JewishGen.org Discussion Group FAQs
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The JewishGen.org Discussion Group unites thousands of Jewish genealogical researchers worldwide as they research their family history, search for relatives, and share information, ideas, methods, tips, techniques, and resources. The JewishGen.org Discussion Group makes it easy, quick, and fun, to connect with others around the world.
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Our old Discussion List platform was woefully antiquated. Among its many challenges: it was not secure, it required messages to be sent in Plain Text, did not support accented characters or languages other than English, could not display links or images, and had archives that were not mobile-friendly.
This new platform that JewishGen is using is a scalable, and sustainable solution, and allows us to engage with JewishGen members throughout the world. It offers a simple and intuitive interface for both members and moderators, more powerful tools, and more secure archives (which are easily accessible on mobile devices, and which also block out personal email addresses to the public).
I am a JewishGen member, why do I have to create a separate account for the Discussion Group?
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I like how the current lists work. Will I still be able to send/receive emails of posts (and/or digests)?
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Can I categorize a message? For example, if my message is related to Polish, or Ukraine research, can I indicate as such?
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What are the new guidelines?
There are just a few simple rules & guidelines to follow, which you can read here:https://groups.jewishgen.org/g/main/guidelines
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Sincerely,
The JewishGen.org Team
Re: Israel cemetery search
#general
Asher <aarbit1@...>
The first place to look for burials in Israel is BillionGraves.com.
Although work continues, the majority of the gravestones in the country have been photographed and transcribed. Searches are free. You must type the name in the language that appears on the gravestone, which is usually Hebrew. Asher Arbit Jerusalem
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen Re: Israel cemetery search
#general
Asher <aarbit1@...>
The first place to look for burials in Israel is BillionGraves.com.
Although work continues, the majority of the gravestones in the country have been photographed and transcribed. Searches are free. You must type the name in the language that appears on the gravestone, which is usually Hebrew. Asher Arbit Jerusalem
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Re: Israel cemetery search
#general
Dahn Cukier
Hello,
At any time after 1950, the person would probably be buried in Jerusalem. Mt of Olives, which is/was listed online. There is a group photographing the graves. The index may be offset >from the actual photo by a few graves. If the grave was destroyed by Jordan between 1948-1967. there may not be records. Sanhedria was very close to the ceasefire line and use was being discontinued since 1948. A number of small cemeteries were opened and closed. The grave were supposed to be moved to Har Hamenuchot, but not all were moved. The only way to find a Jerusalem grave is to call the 10+ burial societies (chavri kadisha). There are 3 Ashkanazi and a general Jerusalem. If a person has family elsewhere, they may be buried at a local cemetery. Did the person have family outside Jerusalem? Remember that in those years the trip to Jerusalem >from Lod was over 90 minutes I once looked for a grave in Yavneh >from 1952. There is no listing of graves from those years, so I walked around the small old Yavneh cemeteryuntil I found a grave marker with the first and father's name and a date. There was no family name. Please contact me off-list. Searching and photography of graves by request is a hobby. But I cannot get to Jerusalem, and I still have to get myself to Metulla. Dani Dahn Cukier BRIEFF, LISS, CUKIER, ZUCKER, SKLAVOUR
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen Re: Israel cemetery search
#general
Dahn Cukier
Hello,
At any time after 1950, the person would probably be buried in Jerusalem. Mt of Olives, which is/was listed online. There is a group photographing the graves. The index may be offset >from the actual photo by a few graves. If the grave was destroyed by Jordan between 1948-1967. there may not be records. Sanhedria was very close to the ceasefire line and use was being discontinued since 1948. A number of small cemeteries were opened and closed. The grave were supposed to be moved to Har Hamenuchot, but not all were moved. The only way to find a Jerusalem grave is to call the 10+ burial societies (chavri kadisha). There are 3 Ashkanazi and a general Jerusalem. If a person has family elsewhere, they may be buried at a local cemetery. Did the person have family outside Jerusalem? Remember that in those years the trip to Jerusalem >from Lod was over 90 minutes I once looked for a grave in Yavneh >from 1952. There is no listing of graves from those years, so I walked around the small old Yavneh cemeteryuntil I found a grave marker with the first and father's name and a date. There was no family name. Please contact me off-list. Searching and photography of graves by request is a hobby. But I cannot get to Jerusalem, and I still have to get myself to Metulla. Dani Dahn Cukier BRIEFF, LISS, CUKIER, ZUCKER, SKLAVOUR
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Re: Naming Pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
hfpjc
The tradition of parents alternating when choosing names (mother
first, father second and so on) is very popular among many Hassidic communities. The tradition goes even further to the second generation, i.e. when a son/daughter gets a turn to name a baby >from his/her family, the grandparents choose the name according to the above pattern, except if there was a recent death in the family. Rifky Gelbman
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen RE: Naming Pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
hfpjc
The tradition of parents alternating when choosing names (mother
first, father second and so on) is very popular among many Hassidic communities. The tradition goes even further to the second generation, i.e. when a son/daughter gets a turn to name a baby >from his/her family, the grandparents choose the name according to the above pattern, except if there was a recent death in the family. Rifky Gelbman
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Re: Naming pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
Adam Cherson
Dear Herbert,
Thanks for this summary. I wonder what is the convention for a son's name if the father's father is still alive, or mother's mother is still alive in the case of a daughter? Would it be the father's paternal grandfather's name for the son or the mother's maternal grandmother's for the daughter? Thanks, Adam Cherson NY, NY --- From: Herbert Lazerow <lazer@sandiego.edu> Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2018 11:34:34 -0800 The naming pattern for eastern European Ashkenazi Jews was: 1. A child is named for a deceased ancestor or a deceased highly respected person, but never for a living person. Subject to that rule: 2. The first son is named for its father's father; the second son for its mother's father. 3. The first daughter is named for its mother's mother; the second daughter for its father's mother. 4. If someone cannot have a namesake in the normal order of rules 2 or 3 because they are still alive at the appropriate time, the next baby of the appropriate sex to be born after the death of that person will be named for that person. 5. When the child's father dies during the pregnancy, the child is named after the child's father if the child is a boy. After that, I do not think there was a rule. One must remember that this is only a custom. Individuals could, and sometimes did, disregard custom. Bert
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen Re: Naming pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
Adam Cherson
Dear Herbert,
Thanks for this summary. I wonder what is the convention for a son's name if the father's father is still alive, or mother's mother is still alive in the case of a daughter? Would it be the father's paternal grandfather's name for the son or the mother's maternal grandmother's for the daughter? Thanks, Adam Cherson NY, NY --- From: Herbert Lazerow <lazer@sandiego.edu> Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2018 11:34:34 -0800 The naming pattern for eastern European Ashkenazi Jews was: 1. A child is named for a deceased ancestor or a deceased highly respected person, but never for a living person. Subject to that rule: 2. The first son is named for its father's father; the second son for its mother's father. 3. The first daughter is named for its mother's mother; the second daughter for its father's mother. 4. If someone cannot have a namesake in the normal order of rules 2 or 3 because they are still alive at the appropriate time, the next baby of the appropriate sex to be born after the death of that person will be named for that person. 5. When the child's father dies during the pregnancy, the child is named after the child's father if the child is a boy. After that, I do not think there was a rule. One must remember that this is only a custom. Individuals could, and sometimes did, disregard custom. Bert
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Re: Naming pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
Jenny Schwartzberg
Re the naming pattern for Ashkenazi Jews, I have a question. My
family has assumed that my great-grandparents Schwartzberg's first two children, Sam and Sara, born in Gniewoszow/Granica, Russia-Poland, in the 1890s, were named for my great-grandmother's parents, since she was an orphan and my great-grandfather's parents were still living at that time. They were pretty religious >from all accounts since they brought two Torahs with them to the US and had a mikveh bath in the basement of their home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Does the religiosity mean that they were more likely to have named for the father's side of the family first? Yours, Jenny Schwartzberg Chicago, IL
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen Re: Naming pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
Jenny Schwartzberg
Re the naming pattern for Ashkenazi Jews, I have a question. My
family has assumed that my great-grandparents Schwartzberg's first two children, Sam and Sara, born in Gniewoszow/Granica, Russia-Poland, in the 1890s, were named for my great-grandmother's parents, since she was an orphan and my great-grandfather's parents were still living at that time. They were pretty religious >from all accounts since they brought two Torahs with them to the US and had a mikveh bath in the basement of their home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Does the religiosity mean that they were more likely to have named for the father's side of the family first? Yours, Jenny Schwartzberg Chicago, IL
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Chanukah in Galicia
#galicia
Sharon Taylor
I am currently researching the celebration of Chanukah in Galicia. I
am looking for specifics, preferably >from first hand accounts. Does anyone know of any family pages, Yizkor books or websites that might have this specific information? My family was >from rural eastern Galicia, so accounts >from that area would be especially useful. Many thanks! Sharon Taylor stay9045@verizon.net Researching Nemeth, Ingier, Ungar, Kastenbaum, Wiesner and Fleissig
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Gesher Galicia SIG #Galicia Chanukah in Galicia
#galicia
Sharon Taylor
I am currently researching the celebration of Chanukah in Galicia. I
am looking for specifics, preferably >from first hand accounts. Does anyone know of any family pages, Yizkor books or websites that might have this specific information? My family was >from rural eastern Galicia, so accounts >from that area would be especially useful. Many thanks! Sharon Taylor stay9045@verizon.net Researching Nemeth, Ingier, Ungar, Kastenbaum, Wiesner and Fleissig
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JGSGP (Philadelphia) December 2018 Meeting
#general
Marilyn Golden <mazergoldenjgsgp@...>
Date: Sunday, December 16, 2018
Time: 3:30 pm Place: Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel 8339 Old York Road Elkins Park, PA 19027 Speaker: Jeffrey Cymbler Program: Topic: Passports for Life: The Bernese Group Rescue of Polish Jews in WWII Jeff earned his BA >from Yeshiva University and a JD degree >from Boston University School of Law. A child of Holocaust survivors, he has been an avid genealogist since 1983. Jeff was co-chair of the 11th Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy and Program Chairman of the 19th Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy. He was on the Editorial Boards of both Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova: Pages >from the Past and Archival Inventories and Jewish Roots in Poland: Pages >from the Past and Archival Inventories and authored chapter one of the latter book, entitled, "Introduction to Polish-Jewish Genealogical Research." Passports for Life is a presentation dedicated to the Polish Envoy in Bern, Aleksander Lados, his subordinates, and members of the Jewish community in Switzerland who in the war-time period acted hand in hand in saving hundreds of European Jews. The members of the so called "Bernese Group" embarked on an illicit operation aim= ed at massive forging of passports of Latin American countries and smuggling them to the ghettos in Poland, Holland, France and other places in the German-occupied Europe. A noticeable, yet differential, number of bearers of the passports managed to survive the war. Some of survivors are still alive today. The presentation will depict the origins of the covert operation, its protagonists, division of work among the members (half of them were Polish Jews), modus operandi of the group and consequences of their activity. A significant number of widely unknown documents and photographs will accompany the presentation, including forged passports, Nazi era postal communications >from Polish ghettos to Switzerland, a database which is being developed of the passports, diplomatic correspondence and ledgers of the names and personal data of Jews for whom passports were procured. Marilyn Golden mazergoldenjgsgp@gmail.com
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JGS of Georgia meeting Sun, Dec 16, 2018
#general
Peggy Freedman <peggyf@...>
On Sunday, December 16, Professor Ellie Schainker of Emory University
will speak to the JGS of Georgia on "Researching 19th Century Jewish Life in the Russian Archives: Converts, Missionaries, and Religious Disputes." Professor Ellie Schainker has studied lives of ordinary Jews living in Imperial Russia who chose to convert to Christianity. Using rare materials >from archives in Russia and the United States, she has studied converts >from among the lower classes and rural populations. These are not successful professionals who converted to Christianity to pursue a career, but cases of love with a Christian neighbor, people influenced by missionaries, and people escaping bad marriages. Rather than being expelled >from the community, many of these converts continued to live near their parents and family. Professor Schainker will share with us the kinds of material that can be found in Russian Archives and the stories that she found while doing the research for her book. This is a rare opportunity to hear about archival research in Russia. The meeting will be held at The Breman Museum, 1440 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA. There will be mentoring and social time beginning at 1:00. Professor Schainker's talk will begin at 2:00. The meeting is free for Members. For visitors, participation in this event is included in the cost of general museum admission. Peggy Mosinger Freedman Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia http://jgsg.org/
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen JGSGP (Philadelphia) December 2018 Meeting
#general
Marilyn Golden <mazergoldenjgsgp@...>
Date: Sunday, December 16, 2018
Time: 3:30 pm Place: Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel 8339 Old York Road Elkins Park, PA 19027 Speaker: Jeffrey Cymbler Program: Topic: Passports for Life: The Bernese Group Rescue of Polish Jews in WWII Jeff earned his BA >from Yeshiva University and a JD degree >from Boston University School of Law. A child of Holocaust survivors, he has been an avid genealogist since 1983. Jeff was co-chair of the 11th Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy and Program Chairman of the 19th Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy. He was on the Editorial Boards of both Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova: Pages >from the Past and Archival Inventories and Jewish Roots in Poland: Pages >from the Past and Archival Inventories and authored chapter one of the latter book, entitled, "Introduction to Polish-Jewish Genealogical Research." Passports for Life is a presentation dedicated to the Polish Envoy in Bern, Aleksander Lados, his subordinates, and members of the Jewish community in Switzerland who in the war-time period acted hand in hand in saving hundreds of European Jews. The members of the so called "Bernese Group" embarked on an illicit operation aim= ed at massive forging of passports of Latin American countries and smuggling them to the ghettos in Poland, Holland, France and other places in the German-occupied Europe. A noticeable, yet differential, number of bearers of the passports managed to survive the war. Some of survivors are still alive today. The presentation will depict the origins of the covert operation, its protagonists, division of work among the members (half of them were Polish Jews), modus operandi of the group and consequences of their activity. A significant number of widely unknown documents and photographs will accompany the presentation, including forged passports, Nazi era postal communications >from Polish ghettos to Switzerland, a database which is being developed of the passports, diplomatic correspondence and ledgers of the names and personal data of Jews for whom passports were procured. Marilyn Golden mazergoldenjgsgp@gmail.com
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen JGS of Georgia meeting Sun, Dec 16, 2018
#general
Peggy Freedman <peggyf@...>
On Sunday, December 16, Professor Ellie Schainker of Emory University
will speak to the JGS of Georgia on "Researching 19th Century Jewish Life in the Russian Archives: Converts, Missionaries, and Religious Disputes." Professor Ellie Schainker has studied lives of ordinary Jews living in Imperial Russia who chose to convert to Christianity. Using rare materials >from archives in Russia and the United States, she has studied converts >from among the lower classes and rural populations. These are not successful professionals who converted to Christianity to pursue a career, but cases of love with a Christian neighbor, people influenced by missionaries, and people escaping bad marriages. Rather than being expelled >from the community, many of these converts continued to live near their parents and family. Professor Schainker will share with us the kinds of material that can be found in Russian Archives and the stories that she found while doing the research for her book. This is a rare opportunity to hear about archival research in Russia. The meeting will be held at The Breman Museum, 1440 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA. There will be mentoring and social time beginning at 1:00. Professor Schainker's talk will begin at 2:00. The meeting is free for Members. For visitors, participation in this event is included in the cost of general museum admission. Peggy Mosinger Freedman Jewish Genealogical Society of Georgia http://jgsg.org/
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ITMAN - JewishGen and Yad Vashem
#general
Angie Elfassi
Hi,
On JewishGen, I have found the death of a relative Itman, Jankelis s/o Abramas Ickas and Sore Etel died in Stakliskes died 11th November 1930, aged 68 years. On Yad Vashem I have found the death of Chaim Yakov, born about 1882, husband of Henia, nee FINK. He was murdered in 1942. According to my records, 'my' Chaim Yankel ITMAN was married to Gena Funkaite/Funk. My records are taken >from JewishGen. Any suggestion would be much appreciated about when Chaim Yakov actually died. Regards Angie Elfassi Yehud, Israel Searching: RAYKH-ZELIGMAN/RICHMAN, Stakliskes, Lithuania/Leeds COHEN, Sakiai, Lithuania/Leeds MAGIDOWITZ, Jurbarkas, Lithuania/Leeds KASSIMOFF, Rezekne, Latvia/Leeds ITMAN, Stakliskes, Lithuania/USA
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen ITMAN - JewishGen and Yad Vashem
#general
Angie Elfassi
Hi,
On JewishGen, I have found the death of a relative Itman, Jankelis s/o Abramas Ickas and Sore Etel died in Stakliskes died 11th November 1930, aged 68 years. On Yad Vashem I have found the death of Chaim Yakov, born about 1882, husband of Henia, nee FINK. He was murdered in 1942. According to my records, 'my' Chaim Yankel ITMAN was married to Gena Funkaite/Funk. My records are taken >from JewishGen. Any suggestion would be much appreciated about when Chaim Yakov actually died. Regards Angie Elfassi Yehud, Israel Searching: RAYKH-ZELIGMAN/RICHMAN, Stakliskes, Lithuania/Leeds COHEN, Sakiai, Lithuania/Leeds MAGIDOWITZ, Jurbarkas, Lithuania/Leeds KASSIMOFF, Rezekne, Latvia/Leeds ITMAN, Stakliskes, Lithuania/USA
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Re: Naming Pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
Judith Singer
I have never heard of a tradition that the mother could choose the
name of the first child and the father the second, or vice versa. Among Eastern European Jews, most important was the custom that a child not be named after a living relative - though two cousins might both be named after the same grandfather, so duplication existed. Generally, the first son was named after the paternal grandfather (if he had died). In some families, the sons tended to be named after the deceased relatives of the father and the girls after the deceased relatives of the mother, in the order of grandparents first, particularly revered ancestors next, then uncles and aunts of the parents. In other families, all the children were named after the deceased relatives of the father, leading to very clear naming patterns detectable in successive generations. My experience is mainly with Litvaks and the customs among Ukrainian or Romanian Jews or among Chasidim might have been somewhat different. JewishGen has some information about this at https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/GivenNames/slide7.html and a few subsequent slides. Both you and JewishGen refer to naming traditions among "Ashkenazic Jews", but the Ashkenazim include German Jews, who by the 19th century did not adhere strongly to naming traditions, and a variety of Eastern and Central European Jews. Customs differed somewhat >from region to region. Judith Singer
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JewishGen Discussion Group #JewishGen Re: Naming Pattern among Ashkenazic Jews
#general
Judith Singer
I have never heard of a tradition that the mother could choose the
name of the first child and the father the second, or vice versa. Among Eastern European Jews, most important was the custom that a child not be named after a living relative - though two cousins might both be named after the same grandfather, so duplication existed. Generally, the first son was named after the paternal grandfather (if he had died). In some families, the sons tended to be named after the deceased relatives of the father and the girls after the deceased relatives of the mother, in the order of grandparents first, particularly revered ancestors next, then uncles and aunts of the parents. In other families, all the children were named after the deceased relatives of the father, leading to very clear naming patterns detectable in successive generations. My experience is mainly with Litvaks and the customs among Ukrainian or Romanian Jews or among Chasidim might have been somewhat different. JewishGen has some information about this at https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/GivenNames/slide7.html and a few subsequent slides. Both you and JewishGen refer to naming traditions among "Ashkenazic Jews", but the Ashkenazim include German Jews, who by the 19th century did not adhere strongly to naming traditions, and a variety of Eastern and Central European Jews. Customs differed somewhat >from region to region. Judith Singer
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