The Weekly News Nosh

JewishGen Weekly E-Newsletter

Phil Goldfarb, Editor

Date: August 28, 2022 

“A Family Without The Knowledge Of Their Past History, Origin And Culture Is Like A Tree Without Roots”

                                                                       
Enjoy this week’s Nosh!

Regards,

Phil

pgoldfarb@... 

1. IAJGS Presents 2022 Jewish Genealogy Awards. The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) presented its 2022 awards and grants at its virtual 42nd International Conference on Jewish Genealogy Aug. 21-25. The conference had more than 800 attendees from 17 countries and 39 states in the United States. Read the excellent summary about the winners from Dick Eastman’s EOGN: Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter - IAJGS Presents 2022 Jewish Genealogy Awards (eogn.com)

2. New Free Historical Records on FamilySearch. Just as a reminder, FamilySearch adds records from around the world on a weekly basis. For example, to check out the records that were added this past week go to: New Free Records on FamilySearch 22 August 2022

3. Wolf Blitzer, the son of Holocaust survivors, discusses his new CNN special on the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. The CNN special “Never Again: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: A Tour With Wolf Blitzer,” was aired Friday August 26. If you missed it, you could still watch it On Demand to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN apps, and Cable Operator Platforms. Read the full story and interview from JTA: Wolf Blitzer, the son of Holocaust survivors, discusses his new CNN special on the US Holocaust Memorial Museum - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)

4. Website to tell the story of Holocaust victims through places. While Nazi actions were often recorded and can be mapped with geographic coordinates, the places of Holocaust victim experiences are difficult to map because their locations are vague or unknown and can only be located relatively. A new website that will share 14 years of data combining GIS analysis with corpus and computational linguistics to explore the geographical connections between 1,111 SS camps, 1,142 Jewish ghettos, and approximately 4,000 Holocaust survivor testimonies. Although there are now many websites about the Holocaust, none have provided detailed data on camps and ghettos that users can explore, as this project will. Read the story: https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2022/08/19/knowles-developing-website-to-tell-the-story-of-holocaust-victims-through-places/

5. The First Social Security Number. A great story from Dick Eastman’s EOGN about the first Social Security number issued. Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter - The First Social Security Number (eogn.com) However, the point in printing this is to remind everyone in the U.S. that a potential genealogical source is an ancestor’s application for a Social Security card or SS-5. You can do that here:  Make a FOIA Request (ssa.gov). Make certain that you request the FULL application record and not the Numident record.

6. The Most Instagrammable Synagogues in the World. There is no shortage of beautiful Jewish architecture. No two synagogues are alike. Each has its own unique history and characteristics, which are often reflected in the design of the synagogue itself. Many older synagogues mirror the architectural trends of the era they were constructed in, such as Romanesque arches, intricate Moorish carvings or Gothic stained-glass windows. Read the story from My Jewish Learning: The Most Instagrammable Synagogues in the World | My Jewish Learning Editor’s note: As mentioned in the 7/31 News Nosh, if you have not had a chance to view Synagogues 360, it is a must visit web site. Explore at: Synagogues360 | (anumuseum.org.il).

7. UK man who survived concentration camp as baby finally learns his family’s identity. Jewish genealogist duo solves 80-year mystery, builds a family tree and locates living relatives after reading an article about octogenarian Holocaust orphan Jackie Young who has searched painfully and unsuccessfully for the identity of his biological father for most of his life. Read the story from Times of Israel: UK man who survived concentration camp as baby finally learns his family's identity | The Times of Israel

8. A German cellist reunited over 30 members of a Jewish family — including some who didn’t know their grandparents’ Holocaust story. What began with the purchase of a building has led to a poignant journey for scores of Blach family members who are rediscovering their history. Eighty-plus years after the Holocaust, few of the family’s descendants knew any other relatives existed. Some grew up with Jewish traditions, others were unaware of their family’s deep Jewish roots. Read the story from The Forward: A German cellist reunited over 30 members of a Jewish family — including some who didn’t know their grandparents’ Holocaust story – The Forward

9. Creator of ‘Shtisel’ is. working on a series about Theodor Herzl, father of modern Zionism. Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism who died in his native Austria in 1904, is the subject of a series being developed by Ori Elon, the creator of the hit Israeli TV show. Herzl’s brief but significant life has not been depicted on screen in any substantive way since 1921, when he was the subject of an Austrian silent film called “Theodor Herzl, Standard-Bearer of the Jewish People.” Read more from JTA:  Creator of 'Shtisel' is working on a series about Theodor Herzl, father of modern Zionism - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)

10. How Medieval France Became Convinced That Jews Were Poisoning Its Wells. In the 14th century, the Jews of northern Europe—who had already suffered from massacres during the crusades and wholesale expulsion from England in 1290—faced a new problem: they were accused of spreading disease among Christians by poisoning the wells. Read the story from Mosaic: How Medieval France Became Convinced That Jews Were Poisoning Its Wells » Mosaic (mosaicmagazine.com)

11. Luxury digs: Sprawling 1,200-year-old mansion found in Israel’s Negev Desert. Between two mosques in Rahat, archaeologists uncover an opulent home that most likely belonged to a wealthy landowner in the early Islamic Period with a finished basement that allowed its owners to overcome the searing summer heat. Read the story from the Times of Israel: Luxury digs: Sprawling 1,200-year-old mansion found in Israel's Negev Desert | The Times of Israel

12. First archaeological dig begins at site believed to be Joshua's tomb. Khirbet Tibnah is located on a hill in the southwest of the Samaria region, east of Shoham near Halamish. a site where humans have settled for about 4,000 years and which is believed to be where the biblical Joshua lived and was buried,  The site was populated from the Bronze Age until the beginning of the Ottoman period. Read the story from The Jerusalem Post: https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-713370

13. Recovery of long buried matzevot in Białystok is complete: 120 matzevot dating back the early to mid-19th century were discovered. The removal of Jewish gravestones buried under an artificial mound outside the walls of the Bagnowka Jewish cemetery in Białystok has been completed, with a remarkable 120 matzevot dating back to the early to mid-19th century recovered — the oldest is from 1809. Read the update from Jewish Heritage Europe: Poland Update: Recovery of long-buried matzevot in Białystok is complete: 120 matzevot dating back the early to mid-19th century were discovered - Jewish Heritage Europe (jewish-heritage-europe.eu)

14. 160-year Jewish cemetery in Yemen in the southern port city of Aden is being restored with help from breakaway government faction. The Yemeni Jewish community was estimated at over 50,000 in the first half of the 20th century, but the majority of the country’s Jewish population immigrated to Israel after 1948, and those who remained faced persecution. By 2008, a few hundred Jews were left; earlier this year, the United Nations reported that after “systematic” persecution, only seven remained. Read the story from JTA: 160-year Jewish cemetery in Yemen is being restored with help from breakaway government faction - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)

15. Ancient bones confirm earliest-known human ancestor walked upright. The findings indicate the ability to walk upright occurred in our ancestors more than 7 million years ago. What may be the earliest-known human ancestor, an ape-man called Sahelanthropus tchadensis who lived in Africa roughly 7 million years ago, walked upright for much of the time, according to a new study. The findings suggest that the ability to walk upright — known as bipedalism — occurred very early on the human family tree and reinforce the idea that it may be an evolutionary hallmark of our lineage. Read the story: Ancient bones confirm earliest-known human ancestor walked upright (nbcnews.com)

16. The 19th synagogue in Kőszeg, Hungary is opening to the public after a 2-year renovation, with an exhibition about Philip Schey, the Hapsburg Jewish baron who funded its construction. Schey financed the construction of the synagogue complex in 1856-59 — it includes the Rabbi’s house, courtyard, garden, and fence. Read more from Jewish Heritage Europe: Hungary: The wonderful 19th synagogue in Kőszeg is opening to the public after a 2-year renovation, with an exhibition about Philip Schey, the Hapsburg Jewish baron who funded its construction - Jewish Heritage Europe (jewish-heritage-europe.eu)

17. Groucho Barx and Matzah Ball: Why do Jewish pets have Jewish names? Sarah Bunin Benor, a professor of linguistics at Hebrew Union College, is currently writing a book on trends in Jewish pet names, an offshoot of her ongoing academic research on Jewish naming customs for humans. She said Jewish foods are a popular theme for Jewish pet names, but not the only one — Biblical names, Yiddish and Hebrew words, dead relatives, Jewish holidays, historical figures and puns (such as Groucho Barx and Golda Meow) are also common categories. Read the story from The Forward: Groucho Barx and why Jewish pets have Jewish names (forward.com)

18. Jewish community buys back Montana’s first synagogue from Catholic Diocese. The Jewish community in Montana closed a deal Thursday to reacquire the state’s first synagogue, built in 1891, returning it to Jewish ownership for the first time in 87 years. Montana is home to an estimated 1,500 Jews, out of a population of just over 1 million. Their mission is to create a statewide center for Jewish life, enhance interfaith opportunities, combat antisemitism in Montana schools and bring to reality the Jewish value of ‘repairing the world. Read the story from JTA: After extended campaign, Jewish community buys back Montana’s first synagogue from Catholic Diocese - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)

19. Explore the nearly 2,000-year-old Jewish metropolis of Usha in the western Galilee. Remains of the city founded by rabbis fleeing Roman persecution in Judea were recently uncovered, revealing roads, stunning mosaic floors, ritual baths and oil and wine presses. In the year 132 CE, Jews in the Land of Israel rebelled against the tyranny of the ruling Romans. When the war ended in 135 CE, the result was a massive loss of life and property. Worst hit was Judea, which had almost fully recovered after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE and was full of rabbis, synagogues, cultural centers, and a myriad of Jewish towns and villages. Read the story from the Times of Israel: Explore the nearly 2,000-year-old Jewish metropolis of Usha in the western Galilee | The Times of Israel

20. The Rise and Fall of Pushcarts. How many of your ancestors started out with a pushcart? Once a central feature of immigrant life in urban America, these mobile markets were eventually shoved aside. But their descendants may be making a comeback. An interesting story from The Tablet: The Rise and Fall of Pushcarts - Tablet Magazine

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