg. A highlight of the banquet was the announcement of the
winning entry for the poster to publicize International Jewish Genealogy
month. Our own very talented Marcia Hirsch was the winner.
Because the second day of the conference coincided with the hundredth
anniversary of the start of World War I in Europe, the “War to End all Wars”
was a major focus of the conference. Registrants as well as non-registrants
were asked to share their World War
I era family stories and pictures that
were gathered into a larger collection to
be published online and shared at the
conference. Imagine my surprise and
delight when the first thing you saw in
the exhibit, front and center,
was the photo I submitted of Bubby
(my maternal grandmother), my
mother and two aunts. I had called
it “The Patriots” when editor Peggy
Morrow so kindly included it in the
Fall 2013 issue of Morasha.
Sandy Kiferbaum chaired our very
successful JGSI dinner at Lambs Grill,
Utah’s oldest continually operating
restaurant. Attendance was roughly
evenly divided between members and
non-members, including Sandy’s guest,
Hungarian researcher Karesz Vandor.
Former JGSI president Judy Frazin
presented “Using FamilySearch.org and the Family History Research Center”
at our September 28th meeting. This historic occasion was our initial
attempt at producing a webinar which out of town members could view.
The program was also recorded for later viewing on the “Members only”
section of our website. The International Association of Jewish Genealogical
Societies, of which we are a member, is strongly urging member societies to
produce webinars so that offsite members may participate in meetings.
JGSI needs storage space for about 20 boxes of archival records. If you are
able to help, please phone 312-666-0100. Please mark your calendars and
save the date — June 7, 2015 — which will be our one day JGSI conference.
Remember that some of our library books can now be checked out. Search
our online catalog before you attend our monthly meetings at http://www.
librarything.com/catalog/jgsi.
Please help us improve our programs by completing the evaluation forms
at all meetings or send us an email at [email protected].
Happy researching!
Robin Seidenberg
3
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The Box on a Closet Shelf
con’t from cover
Army found he had stuffed the chimney
with the sheep’s wool to hide from the
soldiers. He remembered spending hours
and hours of studying with the Rabbis in
Cheder; there was no time for play. He
told many more stories, all reminiscent
of “Fiddler on the Roof.” To this day, I am
sure that there must have been a fiddler
on the roof in Yanova!
The box on a closet shelf held the pages
from my father’s passport, an inspection
card, a vaccination card, and a simple
handwritten document verifying who
his parents were and his age. This was his
official birth certificate. It was written
in Polish with many legal signatures and
proper stamps, but my father insisted he
was Russian, even though the borders
changed from the time he was born until
he left Yanova.
He immigrated with his father and
three older, unmarried sisters in 1921, in
steerage on the S.S. Manchuria that sailed
from Danzig to Boston. My grandfather’s
passport picture shows him with
a grandchild, Chana, who was not
permitted to immigrate with the
family because she had ringworm.
And, there is picture of
another older sister, Fege
Leah, with her husband
and three children, that
remained in Pinsk.
My mother’s family came
from Czudyn and Mihaileni,
Romania from a somewhat
similar background. My grandfather,
Moishe Kru, immigrated to the U.S. in
1900, followed three year later by his
wife, Malka Leah, and their two young
children. During the years that Malka
and Moishe were separated, when he was
in America earning money to pay for the
family’s passage, there was an epidemic
and four of their young children died.
My mother’s eldest sister, Ethel, told
me she remembered hanging on to her
mother’s skirt as they climbed the many
stairs at Ellis Island. The family settled
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where my
mother, Rose, and two older siblings
were born. Moishe was a trunk maker.
He founded Universal Trunk in Chicago,
but died shortly after the family moved
there around 1919. In the box on a closet
shelf, there was a wedding picture of
Moishe and Malka, my parent’s ketubah,
and, one of my mother’s favorites, a
picture of her in a white dress (hand
made by her mother), complete with
a spectacular bow.
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Although my parents backgrounds were
somewhat different, they contrasted
greatly to what I have been able to
piece together about my husband’s
Hungarian and Bavarian families. His
father, Joseph, was educated in Hungary
and immigrated to America in 1914…
not in steerage, and with over $100 in his
pocket. He was sponsored by his father’s
brother, Ignatz, a furrier, who immigrated
to Chicago in 1889. Uncle Ignatz married
in 1901 and lived with his wife, Birdie,
in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
They both died in the early 1920s. Ignatz
and Joseph were the only members of the
Hirsch family to immigrate to America.
My husband’s grandfather, Izidor, and
great grandfather, Lipot, were innkeepers.
They owned a pub in Kissomlyó, located
a few miles from Jánosháza, the village
where the family lived comfortably…
their spacious house was on a large piece
of land, and there were chickens and
geese and fruit trees, and a wonderful
flower garden.
In 1937, my father-in-law traveled with
his wife and two young sons to meet and
visit with his family in Hungary…and
then the war began. There were some
pictures from the trip and a few did have
names scribbled on the backs but Joseph
did not speak about his family after the
trip or after the war. He died in 1948.
Most of these pictures in the box on a
closet shelf were a mystery until I wrote
down the names of all the people the
family visited or met that were listed in a
diary my mother-in-law kept during the
trip. Searching Yad Vashem’s website, I
found testimonials for almost 30 people
who were on this list; all submitted by
the same person who was living in Israel.
I knew this could not be a coincidence.
Remarkably, we were able to connect
with part of the family that survived
the Holocaust. Now I have a real Hirsch
Family Tree which was created by for
us by David’s 90 year old cousin, Ana,
who lives in Brazil…we Skype with her
when her son visits her from New York!
Through them and some additional
4
research, I have been able to put together
a few stories that provide a little more
background about the family’s life in
Hungary. In the box on a closet shelf,
there is a Bar Mitzvah picture of my
father-in-law, an inscribed family prayer
book written in Hebrew and German,
and a three generation family picture
of my husband with his brother Joe, his
father and mother, and his grandparents,
Izidor and Szidonia…and a picture of
Fani…one of the children that did not
survive. The picture of the family at the
train station was taken in 1937 as Joseph
and his family left Jánosháza. It was given
to us by David’s “new” cousin, Francisco,
who lives in NY.
My mother-in-law, Carolyn, was a
second generation American, born in
Chicago in 1898. Unlike my parent’s
large families, she was an only child. Her
great-grandfather, Franz Marx, and his
large family immigrated in the 1860s
from the Gemünden, Rhein-Hunsrück
area in Germany and eventually settled
in Louisville, Kentucky where most of
them became horse breeders and leather
merchants. Carolyn’s grandfather, Jacob,
left Kentucky and settled in Carlisle,
Pennsylvania. He was a soft drink vendor
there until 1890 when his wife (Caroline)
became ill, and he returned to Louisville.
Carolyn’s mother, Hattie, was born in
Carlisle in the 1870’s and lived among
the Lakota, Ojibwe, Seneca, Oneida,
Cherokee, Apache, and Cheyenne Indians
who were students at the infamous
Carlisle Indian Industrial School which
was founded in 1879. Hattie is listed as
a music teacher in an 1890s Louisville
directory.
Carolyn’s father, David Goodman
(Gutman), emigrated from Bavaria in
1875. His 1881 naturalization papers
contain all his birth and immigration
information. By connecting some of
the dots, I also discovered that David
Goodman’s mother was the sister of
Jacob Rosenberg. Jacob was married to
Hannah Reese, a sister of Michael Reese
(benefactor of Michael Reese Hospital,
formerly on Chicago’s south side). Jacob
Rosenberg settled in Chicago in the
1840s and was among their wealthiest
citizens. He is listed in H. L. Meites’
wonderful reference book, “The History
of The Jews of Chicago.” Jacob owned a
large dry goods business (Rosenfeld and
Rosenberg). He was one of the founders
of Chicago’s K.A.M. Temple, was
con’t, page 5
The Box
con’t from page 4
instrumental in building Michael Reese
Hospital after the Great Chicago Fire of
1871, was a Chicago Alderman for the
old second ward and Vice President of
the Inter-State Exposition Company.
He also served as a Vice-President on the
executive committee (along with Potter
Palmer, Marshall Field and other notable
Chicagoans) for the 1893 World’s Fair
— the World’s Columbian Exposition.
Jacob and Hannah’s daughter Mattie was
closely connect to Carolyn and Joseph
and their family.
Some of the other pieces found in the
box on a closet shelf are old Hebrew
books and some maps and post cards,
an original blue tin Keren -Ami Tzedakah
box, and a 1945 “Prayer Book, Abridged
for Jews in the Armed Forces of the
United States” (distributed by the
National Jewish Welfare Board). This was
one my Aunt Ethel’s treasures. In March
of 1943, all five feet of her — at the age
of 45, enlisted in the WAACs (Woman’s
Auxiliary Army Corps). The WAACs
became the WACs in September of 1943;
it was no longer an auxiliary, but part of
the Army. She wrote some wonderful
memoirs that give us great insight into
the life of a Jewish woman in service
in the 1940s stationed in Stuttgart…
Arkansas. Also included is her Romanian
birth certificate from 1889 - which
she proudly presented to me on
her 100th birthday!
All of the pieces in this puzzle bring back
memories to treasure of
relatives we knew, and
pay homage to those
that we never met.
My family and my
husband’s came from
diverse backgrounds
from cities, towns,
and villages in
Romania, Bavaria, Hungary,
and Russia. How different
the beginnings were of our grandparents
and parents that have melded together
over the past 50+ years to become “our”
family. If you change a date or a face or a
place…the pieces become a new puzzle
that might help tell the stories you are
looking for in your genealogical searches.
Without the help of many of JewishGen’s
wonderful Yiddish, Hebrew, and Hungarian
translators, I still would not have a clue to
many of the pieces in my puzzle. I thank those
that have been so gracious in their help.
GUIDE to JEWISH GENEALOGY
in
Chicagoland
Chicago Naturalization Records
by Mike Karsen
Naturalization records contain a treasure-trove of information for the Jewish
genealogist. Naturalization records go back to 1871 in Chicago and a soundex index
of all naturalizations for Chicago, Cook County, and some portions of Indiana and
Wisconsin exists for 1871-1950. The index contains the name of applicant, address,
court where naturalized, and certificate number, country of origin, birth date, date
and port of arrival in United States, date of naturalization, and names of witnesses.
This index can be found in the following places:
1. Online at www.ancestry.com.
Do a normal search but in the list of
results look in the folder:
Immigration & Travel U.S.
Naturalization Records Indexes.
For Max Blumenfeld,
I found this record 88
2. This same record can be
found by searching on
www.FamilySearch.org.
By clicking further, you can find the
exact index card that you found
on ancestry.com.
Another tool for online searching
is the Cook County Clerk of the
Circuit Court: Declarations of
Intentions Index.
For Max Blumenfeld,
I found this record 88
Once you have found your ancestor
on the index, you can proceed with
obtaining his/her full naturalization
file including the “Declaration of
Intention” (also called first papers) and “Petition for Admission to Citizenship” (also
called final papers). Remember to find the Court from the Naturalization Index to
determine where to find the papers.
Early naturalization files (before about 1900) contained very little information,
usually just the applicant’s name, country of origin, court where naturalized and
certificate number, date of naturalization, and name of witnesses. It may be difficult
to even verify that this file belongs to your family member.
In 1906 the federal government established standards for these papers, which
included many valuable details including complexion, height, weight, place born
and date, address, arrival date in United States with ship, port, where departed
from, last foreign residence, name of wife, birth date/place of wife, names of
children with birth dates and places, and witnesses. There are two places
to obtain these records for Chicago naturalizations:
National Archives (NARA): District court (Federal): online ordering at
http://www.archives.gov/chicago/finding-aids/naturalization-records.html
Office of Circuit Court of Cook County: Superior, Circuit, County and Criminal Courts:
call 312-603-6601.
For more information on naturalizations go to
http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/faq.html#Naturalization
For specific questions on this article, email me at: [email protected]
5
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Membership as of October 30, 2014
by Mike Karsen, Co-Vice-President Membership (acting)
Welcome NEW Members:
Adam Gelman • Gerald Kohn • Toby Mann
Debbie Ornstein • Helen & Alex Pinsky • Stacey Podell
Susan Shaman • Marilyn D. Smith
We thank the following members for their extra support of JGSI.
Contributing Members: Leah R. Baer • Bonnie Barsky • Angela Berman • Elizabeth Neidorf Biddle • Sol Bleiweis •
Renee Brin • Robert Brown • Stuart L. Cohen • Barb & Joel Dolin • Angela Dreyfuss • Devra Eisen • Eva Eisenstein • Estelle Elekman
• Barry Finkel • Martin & Judith Fischer • Victor & Meryl Fischer • Eileen Fixler • Roberta Freedman • Stoney & Marvin Freeman •
Judith Gidden • Geraldine Giglio • Steve M. Hanan • Marianne Handler • Belle B. Holman • Sandra Imyak • Judith Weiss Jackson •
Irene Jacobson • Lois L. Janger • Judy Kamensky • Paul Kaplan • Cheryl Daneman Karlin • Elita Wolsk & Kenneth Koolkin • Deborah
Kroopkin • Sheldon Kruger • Barbara Kuhn • Philip & Phyllis Lapin • Bruce Leon • Betty Ann Levin • Helen Levy • Toby Mann • Marcy
Maller • Allen H. Meyer • Janice L. Mishkin • Sherwin & Sandra Pakin • William Rattner • Andrea Ableman Rich • Joan G. Rimmon
• Robert Rosenman • Thelma Ross • Harriet Rudnit • Beatrice H. Rudolph • Gert Schachtman • Lois Schaffner • Barbara R. Scott •
Teresa Scott • Shannon Seiberling • Manuel Silver • Mae Simon • Richard Sobel • Alan Spencer • Sandy Starkman • Helen Stopek •
Benton C. Strauss • Shirley Sweig • Daniel Swett • Terry Taylor • Arlene & Daniel Uditsky • Michael J. Wasserman, MD
Patron Members: Dale Amdur • Mark A. Amdur • Bobbie & Barry Berkowitz • Sidney & La Moyne Blair • Joel Bloom •
John L. Buckley, Jr • Dr. Wayne N. Burton • Alan Chakrin • Marilyn Eager • Leonard J. Eisenberg • Phyllis G. Eisenberg • Paul L. Epner
• Jewel Fishkin • Judith R. Frazin • Susan Gray • Alice Gutenkauf • Wendy Hauser • Marcia Hirsch • Alvin & Judy Holtzman • Paula
Hyman • Sheldon Isenberg • Myles A. Jarrow • Lisa Schwartz & Mike Karsen • Geraldine C. Krasner • Judith Labowitz • Irwin Lapping
• Meta & Lawrence B. Levin • Fred Margulies • Steven & Alice Marx • Freya Blitstein Maslov • Michael J. Meshenberg • Peggy Morrow
• Mr & Mrs Arthur D. Moses • Richard B. Newman • Allan Pilloff • Walter Reed • Joe Reich • Abrienne & William Schmelling • Alan
L. Schwartz • Mel F. Seidenberg • Robin & Lewis Seidenberg • Barbara Sherry • Howard Shidlowsky • Marcey Siegel • Myrna & Shael
Siegel • Mike Tarkoff • Zalman Usiskin • Marion Viner • Victor C. Weisskopf
Sustaining Members: Helen Arkes • Carol & Howard Cohen • Linda Edelcup • Ken Falkson • Dr. Alexander Feller •
Judy Friedman • Lawrence R. Hamilton • Larry Herman • Richard H. Hoffman • Sandra Schon Kiferbaum • Natalie Kirsch • Gerald
Lasin • Marjorie Shender • Karen Stanuch • Celia Wilk
International Member: Pierre Stutin
Social Media and Genealogy: A New Partnership
by Marianne Handler
JGSI members share many common goals. We are interested
in learning as much as we can about Jewish heritage and the
history of our families. We can probably agree that there are
processes to be followed in order to have accurate data to
share with others. I would have all pictures, letters, passports,
legal documents, and handwritten notes stacked in folders,
boxes, and files surrounding the area in which we are working.
I am going to guess that all of us are always looking for one
more way, one more place to find new information.
of the reason, I believe, is that not all of us have become equally
engaged in exploring some of these newer ways of interacting
with and learning about our shared addiction – genealogy.
What can Social Media add to our own genealogy work?
Everyone reading this has either heard of or used Facebook or
Yahoo. These were among the first, seriously popular virtual
communities. Social media and virtual communities are
becoming interchangeable terms. What is most important
for our group is that social media sites are a great addition to
the world of genealogy. True, they do not all focus on Jewish
genealogy, but many do and others add to our knowledge
of the “how to” part of the work.
There are many researchers who have been working to find
family information far longer than I have. I can only imagine
how much harder it was when we had to travel to where the
information was housed whether it was near or far! Access has
become much easier in a relatively short period of time. The
World Wide Web (WWW) has rapidly added new tools for
our toolbox.
Welcome, YouTube, and thanks for all the free lessons you have
provided from multiple sources. Thanks, countries, states, and
government agencies, libraries and universities for putting so
many resources online so that we can work from home, instead
of taking long trips to find the same information. Thanks,
JewishGen, for providing classes and so much Jewish information
at our fingertips. Online family trees allow us to enter our data
and share it with each other.
Now there is another group of resources that has been growing
in the last few years. These new tools come under the heading of
Social Media. Some of these tools have gained popularity fairly
quickly; others are a little slower in gaining a wide audience. Part
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6
Most folks now use Google, but not nearly as many are using
the virtual community, Google+. There are other forums which
may be more unfamiliar to you such as Twitter and Pinterest.
I wonder how many of you are taking advantage of the
webinars, blogs, podcasts and ‘genchats’. Most of them are
user friendly and very helpful. I am certain that most of us
use YouTube materials can help us learn more about the
software and sites that we use.
Consider social media the door to more helpful information.
Through some of these groups, you are able to learn new ways
to explore our field of interest and meet many new folks in the
field. In future issues of Morasha, I hope to introduce you to the
ways in which these tools can add to our explorations to learn
more about our families. In the meantime, here are a few
con’t, page 7
sites for tools that may be new to you. Enjoy!
TWO Yizkor Books Just Published in English
by Sandra Hirschhorn
I’m pleased to advise that two new titles
have joined the ranks of hard cover
books published by the Yizkor Books in
Print Project part of the Yizkor Books
Project of JewishGen, Inc.
The first is: “Brest-Litovsk - Volume II
Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora” a
translation of Brisk de-Lita: Encyclopedia
Shel Galuyot.
The original Yiddish volume was edited
by Elieser Steinman and published in
Jerusalem in 1958. The name of the
town, Brest-Litovsk, indicates its link with
Lithuania. Although founded by the Slavs in 1017 and invaded
by the Mongols in 1241, it became part of the Grand Duchy
of Lithuania in 1319, and in 1569 it became the capital of the
unified Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The town is also known as “Brisk,” in Yiddish to the Jews who
lived and thrived there for six centuries. Jewish “Brisk” had an
illustrious history; the famous Brisker Yeshivah attracted scholars
from all over Europe. The list of Rabbis of Brest includes Solomon
Luria and Joel Sirkes, in earlier periods, the Katzenellenbogens,
and three generations of the Soloveitchik dynasty in more recent
times. Brest also produced Jacob Epstein the great Talmudist at
the Hebrew University, Menachem Begin, and many other major
religious, literary and political leaders. In 1923, Jews made up
60% of Brest’s population of 60,000. Brest, Belarus is located
203 miles SW of Minsk.
The second title is “Grayewo Memorial (Yizkor) Book.” It is a
translation of Grayeve yisker-bukh (Grayewo Memorial Book)
Editor: Dr. George Gorin, New York. Originally published by
United Grayever Relief Committee, 1950. Grajewo is located
114 mi NNE of Warsaw in Poland. Alternate names for the
town are: Grajewo [Polish], Grayavah [Yiddish], Graevo
[Russian], Grayeve, Grayevo.
Jews have been living in Grajewo, in the province of Bialystok,
Poland since the late 17th century. The 1765 census counted
83 Jewish people and by 1857, the number had grown to
1,457 comprising 76% of the town’s population. By 1921, the
percentage of Jews had decreased to 39%.
During the Soviet occupation, between September 1939 and
June 1941, Jewish businesses were nationalized. The Nazi
invasion of Grajewo on 22 June 1941 marked the beginning
of the devastation and horrors thrust upon the Jewish
population. Within a few months, 1,600 to 2,000 Jews had
been sent to the transit camp at Bogosza and on to the
extermination camps at Treblinka and Auschwitz.
The list price is $49.95, available on Amazon for around $36.
Again, see http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip/YBIP_Grajewo.html
for further information and non-U.S. sources. You can see the full
range of books printed under the auspices of our Yizkor Books in
Print Project at: http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip.html
This book was written by Brest survivors and former residents
from many countries who contributed their memories of their
hometown as a record for future generations, and as testament
and loving tribute to the innocent Victims of the Shoah. It is
a must read for researchers of the town and descendants of
“Briskers.”
The list price is $56.95. This title is available at Amazon
for around $41. (Be sure to check there may be lower prices elsewhere.)
It is also available at Barnes & Noble. Finally, check the JewishGen
website http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip/YBIP_Brest.html for
further information and non-U.S. sources.
If you have any questions, contact
Sandra Hirschhorn, Publicity Specialist
Yizkor-Books-in-Print Project of Jewishgen.org [email protected]
SOCIAL MEDIA
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FACEBOOK GROUPS The Organized Genealogist – https://www.facebook.com/groups/organizedgenealogist/
Tracing the Tribe – Jewish Genealogy on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/20364215746/
Ancestry.com (Crista Cowan) – https://www.facebook.com/groups/5603418246/
GENEALOGY BLOGS The Genealogy Nitpicker aka The Ginger Jewish Genealogist – http://idogenealogy.com/blog/
Genealogy Blog Finder (20 Jewish Genealogy Blogs) – http://blogfinder.genealogue.com/jewish.asp
The Olive Tree Genealogy – http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/
The Legal Genealogist (Judy G. Russel)– http://www.legalgenealogist.com/
PINTEREST Family Search Blog – https://familysearch.org/blog/en/pinterest-genealogy/
Marianne’s Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/drgranma/genealogy/
Ancestry.com – http://www.pinterest.com/ancestrycom/ancestry-com/
WEBINARS and GENCHATS GeneaWebinars – http://blog.geneawebinars.com/Select Calendar from the menu bar
Genchats– http://www.conferencekeeper.net/genchat-introduction.html
7
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IAJGS salt lake city
JGSI Vice President Sandy Kiferbaum
welcomes guests at the JGSI dinner which
took place on July 28th during the IAJGS
Conference in Salt Lake City. Twenty-four JGSI
members and guests introduced themselves
and visited over dinner at the Lamb’s Grill.
H
i s t o ry
by Harriet Rudnit
of
G e n e tic G e n e a l o gy
As a genealogist who knows very
few ancestral surnames and birth
places, I hoped that through genetics
I might discover relatives. Therefore, I
first submitted a sample for mtDNA
analysis and later for the Family Finder.
Although the O.J. trial did provide a lot of
information about alleles, my knowledge
of genetics had been limited to basics
taught in eighth grade science. Therefore,
to better understand the various aspects
of genetics, I have attended many
presentations at previous conferences.
All have increased my understanding
of this complicated subject. This year
Bennett Greenspan’s “History of Genetic
Genealogy” provided background on
how DNA was first used to document
relationships between people as well as
how FamilyTree DNA began.
England pioneered the use of mtDNA to
identify a rapist in the 1980’s. In 1997, a Y
study of Cohanim, who are descendants
of Moses’ brother, Aaron, was published. A
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third DNA study involving the relationship
between Thomas Jefferson and Sally
Hemings, who was his deceased wife’s
half-sister as well as his slave, occurred in
1998. Jefferson’s family was from Wales
and their DNA was part of an unusual and
specific haplogroup, known as T. Since one
of Ms. Hemings’s male descendants also
was a member of the T haplogroup, her
intimate relationship with Jefferson was
substantiated.
Mr. Greenspan was familiar with all three
studies when he began researching the
Nitz branch of his family. To prove or
disprove a connection with a possible
Nitz relative in Argentina, he wanted
to compare their DNA and contacted
Dr. Michael Hammer, a geneticist, at
the University of Arizona to obtain a
testing kit. Dr. Hammer explained that
no company was presently doing DNA
testing for genealogical purposes and
suggested that Mr. Greenspan start his
own company.
8
In 2000 Mr. Greenspan started
FamilyTreeDNA and five kits were sold
at that year’s genealogical conference in
Salt Lake City. In succeeding years other
companies have joined the genetics field
with their kits, but FamilyTreeDNA has
the largest Jewish database. As FamilyTree
continues to improve its autosomal DNA
testing, researchers are able to identify
relatives and determine degrees of
relationships. It is an especially important
tool for adoptees as well as identifying
half-siblings in blended families.
After the presentation I met with Mr.
Greenspan and learned more about my
haplogroup. I also learned how additional
testing of my first cousin, a male, might
further identify family connections with
second and third cousin matches. Both the
lecture and one-on-one session provided
important historical and personal
information I will use in researching my
family or others.
On Taking the Sephardic Track
by Martin Fischer
A special focus of the 34th IAJGS
International Conference on Jewish
Genealogy, held in Salt Lake City, Utah,
from July 27 to August 4, 2014, was
World War I, which began exactly 100
years before the conference. More than
a dozen speakers’ presentations, at least
two films and other activities related
to the war were offered during the
conference.
But another, less promoted feature of
this year’s conference was Sephardic
genealogy. This may seem strange due to
the relatively small number of Sephardim
in the U.S. and around the world. Out
of a total world Jewish population of
an estimated 13 million people, the
Ashkenazim are a substantial majority—
around 8 million. In the United States,
according to the 1990 National Jewish
Population Study, only 8.1 percent of
those surveyed identified themselves as
of Sephardi origin.
Nevertheless, at least eight programs
presented at this year’s IAJGS conference
were related to Sephardic topics. Here
are brief summaries of a few of them:
Genie Milgrom, author of the book “My
15 Grandmothers” and president of the
JGS of Greater Miami, described the
genealogical research that successfully
documented her Sephardic maternal
ancestry going back to the 1500s in a
presentation called “From the Spanish
Inquisition to the Present: A Search for
Jewish Roots.”
Art Benveniste, a member of the Society
for Crypto Judaic Studies who was born
and grew up in Los Angeles in a Ladinospeaking community from the Isle of
Rhodes, Greece, spoke on two topics:
“Crypto Jews” and “Sephardic Jewish
Community of Los Angeles.”
Amelia Serraller, a researcher in the
Department of Slavic Philology at the
Complutense University of Madrid,
Spain, delivered a presentation called
“The Sephardic Diaspora in Poland:
Dusting Off the Traces.”
Serraller focused on several prominent
individuals of Sephardic background
who lived in Ashkenazi areas. Among
the Sephardim she described were Jose
Nasi, Duke of Naxos (1524-1579), and his
agents Abraham and Moses de Mosso
Kohen, who traveled to Lviv. The latter
founded the Sephardic community
of Zamosc, Poland. Israel ben Moses
Halevi (1700-1772), a Talmudist and
mathematician, wrote an astronomical
treatise and several other books in
Zamosc.
She also listed several Sephardic
physicians who settled in Krakow, Poland
in the 16th and 17th centuries: Isaak
Hispanus, Samuel ben Meshulam, Jonas
Casal, and members of the Kalahora and
Montalto families.
Sometimes the link to a Sephardic
background was not always clear.
Messiah claimant Jacob ben Leiba Frank
(1726-1791), of Ukraine, was said to wear
Sephardic clothing and spoke Ladino,
Serraller said.
She also showed photos of Sephardic
synagogues in Zamosc and Krakow
that reflect the Moorish Revival style of
architecture associated with the Iberian
Peninsula, from which the Jews were
expelled in the 1490s.
Schelly Talalay Dardashti, author of
the Tracing the Tribe blog (www.
tracingthetribe.com) and administrator
of the Facebook group Tracing the
Tribe-Jewish Genealogy (facebook.
com/groups/20364215746), gave two
presentations on Sephardic topics: “The
Iberian Ashkenaz DNA Project” and
“Sephardic Genealogy: Many Resources.”
In her “Many Resources” presentation,
Dardashti shared a long bibliography
that included many informative
websites related to Sephardim.
These included: cryptojewsjournal.
org, sephardichorizons.org,
americansephardifederation.org,
www.sephardicstudies.org, and
sephardicgen.com.
In her “DNA Project” program, Dardashti
explained that some Ashkenazi families
have handed down stories of Sephardic
ancestry, and the Iberian Ashkenaz
DNA Project on the Family Tree DNA
website is designed to research genetic
links between both groups of Jews.
Thanks to the emergence of genetic
genealogy, some Ashkenazi individuals
are finding that their genetic matches
also include known Sephardim. These
matches indicate shared genetic ancestry
and, at least potentially, family tree links
between Ashkenazim and Sephardim.
She pointed out that while it may be
nearly impossible for most Jews to trace
their ancestors back to Spain, “Each
9
researcher must decide for himself or
herself whether a genetic match of their
Ashkenazi family with a Sephardic,
Converso, Hispanic or Latino individual is
enough. For some people it is.”
For me, it is sufficient.
I have no known Sephardic background,
and all my known ancestral surnames
are not suggestive of any Sephardic
background. Therefore, I was surprised
to learn several years ago that amid my
hundreds of obviously Ashkenazi genetic
genealogy matches on Family Tree
DNA, there were several with Sephardic
names. They include one of the lecturers
mentioned above in this article—Art
Benveniste, who matches my Y-DNA
25-marker results at a genetic distance of
1 (which, if we had identical surnames,
would indicate a shared ancestor within
300 years).
At the same Y-DNA matching level as
Benveniste, my list of genetic matches
also includes men with the surnames
Guida, Alhanoot, Sacerdote, and
Orellana, all of which suggest nonAshkenazi, Mediterranean origins.
At the less precise 12-marker level of
the Y-DNA test, my hundreds of exact
matches include the non-Ashkenazi
surnames of Guida, Rucco, Morales,
Ramirez, Guzman, Alhanoot, Aguilar,
Ciobotaro, Al-Sulaimani, Benveniste,
Palma, Orellana, Sacerdote, Ortega,
and Nasar. One other match at
this level whose current surname is
Carvin, was originally Karawan, which
suggests historical origins in the Jewish
community of Qairawan, Tunisia. While
the majority of my matches are obviously
Ashkenazim, this scattering of nonAshkenazi surnames raises intriguing
possibilities about my paternal line.
By attending some of the IAJGS
conference programs on Sephardic
topics, I gained a greater understanding
and appreciation of what might
be a hidden aspect of my ancestral
history. The genetic evidence and the
documented historical instances of
prominent Sephardim who lived in
Ashkenazi territories of Europe call for
keeping an open mind about distant past
ancestral origins of those who consider
themselves Ashkenazim.
Martin Fischer is Vice President of
Programming for the Jewish Genealogical
Society of Illinois.
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JGSI RECAP of SUNDAY PROGRAMS
by Celia Wilk
6JUNE 29 • “Ethical Wills - Values Handed Down Through Genealogy”
The June JGSI meeting kicked off with a brief
presentation by co-president Robin Seidenberg of the
group’s Annual Report. Robin highlighted the move
to our new location at Temple Beth-el, as well as an
increase in membership, improvements made to both
the E-News and Morasha, and use of the Wild Apricot
platform for our Membership Directory.
Our website continues to evolve, our help desk
continues to successfully aid individuals, both
beginners and those who have hit a brick wall. In the future, JGSI
will use GoToMeeting to allow people to attend business meetings
remotely, as well as GoToWebinar for hosting real time events and
allowing members to view recordings of past meetings.
Our speaker was Rabbi Amy L. Memis-Foler, who spoke on the
topic, “Ethical Wills - Values Handed Down Through Genealogy.” She
described ethical wills as a tradition that goes back to biblical times
in which individuals pass on wisdom, and sometimes instructions, to
future generations. Biblical examples included passages from Jacob,
Moses and King David, which included both positive and negative
words for their children, such as forgiveness and even revenge.
Resources for creating your own ethical will can be found in “Ethical
Wills and How to Prepare Them” by Jack Riemer and Nathaniel
Stampfer. Beth LaMie’s website (bethlamie.com) has lists of
suggested terms to describe values which are important to you and
ways to organize your writing. Many of our own personal beliefs are
ones passed down through previous generations and an ethical will
is a good way to see those values live on in future generations.
6JULY 20 • “My Cousin the Murder Defendant - Did Elda Duke Kill Her Mother?”
Co-president Robin Seidenberg’s announcements including that
the Familysearch.org web site recently added indexed records and
images of Cook County, Illinois Deaths.
The main program was given by Martin Fischer who presented
“My Cousin the Murder Defendant - Did Elda Duke Kill Her
Mother?” Using a variety of newspaper archives, Marty detailed
the tragic death of his aunt and the subsequent prosecution of
her daughter for first-degree murder. The incident occurred in St.
Louis in 1938, and because of the sensational nature of the case,
the story received much press coverage including
detailed descriptions and photos. Ultimately, the
daughter was acquitted, due mainly to testimony
from a surprise witness on the last day of the trial.
Marty’s handout included a list of newspaper
sources available at many public libraries in major
cities in the U.S. Marty also told the group that he
has included this story in his family history website
(www.martinfischer.webs.com), and has received many comments
about the story from his relatives via his Facebook page.
6AUGUST 24 • “Treasures in Print: Finding and Using Historical Newspapers“
Debbie Kroopkin kicked off the meeting by announcing that JGSI
member Marcia Hirsch had won the IAJGS contest for the best
poster to represent Jewish Genealogy Month in 2014.
Our main speaker was JGSI co-president Robin Seidenberg,
whose talk was Treasures in Print: Finding and Using Historical
Newspapers. Even though your relative may not have been rich,
famous, or infamous, that person may be mentioned in local
newspapers.
Robin illustrated the different types of information that can be
found in historical newspapers, using examples from her own
research on the life of her uncle Ben Bogeaus. She discovered the
first photo she had ever seen of her uncle.
Robin stressed the importance of searching
in databases and using a variety of keyword
combinations. Different databases can produce
different results, even when using the same
search strategies. Besides obituaries and death
notices, family information can be found in
birth, engagement and wedding notices, student
newspapers from universities, and even want ads.
Robin also demonstrated the snipping tool, available in later
versions of Windows, to copy sections of scanned articles and
clean up images that can often be unclear. Finally, Robin urged
the group to talk to their local reference librarian, who may
have access to microfilm and other resources not found online,
and can also assist with inter-library loans.
6SEPTEMBER 28 • “Using the Wilmette LDS Family History Center to Find Resources”
JGSI held their September meeting to use the opportunity to
experiment with future remote access using GoToMeeting’s
GoToWebinar software. The group hopes to make future
meetings available to individuals not able to be there in person.
Our speaker was former JGSI President Judith Frazin, whose
topic was, “Using the Wilmette LDS Family History Center
to Find Resources.” Her outline included a listing of unusual
resources which are of special interest to those researching
individuals from the Chicago and Cook County Illinois area, as
well as step-by-step instructions for accessing US and foreign
records via Internet links
available at the facility.
Judy noted that the Wilmette library has somewhat limited
hours, and has instituted new charges when requesting
indefinite loans, but also that photocopies can now be made
free of charge. Additionally, microfilms that are already on
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10
indefinite loan can be used by others at no charge
when visiting the facility (if the original requestor
is not there using them).
Judy reminded the group that the Wilmette’s FHC
website is different than familysearch.org, and
she provided step-by-step instructions as well as
suggestions for search strategies and techniques.
Audience comments following Judith’s presentation included
reminders that both the Arlington Heights Memorial Library
and the Newberry Library are designated branches of the LDS
library, and that those facilities, as well as the LDS Naperville
Family History Center have different hours and may therefore be
more convenient when doing research. However, Judy indicated
that none of these additional facilities has the collection of
Chicago and Cook County documents, which are available on
indefinite loan at the Wilmette family history center.
IGRA Program
july 23
IGRA Database
“Looking Outside the BMD (Birth,
Marriage, Death) Box for your Mother
and Aunts: A Case Study Based on
Eretz Israel”
JGSI hosted a special presentation by
Israeli genealogist and IGRA Database
Coordinator Rose Feldman on July 23
at the Skokie Public Library entitled,
“Looking Outside the BMD (Birth,
Marriage, Death) Box for your Mother
and Aunts: A Case Study Based on
Eretz Israel.”
While the speaker focused on finding
information on female relatives using
a variety of sources in Israel, much
of the research could be adapted to
searching for individuals of either
gender and can be applicable to
research conducted in the US and
other countries.
Rose Feldman noted that there is
no central death registry in Israel,
and because of its history, relevant
documents can sometimes be found
in sources outside of that country.
Her sources included newspapers,
immigration, census and voters’ lists,
and archives from professional and
civic organizations.
Also of interest was Israel’s long
history of using women’s maiden
names, even after marriage. The Israel
Genealogy Research Association’s
website is http://Genealogy.org.il
and registration is free.
Get Thee to a Library
by Robin Seidenberg
Do you have a library card? If you don’t, shame on you. Even if you never intend
to check anything out, you need a library card. If you own your residence, your
property taxes are helping to pay for your local library. If you rent, the owner’s
property taxes are reflected in your rent.
You may think all genealogists use the library, but I was shocked by the number of
people at the IAJGS conference in Salt Lake City who did not have library cards. Why do you need a library card? If you haven’t been on your local library’s website
lately, join the twentieth century now that it’s the twenty-first and visit it. We live in
a relatively small village that is hardly affluent.
The online databases that I use most frequently use for genealogy research are
the Historical Chicago Tribune, Historical New York Times and GenealogyBank. In
addition to online databases, many libraries sponsor programs on genealogy.
If you are looking for a particular item that is not in your library, your reference
librarian can usually order it for you through Interlibrary Loan. When I wanted
Chicago Daily News microfilms for May-July, 1921, our library got them through
the Illinois State Library. They also borrowed a microfiche from the library at
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences so I could research my movie
producer uncle.
You can certainly study more than family history. A few years ago I was in Florida
and wanted to do research before buying a new car. So what did I do? I went to
our library’s website, entered my library card number, and proceeded to study car
reviews and prices on ConsumerReports.org. Among other things, I was able to see
the various packages and options on the makes I was considering, their suggested
retail prices, and how much I could possibly save off the manufacturers’ suggested
retail prices.
Do you have a Kindle or other eReader? Did you know you could download eBooks
and audiobooks for your reader? Our library recently subscribed to a service called
“hoopla”. You can borrow free video, music, and audiobooks with your library card
to enjoy on your PC, tablet, or smartphone.
You can find investment news, medical information, magazines, and much more in
your library’s databases. The larger the area that your library serves, the more likely
you are to have a wealth of information to research.
What are you waiting for? Start using your library’s resources!
© 2014 Robin B. Seidenberg
Museum of Family History
by Peggy Morrow
Museum of Family History Places Guide
to the United States For The Jewish
Immigrant Online.
The Museum of Family History has
added to its site Guide to the United
States for the
Jewish Immigrant.
The Guide is an
abridged nearly
literal translation
of the book of the
same name by
John Foster Carr
and was published
by the Immigrant
Publication Society
in Yiddish in 1916.
A few extracts:
“Most American railway stations are
divided into two parts, one for men and
one for women. The men always have the
privilege of sitting in the women’s waiting
room, when this is not private, provided
they do not smoke and do not spit. The
women’s waiting room is more desirable
because it is much cleaner and more
attractive.”
“It is dangerous to carry money in your
pocket or to leave it at home. It is also
dangerous to entrust it to the so-called
private banks. In the last ten years at least
$100,000,000 has been lost by immigrants
confiding their hard-earned savings to
private bankers, who have failed
or absconded.”
11
“Country life is healthier for yourself
and your family. You are protected from
diseases common in the city, and, more
important still, the moral health of your
boys and girls will be better protected.
And in the country the Jew finds an
advantage of peace and happiness that
are impossible in the city, because in the
city it is difficult for him to observe the
Sabbath as his conscience dictates; but
in the country he has complete religious
freedom, and in peace can worship God
according to the custom of his fathers.”
The book is available at http://www.
museumoffamilyhistory.com/gus.htm.
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Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SKOKIE, IL
Permit #61
Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois
P.O. Box 515
Northbrook, IL 60065-0515
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
d
JGSI 2014
JGSI
seeking
speakers
for
2015
The Jewish Genealogical Society of
Illinois is seeking experienced, dynamic Jewish
genealogy speakers for its 2015 calendar of
events. Topics should be relevant to Jewish
genealogy, including but not limited to
research methodology, case study narratives,
how-to presentations, technology, genealogical
resources, etc.
Qualified speakers should send a topic title and
summary as well as a listing of past speaking
engagements to [email protected] or
Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois,
P.O. Box 515, Northbrook, IL 60065.
Mark Your Calendar
Monthly Sunday Meetings
Sunday JGSI meetings are held at Temple Beth El
3610 Dundee Road • Northbrook
The temple will open at 12:30 p.m. to accommodate members who
would like to use our library materials, need help with genealogical
Internet Websites, or have genealogical related questions.
Programs begin at 2:00 p.m.; the Library will reopen
after the programs until 4:00 p.m.
November 23 • Presentation and a short summary. In “Reconnecting with My Lithuanian Roots” Harriet Rudnit,
a first and second Jewish American and a JGSI past president,
will discuss how her experiences on a ten day heritage tour in
June helped her to better understand Jewish life in the past and
present in this Eastern European country. Important religious,
genealogical, and historical sites in Vilnius, Kaunas, Trakai,
Panevezys, and Ankysciai will be included.
December • No meeting
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visit us at www.jgsi.org