JewishGen.org Discussion Group FAQs
What is the JewishGen.org Discussion Group?
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.
Is it Secure?
Yes. JewishGen is using a state of the art platform with the most contemporary security standards. JewishGen will never share member information with third parties.
How is the New JewishGen.org Discussion Group better than the old one?
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?
As we continue to modernize our platform, we are trying to ensure that everything meets contemporary security standards. In the future, we plan hope to have one single sign-in page.
I like how the current lists work. Will I still be able to send/receive emails of posts (and/or digests)?
Yes. In terms of functionality, the group will operate the same for people who like to participate with email. People can still send a message to an email address (in this case, main@groups.JewishGen.org), and receive a daily digest of postings, or individual emails. In addition, Members can also receive a daily summary of topics, and then choose which topics they would like to read about it. However, in addition to email, there is the additional functionality of being able to read/post messages utilizing our online forum (https://groups.jewishgen.org).
Does this new system require plain-text?
No.
Can I post images, accented characters, different colors/font sizes, non-latin characters?
Yes.
Can I categorize a message? For example, if my message is related to Polish, or Ukraine research, can I indicate as such?
Yes! Our new platform allows members to use “Hashtags.” Messages can then be sorted, and searched, based upon how they are categorized. Another advantage is that members can “mute” any conversations they are not interested in, by simply indicating they are not interested in a particular “hashtag.”
Will all posts be archived?
Yes.
Can I still search though old messages?
Yes. All the messages are accessible and searchable going back to 1998.
What if I have questions or need assistance using the new Group?
Send your questions to: support@JewishGen.org
How do I access the Group’s webpage?
Follow this link: https://groups.jewishgen.org/g/main
So just to be sure - this new group will allow us to post from our mobile phones, includes images, accented characters, and non-latin characters, and does not require plain text?
Correct!
Will there be any ads or annoying pop-ups?
No.
Will the current guidelines change?
Yes. While posts will be moderated to ensure civility, and that there is nothing posted that is inappropriate (or completely unrelated to genealogy), we will be trying to create an online community of people who regulate themselves, much as they do (very successfully) on Jewish Genealogy Portal on Facebook.
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
Thank you in advance for contributing to this amazing online community!
If you have any questions, or suggestions, please email support@JewishGen.org.
Sincerely,
The JewishGen.org Team
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Re: The word 'Smouse' for a Jewish peddler
#southafrica
Juan-Paul Burke <paysach12@...>
LEVY, L. 2018. The Hidden life of a smous. Cape Town: Kaplan Centre.
ZACHARIOU, N. 2017. >from missionary to merino: Identity, economy and material culture in the Karoo, Northern Cape, South Africa, 1800-ca. 1870. PhD. University of Cape Town. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27553 The 1st is a book about the 'smous', the 2nd is a PhD with a chapter about the 'smous'. Contact South African Jewish Museum to order the LEVY book. I don't know if Kaplan Centre sell directly anymore? Enjoy! Jp Burke
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South Africa SIG #SouthAfrica Re: The word 'Smouse' for a Jewish peddler
#southafrica
Juan-Paul Burke <paysach12@...>
LEVY, L. 2018. The Hidden life of a smous. Cape Town: Kaplan Centre.
ZACHARIOU, N. 2017. >from missionary to merino: Identity, economy and material culture in the Karoo, Northern Cape, South Africa, 1800-ca. 1870. PhD. University of Cape Town. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27553 The 1st is a book about the 'smous', the 2nd is a PhD with a chapter about the 'smous'. Contact South African Jewish Museum to order the LEVY book. I don't know if Kaplan Centre sell directly anymore? Enjoy! Jp Burke
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BANK family from Kovno Gubernia
#lithuania
Igor Schein <igorschein@...>
My great-great-grandmother was Michel ben Yaakov BANK, >from Braslav.
He died in 1919 in Riga, Latvia. When his brother Max "Motel" came to NYC in 1913, he listed his "brother" <unreadable> BANK as a going-to relative. I was able to determine that there was a Haskel BANK, also originally from Braslav, who lived at that same address at that same time.I was later informed that Haskel, whose father was Tzalel BANK and who was reportedly related to various BANK families living in Keidan, Lithuania, had 3 sisters in New Jersey. I've communicated with a descendant of Reva Tollin, and I am aware of the family of Sarah Ginsberg. I am having hard time tracking down the 3rd family. I believe the 3rd sister, Mary, married Harry Yassen in 1908 in Newark, NJ, but I wasn't able to find anything after 1908 on that surname - perhaps it was badly misspelled in the marriage index.. I am also trying to figure out how exactly Haskel is related to my family. If any of the above sounds familiar to you, or you have a general interest in BANK families >from Kovno Gubernia, please contact me directly - I've amassed a solid amount of genealogical data over the years. Best, Igor Schein Researching: BANK@Braslav KALEKI@Daugai KORB@Salakas PERGAMENT@Smorgon RANDONISKI@Kalvarija
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Lithuania SIG #Lithuania BANK family from Kovno Gubernia
#lithuania
Igor Schein <igorschein@...>
My great-great-grandmother was Michel ben Yaakov BANK, >from Braslav.
He died in 1919 in Riga, Latvia. When his brother Max "Motel" came to NYC in 1913, he listed his "brother" <unreadable> BANK as a going-to relative. I was able to determine that there was a Haskel BANK, also originally from Braslav, who lived at that same address at that same time.I was later informed that Haskel, whose father was Tzalel BANK and who was reportedly related to various BANK families living in Keidan, Lithuania, had 3 sisters in New Jersey. I've communicated with a descendant of Reva Tollin, and I am aware of the family of Sarah Ginsberg. I am having hard time tracking down the 3rd family. I believe the 3rd sister, Mary, married Harry Yassen in 1908 in Newark, NJ, but I wasn't able to find anything after 1908 on that surname - perhaps it was badly misspelled in the marriage index.. I am also trying to figure out how exactly Haskel is related to my family. If any of the above sounds familiar to you, or you have a general interest in BANK families >from Kovno Gubernia, please contact me directly - I've amassed a solid amount of genealogical data over the years. Best, Igor Schein Researching: BANK@Braslav KALEKI@Daugai KORB@Salakas PERGAMENT@Smorgon RANDONISKI@Kalvarija
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The December Issue of the Galitzianer
#poland
Gesher Galicia SIG
We are delighted to announce the release of the December 2019 issue of
the "Galitzianer," the quarterly research journal of Gesher Galicia. Spanning centuries, this issue is a smorgasbord of history, politics, and family narratives--and it raises a host of interesting questions. How will a new Polish regulation complicating access to records impact Jewish genealogical research? What can we learn about the Jewish community in Galicia >from the first Galician census? How did universal male suffrage impact Jewish political representation during the Habsburg Monarchy? How do you uncover your family's past when the surviving relative doesn't want to talk about it? What should you consider before interviewing a Holocaust survivor? The December issue of the journal raises these and other questions through the following articles: - "Research Corner: Successes and Hurdles" by Mark Jacobson - "The First Habsburg Census" by Andrew Zalewski - "Jewish Deputies >from Galicia" by Borries Kuzmany - "Looking for My Parents" by Reuven Liebes - "My Grandmother's Kitchen" by Peter Bein - "Map Corner: 1850 Cadastral Map of Gorlice" by Jay Osborn - "Day with Murray" by Barbara Krasner - "Membership News" by Shelley Kellerman Pollero The Galitzianer is a membership benefit of Gesher Galicia, though anyone is invited to submit articles on Galicia-related themes. For membership information, visit our website at www.geshergalicia.org/membership/. For details on submitting an article, review our submissions policy at www.geshergalicia.org/the-galitzianer/#submissions, or contact me at submissions@geshergalicia.org. Jodi G. Benjamin Editor, The Galitzianer Gesher Galicia --- PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS. Send all inquiries to submissions@geshergalicia.org. ---
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JRI Poland #Poland The December Issue of the Galitzianer
#poland
Gesher Galicia SIG
We are delighted to announce the release of the December 2019 issue of
the "Galitzianer," the quarterly research journal of Gesher Galicia. Spanning centuries, this issue is a smorgasbord of history, politics, and family narratives--and it raises a host of interesting questions. How will a new Polish regulation complicating access to records impact Jewish genealogical research? What can we learn about the Jewish community in Galicia >from the first Galician census? How did universal male suffrage impact Jewish political representation during the Habsburg Monarchy? How do you uncover your family's past when the surviving relative doesn't want to talk about it? What should you consider before interviewing a Holocaust survivor? The December issue of the journal raises these and other questions through the following articles: - "Research Corner: Successes and Hurdles" by Mark Jacobson - "The First Habsburg Census" by Andrew Zalewski - "Jewish Deputies >from Galicia" by Borries Kuzmany - "Looking for My Parents" by Reuven Liebes - "My Grandmother's Kitchen" by Peter Bein - "Map Corner: 1850 Cadastral Map of Gorlice" by Jay Osborn - "Day with Murray" by Barbara Krasner - "Membership News" by Shelley Kellerman Pollero The Galitzianer is a membership benefit of Gesher Galicia, though anyone is invited to submit articles on Galicia-related themes. For membership information, visit our website at www.geshergalicia.org/membership/. For details on submitting an article, review our submissions policy at www.geshergalicia.org/the-galitzianer/#submissions, or contact me at submissions@geshergalicia.org. Jodi G. Benjamin Editor, The Galitzianer Gesher Galicia --- PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS. Send all inquiries to submissions@geshergalicia.org. ---
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jews from nowy sacz
#poland
דר' יורם רסלר <yrossler4@...>
In the website "Jews >from Nowy Sacz I found the following post:
Curious if anyone has seen this before or if this is available digitized anywhere? Seems like it could be a valuable resource potentially - http://www.judaiki.judaistyka.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/wyszukiwarka?p_ p_id=56_INSTANCE_743dL7ulBm90&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mo de=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1&groupId=60889411&articl eId=76350696&widok=ogloszenie&search_key=content_en_GB&search_value =nowy%20sacz I wonder if this is connected to the 1870 census? Dr Yoram Roessler
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JRI Poland #Poland jews from nowy sacz
#poland
דר' יורם רסלר <yrossler4@...>
In the website "Jews >from Nowy Sacz I found the following post:
Curious if anyone has seen this before or if this is available digitized anywhere? Seems like it could be a valuable resource potentially - http://www.judaiki.judaistyka.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/wyszukiwarka?p_ p_id=56_INSTANCE_743dL7ulBm90&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mo de=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1&groupId=60889411&articl eId=76350696&widok=ogloszenie&search_key=content_en_GB&search_value =nowy%20sacz I wonder if this is connected to the 1870 census? Dr Yoram Roessler
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Re: viewmate request
Diane Jacobs
Could be Aron , Avnar or Avnas. Hope this helps. Diane Jacobs Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message -------- From: Wendy Griswold <wendygris@...> Date: 12/11/19 5:12 PM (GMT-05:00) To: main@... Subject: [JewishGen.org] viewmate request I have posted an illegible signature on viewmate at https://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76206 It comes from my aunt's marriage cert, 1928, New York. The first signature is the groom, Joseph Goodman, the second is the bride, Rose Blitz, and the third is some indecipherable Blitz. Can someone make it out? A thousand thanks, Wendy Griswold Jupiter FL seeking: Zurawno: Blitz, Pfeiffer/Fifer any spelling. Also in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Israel Nowy Sacz area: Wenzelberg (any spelling), Einhorn, Shifuldrem (any spelling) Ekaterinoslaw (Dniepro) - Dwass, any spelling -- Diane Jacobs
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Great walking tour of Jewish London history
N. Summers
If anyone is in London for a visit, I highly recommend the walking tours of the Old Jewish Quarter with a gentleman named Stephen Burstin. My husband and I took a tour arranged by JW3 (see link below) which is a marvelous London Jewish Community Center. Our tour focused on just one section of London, but in that two hours we learned so much about the Jewish immigrants from eastern Europe and Spain/Portugal, and walked through the streets where they lived, went to school, worked and worshipped. My husband and I were deeply moved. Nancy S. Maryland, USA FINKELSTEIN, BOOKSTEIN, ALPER, LYSS, LIFSCHITZ, LEAF, LUSMAN
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Gesher Galicia Paid Members: Are you receiving our email?
#galicia
Shelley K. Pollero
Dear Gesher Galicia Paid Members,
It has come to our attention that some paid members of Gesher Galicia are not seeing our email messages -- such as acknowledgments of dues payments and donations, renewal notices, and quarterly issues of The Galitzianer. Donation acknowledgements are sent monthly. In some cases, the messages have gone into members' spam, junk mail, or archive folders, or, in the case of gmail addresses, into their "social" or "promotions" folders. If you are a current dues-paying member of Gesher Galicia and haven't heard >from us lately, please check those locations for messages and make safe @geshergalicia.org addresses. If you check and find that you have not received expected correspondence >from Gesher Galicia, please contact info@geshergalicia.org. We have your payment information. We will follow up as soon as possible. Thank you. Shelley K. Pollero Membership Chair, Gesher Galicia membership@geshergalicia.org https://www.geshergalicia.org
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ways to research possible connections among surnames with strong commonalities
#galicia
Maurice Mittelmark <maurice.mittelmark@...>
My family name is Mittelmark, and my research now takes me to this
question: what are ways to research possible connections among surnames with strong commonalities? In the document "Surnames in Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia" (http://www.avotaynu.com/books/DJSGNames.htm), these are all names with M I T T E L, in various combinations: Mittel, Mittelbauer, Mitteldorf, Mittelmann, Mittelmark, Mittler I have supposed that Mittelmark might be connected to an area of the same name near Potsdam/Berlin, but I have no evidence of this. Can anyone enlighten me on how to approach my question, stated again: what are ways to research possible connections among surnames with strong commonalities? With thanks, Maurice Mittelmark Bergen, Norway
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Gesher Galicia SIG #Galicia Gesher Galicia Paid Members: Are you receiving our email?
#galicia
Shelley K. Pollero
Dear Gesher Galicia Paid Members,
It has come to our attention that some paid members of Gesher Galicia are not seeing our email messages -- such as acknowledgments of dues payments and donations, renewal notices, and quarterly issues of The Galitzianer. Donation acknowledgements are sent monthly. In some cases, the messages have gone into members' spam, junk mail, or archive folders, or, in the case of gmail addresses, into their "social" or "promotions" folders. If you are a current dues-paying member of Gesher Galicia and haven't heard >from us lately, please check those locations for messages and make safe @geshergalicia.org addresses. If you check and find that you have not received expected correspondence >from Gesher Galicia, please contact info@geshergalicia.org. We have your payment information. We will follow up as soon as possible. Thank you. Shelley K. Pollero Membership Chair, Gesher Galicia membership@geshergalicia.org https://www.geshergalicia.org
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Gesher Galicia SIG #Galicia ways to research possible connections among surnames with strong commonalities
#galicia
Maurice Mittelmark <maurice.mittelmark@...>
My family name is Mittelmark, and my research now takes me to this
question: what are ways to research possible connections among surnames with strong commonalities? In the document "Surnames in Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia" (http://www.avotaynu.com/books/DJSGNames.htm), these are all names with M I T T E L, in various combinations: Mittel, Mittelbauer, Mitteldorf, Mittelmann, Mittelmark, Mittler I have supposed that Mittelmark might be connected to an area of the same name near Potsdam/Berlin, but I have no evidence of this. Can anyone enlighten me on how to approach my question, stated again: what are ways to research possible connections among surnames with strong commonalities? With thanks, Maurice Mittelmark Bergen, Norway
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David Birnbaum
I have posted a page from a 1900 census of Sanok written in almost illegible Polish script. I would much appreciate help in understanding the exact profession mentioned as well as the address.
The links are: http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76214 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76213 and http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76212 Many Thanks David
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Re: Stolpersteine in Polish Silesia
xan madera
hi margaret ,
did you contact directly anne thomas/stolpersteine ? http://www.stolpersteine.eu/en/contacts/ 4. Anne Thomas is responsible for the project outside of Germany. Please contact her (in English, French, German or Russian) if you would like a Stolperstein to be laid or you have any questions concerning the project: Anne Thomas E-mail: international(at)stolpersteine.eu i would like to do make it too in the lodz ghetto ,but you need a permission from the local city. anne thomas answered me that i have to get it. best wishes jan braunholz,frankfurt/m searching: BRAUNHOL(T)Z,BRAUNHOLC,BRANGOLC, BRUNHAULT,BRUNOLD, MORENO,MOREIJN KROLL GRUNDMANN HETZER,HESS,HESSLEIN MAHLER Anne Thomas E-mail: international(at)stolpersteine.eu
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Re: Stolpersteine in Polish Silesia
David Lewin
Put Stolpersteine Breslau into a Google search window and you
will have lots of answers
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
David Lewin London
At 17:07 11/12/2019, margaret.lev@... wrote: Has anyone had experience of installing Stolpersteine in Polish Silesia ?
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Family Names in Messages (was #digest)
Peter Lebensold
Agreed! Having all family names (and nothing else) in all caps makes it so much easier to quickly scan messages for names of interest.
What would also be helpful would be if those who post images for translation, or links to ViewMate postings, would be sure to include the family names of those to whom the images refer. Otherwise, we have to open each ViewMate posting to see if, perhaps, one of "our" names is referenced. Peter Lebensold Toronto
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(US) Senator Mitch Romney Sends Letter to USCJS Objecting to The Outrageous Proposed Fee Increase
Jan Meisels Allen
Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) sent a letter on December 10 to the Department of Homeland Security asking them to explain the proposed changes that would result in a significant increase in the cost of searching and requesting copies of the genealogical records from the Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
The letter sent to Chad Wolf, the acting Homeland Security secretary, and Kenneth Cuccinelli, the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Senator asks for additional information on the budgets and expenses of the USCIS Genealogy Program and questions the rationale behind raising search fees from $65 to $240 and records fees from $65 to $385. He asks for replies by December 18 to four questions. Senator Romney noted in the letter, “a family historian would need to pay $625 to search and obtain a single file on a relative.” He further commented, “I am concerned that drastically raising the Genealogy Program’s fees would harm genealogists across the United States without addressing your budgetary concerns.”
Original URL:
To read more on Senator Romney’s letter read: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/12/11/utah-sen-mitt-romney
Remember, that the deadline for submitting comments has been postponed to December 30, 2019. To read the most up to date information follow the website for the coalition of genealogists, historians and archivists at https://www.recordsnotrevenue.com/ We need an avalanche of response to hope to defeat this proposal.
Jan Meisels Allen Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee
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ViewMate translation request - Yiddish
Sue Okun
I've posted a letter from my grandmother to my mother in Yiddish, and I'm hoping someone can translate it. It is two pages long. It is on ViewMate at the following addresses: Please respond via the form provided on the ViewMate image page. Thank you so much for your help! Sue Okun
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