I read Yohanan's post:

"I am managing my cousin's family tree research by her request as she is not
so involved in research methods. Recently I submitted her and her son's DNA
sample to the Family Finder in FamilyTree DNA. As expected she came as 98%
Ashkenazi Jew origin but to our surprise her son came as 100% Ashkenazi Jew.
Why surprise?
Her late husband family tree goes back to the 16-17 century in Holland and
though the husband paternal grandfather's ancestors are Ashkenazi Jews
mostly >from Germany, clearly some of the branches (e.g. all his paternal
grandmother side and some of his maternal grandparents side) are Sephardic
Jews, going all the way back to Portugal.

My question is, why the Sephardic ancestors do not show in the Family
finder origin. Is there a better test to pick up the Sephardic origin. "

I have a similar story of my mother's early Sephardi heritage >from Hamburg,
Germany, yet my origins on the Family Finder are also 100% Ashkenazi.
Perhaps the Family Finder algorithm cannot distinguish between Ashkenazi and
Sephardi heritage among Jews whose more recent heritage is Ashkenazi.

Cary Aufseeser
Newton, MA

Yohanan Loeffler wrote: why the Sephardic ancestors do not show in the
Family finder origin. Is there a better test to pick up the Sephardic
origin. Or - is the family tree known to us - is wrong?

Your family tree may be speculative but now that you have got this far
it's definitely worth more research. The FTDNA myOrigins 2 was released
last year (read
https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/autosomal-ancestry/myorigins-2-0-update).
It was the first time that FTDNA had included 'Sephardi' within its
calculator and it hit the spot for some but definitely not all! A classic
problem is that in many cases FTDNA designation does not correctly
disambiguate Ashkenazi >from Sephardi and appears to provide contradictory
indicators to its own Family Finder results. So, for instance, a kit may
be described in the myOrigins result as 100% Ashkenazi and yet the Family
Finder identifies many kits (and chromosome segments) which are clearly
of Iberian or Sephardi origin. In that context it may be better (and
definitely a cheaper option than retesting with another commercial company)
to simply start reviewing the Family Finder matches for Sephardi linked
kits. Another option would be to take up a membership in one of the online
genealogy sites (Ancestry, myHeritage etc) and transfer you raw data to
them and then use their tools to compare.

Martin Davis
London (UK)

I read Yohanan's post:

"I am managing my cousin's family tree research by her request as she is not
so involved in research methods. Recently I submitted her and her son's DNA
sample to the Family Finder in FamilyTree DNA. As expected she came as 98%
Ashkenazi Jew origin but to our surprise her son came as 100% Ashkenazi Jew.
Why surprise?
Her late husband family tree goes back to the 16-17 century in Holland and
though the husband paternal grandfather's ancestors are Ashkenazi Jews
mostly >from Germany, clearly some of the branches (e.g. all his paternal
grandmother side and some of his maternal grandparents side) are Sephardic
Jews, going all the way back to Portugal.

My question is, why the Sephardic ancestors do not show in the Family
finder origin. Is there a better test to pick up the Sephardic origin. "

I have a similar story of my mother's early Sephardi heritage >from Hamburg,
Germany, yet my origins on the Family Finder are also 100% Ashkenazi.
Perhaps the Family Finder algorithm cannot distinguish between Ashkenazi and
Sephardi heritage among Jews whose more recent heritage is Ashkenazi.

Cary Aufseeser
Newton, MA

Yohanan Loeffler wrote: why the Sephardic ancestors do not show in the
Family finder origin. Is there a better test to pick up the Sephardic
origin. Or - is the family tree known to us - is wrong?

Your family tree may be speculative but now that you have got this far
it's definitely worth more research. The FTDNA myOrigins 2 was released
last year (read
https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/autosomal-ancestry/myorigins-2-0-update).
It was the first time that FTDNA had included 'Sephardi' within its
calculator and it hit the spot for some but definitely not all! A classic
problem is that in many cases FTDNA designation does not correctly
disambiguate Ashkenazi >from Sephardi and appears to provide contradictory
indicators to its own Family Finder results. So, for instance, a kit may
be described in the myOrigins result as 100% Ashkenazi and yet the Family
Finder identifies many kits (and chromosome segments) which are clearly
of Iberian or Sephardi origin. In that context it may be better (and
definitely a cheaper option than retesting with another commercial company)
to simply start reviewing the Family Finder matches for Sephardi linked
kits. Another option would be to take up a membership in one of the online
genealogy sites (Ancestry, myHeritage etc) and transfer you raw data to
them and then use their tools to compare.

Martin Davis
London (UK)

In response to Yohanan Loeffler's question as to why his cousin's DNA
results did not show any Sephardic results >from his Dutch ancestors,
there are two possible answers. The one he is seeking is scientific,
and the short answer is 1) there is currently no "Sephardic" test, 2)
luck of the draw as to which genes your cousin inherited from
ancestors who lived 200+ years ago, and 3, his results might be
slightly different if sent to a different testing company. Others will
probably give a more detailed response to this question.

The second possible answer is that his Dutch ancestors were not
Sephardic. You have taken over a tree created by another person who
"was no so involved in research methods". There were separate
Ashkenazic and Sephardic synagogues, cemeteries, and records in
Amsterdam. You did not state where in Holland his ancestors lived or
when they left, so it is difficult to give exact advice.

I suggest that you try to find his ancestors in the excellent online
Ashkenazic databases found at: https://www.dutchjewry.org . The
Portuguese records there are fewer. The key to tracing his family is
to learn the surname the family adopted in 1811 if they were
Ashkenazi. The Portuguese mostly had surnames >from the 16th century. I
paid an Amsterdam archivist to help me find my husband's family in the
records. When most families left Holland to go to English speaking
countries, they dropped their adopted surname and went back to a
patronymic type surname. His Posnanki, meaning >from Posen, family in
Amsterdam, became Ezekiels in the US and his Richter family in
Amsterdam uses Levy here. Once I had the correct family, I was able to
trace back many generations in Amsterdam through the databases
mentioned above.

The other thing to keep in mind is that while the Sephardi and
Ashkenazi did not usually intermarry in Amsterdam, that isn't true
when they left their country. Moses Ezekiel, 1844-1917, the first
Jewish American sculptor, wrote in his memoir assembled in "Memoirs

from the Baths of Diocletian" that his family was Sephardic. He has

been widely quoted and assumed to be correct. While his mother was a
De Castro and obviously Sephardic, his father was an Ezekiel/Posnanki,
a family that needed to adopt a surname because they didn't have one.
His paternal grandparents had died before he was born, and he therefor
only knew his Sephardic grandparents. Moses Ezekiel stated that his
father told him his family was Sephardic because the groups never
intermarried. However, while Moses Ezekiel's mother was born in
Amsterdam. his father was born in Philadelphia in 1812 and married his
Sephardic wife in Virginia in 1835. They shared their Dutch
background, and Ashkenazi/Sephardi heritage was not as important in
this country. So, your family assumptions should be tested and
documents located. I have been able to trace the Ezekiel/Posnanki
family back through a distant maternal grandmother to the first cantor
of the Great Synagogue (Ashkenazi) of Amsterdam in the 17th century,
and all of the Ezekiel/Posnanki line are buried in Askenazi
cemeteries. Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel was only half Sephardic!

For further background information see:
https://www.bh.org.il/ashkenazi-jews-amsterdam/

Roberta Jaffer
Massachusetts, USA

The lead article in today Health & Science section of the Washington Post
"Was I part British, part Dutch, a little bit Jewish? The oddness of DNA
tests." may answer Yohanan Loeffler's question. See
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/was-i-part-british-part-dutch-a-little-bit-jewish-the-oddness-of-dna-tests/2018/11/02/ed51b4c0-d090-11e8-83d6-291fcead2ab1_story.html
[or https://tinyurl.com/y9aqopq3 --Mod.]

Sidney Sachs
Lorton, VA, USA

In response to Yohanan Loeffler's question as to why his cousin's DNA
results did not show any Sephardic results >from his Dutch ancestors,
there are two possible answers. The one he is seeking is scientific,
and the short answer is 1) there is currently no "Sephardic" test, 2)
luck of the draw as to which genes your cousin inherited from
ancestors who lived 200+ years ago, and 3, his results might be
slightly different if sent to a different testing company. Others will
probably give a more detailed response to this question.

The second possible answer is that his Dutch ancestors were not
Sephardic. You have taken over a tree created by another person who
"was no so involved in research methods". There were separate
Ashkenazic and Sephardic synagogues, cemeteries, and records in
Amsterdam. You did not state where in Holland his ancestors lived or
when they left, so it is difficult to give exact advice.

I suggest that you try to find his ancestors in the excellent online
Ashkenazic databases found at: https://www.dutchjewry.org . The
Portuguese records there are fewer. The key to tracing his family is
to learn the surname the family adopted in 1811 if they were
Ashkenazi. The Portuguese mostly had surnames >from the 16th century. I
paid an Amsterdam archivist to help me find my husband's family in the
records. When most families left Holland to go to English speaking
countries, they dropped their adopted surname and went back to a
patronymic type surname. His Posnanki, meaning >from Posen, family in
Amsterdam, became Ezekiels in the US and his Richter family in
Amsterdam uses Levy here. Once I had the correct family, I was able to
trace back many generations in Amsterdam through the databases
mentioned above.

The other thing to keep in mind is that while the Sephardi and
Ashkenazi did not usually intermarry in Amsterdam, that isn't true
when they left their country. Moses Ezekiel, 1844-1917, the first
Jewish American sculptor, wrote in his memoir assembled in "Memoirs

from the Baths of Diocletian" that his family was Sephardic. He has

been widely quoted and assumed to be correct. While his mother was a
De Castro and obviously Sephardic, his father was an Ezekiel/Posnanki,
a family that needed to adopt a surname because they didn't have one.
His paternal grandparents had died before he was born, and he therefor
only knew his Sephardic grandparents. Moses Ezekiel stated that his
father told him his family was Sephardic because the groups never
intermarried. However, while Moses Ezekiel's mother was born in
Amsterdam. his father was born in Philadelphia in 1812 and married his
Sephardic wife in Virginia in 1835. They shared their Dutch
background, and Ashkenazi/Sephardi heritage was not as important in
this country. So, your family assumptions should be tested and
documents located. I have been able to trace the Ezekiel/Posnanki
family back through a distant maternal grandmother to the first cantor
of the Great Synagogue (Ashkenazi) of Amsterdam in the 17th century,
and all of the Ezekiel/Posnanki line are buried in Askenazi
cemeteries. Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel was only half Sephardic!

For further background information see:
https://www.bh.org.il/ashkenazi-jews-amsterdam/

Roberta Jaffer
Massachusetts, USA

The lead article in today Health & Science section of the Washington Post
"Was I part British, part Dutch, a little bit Jewish? The oddness of DNA
tests." may answer Yohanan Loeffler's question. See
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/was-i-part-british-part-dutch-a-little-bit-jewish-the-oddness-of-dna-tests/2018/11/02/ed51b4c0-d090-11e8-83d6-291fcead2ab1_story.html
[or https://tinyurl.com/y9aqopq3 --Mod.]

Sidney Sachs
Lorton, VA, USA

A study announced at the Geological Society of America's 2018 Annual Meeting
on November 4 says evidence pints to likely locations of mass graves from
Holocaust era->from the Rokiskis region. The researcher >from the University
of Wisconsin-Eau Claire says every small and large town in Lithuania has a
mass gravesite.

The researchers used ground-penetrating radar to narrow the search by
looking below the surface for signs that indicate human-caused
"disturbances". There are about 28 victims in the execution and burial
site.

To read more see:
https://www.forensicmag.com/news/2018/11/ground-penetrating-radar-reveals-potential-mass-grave-sites-holocaust
[MOD. NOTE: shortened URL - https://goo.gl/isiYsR ]

Thank you to Janice Sellers for informing of about this article.

Jan Meisels Allen
Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee

A study announced at the Geological Society of America's 2018 Annual Meeting
on November 4 says evidence pints to likely locations of mass graves from
Holocaust era->from the Rokiskis region. The researcher >from the University
of Wisconsin-Eau Claire says every small and large town in Lithuania has a
mass gravesite.

The researchers used ground-penetrating radar to narrow the search by
looking below the surface for signs that indicate human-caused
"disturbances". There are about 28 victims in the execution and burial
site.

To read more see:
https://www.forensicmag.com/news/2018/11/ground-penetrating-radar-reveals-potential-mass-grave-sites-holocaust
[MOD. NOTE: shortened URL - https://goo.gl/isiYsR ]

Thank you to Janice Sellers for informing of about this article.

Jan Meisels Allen
Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee

During the period between WWI and WWII, Vilnius and adjoining
areas (that today are within eastern Lithuania and western Belarus)
were under Polish control. In Vilnius, the Poland imposed its system
of household registration for population registration and mobility
control >from 1919 to 1940. More than 13,000 household registers
have survived. They contain a treasure trove of information about
people who lived in or visited Vilnius. Typical records may include
the first and last name, maiden name, names of the parents including
the mother's maiden name, marital status, nationality and religion,
place and date of birth (or age), place of previous residence, date of
arrival to the lodgings, date of leaving the lodgings and next destination.
We estimate that the collection, in all, contains several million entries,
perhaps a third of them for Jews.

Of particular note, because of the shifting national boundaries, the
Vilnius household registers (VHR) will be of interest to a wider
audience than one might imagine. There was no border between
Vilnius and the rest of interwar Poland. People flowed freely between
Vilnius and such other cities as Warsaw, Bialystok, Lida, Disna,
Oshmiany, Minsk, and others. If your ancestors were anywhere in that
area between the wars, they could have stopped in Vilnius and made
an appearance in a household register.

LitvakSIG has begun the long-term project of indexing the VHR record
set. We are releasing data 5,000 lines at a time. The first batch was
released during the IAJGS conference in Warsaw in August. This
batch is available free of charge, thanks to a Rabbi Malcolm
Stern grant awarded to the project

We are pleased to announce that Batch 2 has just become available to
qualified donors. In about 18 months, the data of this batch will be added
to the All-Lithuania database, where it will be searchable free of charge.

All necessary information about these data releases can be found on
our VHR home page,
https://www.litvaksig.org/research/special-projects/vilnius-household-registers
(or tinyURL: https://tinyurl.com/yab5ojnv ). Specifically, there one can

1. Download the free batch 1

2. Download a surname list for the new batch 2

3. Download a list of the addresses included in the new batch 2

4. Learn how to become a qualified donor and receive the new batch 2.

Any questions should be directed to me.

Russ Maurer
VHR project coordinator

During the period between WWI and WWII, Vilnius and adjoining
areas (that today are within eastern Lithuania and western Belarus)
were under Polish control. In Vilnius, the Poland imposed its system
of household registration for population registration and mobility
control >from 1919 to 1940. More than 13,000 household registers
have survived. They contain a treasure trove of information about
people who lived in or visited Vilnius. Typical records may include
the first and last name, maiden name, names of the parents including
the mother's maiden name, marital status, nationality and religion,
place and date of birth (or age), place of previous residence, date of
arrival to the lodgings, date of leaving the lodgings and next destination.
We estimate that the collection, in all, contains several million entries,
perhaps a third of them for Jews.

Of particular note, because of the shifting national boundaries, the
Vilnius household registers (VHR) will be of interest to a wider
audience than one might imagine. There was no border between
Vilnius and the rest of interwar Poland. People flowed freely between
Vilnius and such other cities as Warsaw, Bialystok, Lida, Disna,
Oshmiany, Minsk, and others. If your ancestors were anywhere in that
area between the wars, they could have stopped in Vilnius and made
an appearance in a household register.

LitvakSIG has begun the long-term project of indexing the VHR record
set. We are releasing data 5,000 lines at a time. The first batch was
released during the IAJGS conference in Warsaw in August. This
batch is available free of charge, thanks to a Rabbi Malcolm
Stern grant awarded to the project

We are pleased to announce that Batch 2 has just become available to
qualified donors. In about 18 months, the data of this batch will be added
to the All-Lithuania database, where it will be searchable free of charge.

All necessary information about these data releases can be found on
our VHR home page,
https://www.litvaksig.org/research/special-projects/vilnius-household-registers
(or tinyURL: https://tinyurl.com/yab5ojnv ). Specifically, there one can

1. Download the free batch 1

2. Download a surname list for the new batch 2

3. Download a list of the addresses included in the new batch 2

4. Learn how to become a qualified donor and receive the new batch 2.

Any questions should be directed to me.

Russ Maurer
VHR project coordinator

The URL for the VHR home page in my post yesterday was ruined by
the introduction of a line break. You can put it together manually by
removing the = at the end of the line and adding back the missing
letters at the end of the word, registers. Or, this shortened URL
will work as well:
https://tinyurl.com/yab5ojnv

My apologies for any frustrations.

Russ Maurer
VHR project coordinator

The URL for the VHR home page in my post yesterday was ruined by
the introduction of a line break. You can put it together manually by
removing the = at the end of the line and adding back the missing
letters at the end of the word, registers. Or, this shortened URL
will work as well:
https://tinyurl.com/yab5ojnv

My apologies for any frustrations.

Russ Maurer
VHR project coordinator

Shalom,

I could not send out this Yizkor Book Project report without relating
to the recent horrendous murders in Pittsburgh. In a project which deals
intrinsically with the tragic consequences of Jewish hatred, it is always
disturbing to see that this same senseless hatred continues to this very
day. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families of the victims and,
in fact, to all the Jewish community of Pittsburgh and pray that events
of this kind don't reoccur there and anywhere else.

And now to the report. Whilst this month we can't announce the completion
of a Yizkor book translation, I can say that there are several that are
just a whisker's way >from completion. I'm quite certain that I will be
able to pass on good news about several books in coming reports.

I am pleased, however, to announce that the Yizkor Books in Print Project
recently published the "Book of Stryj" on Stryj, Ukraine. The book was
coordinated over the years by Mike Kalt and its translation encouraged
vigorously by Uriel Zur Shutzer z"l >from the Stryj organization in Israel
who sadly passed away before the project was completed. In the final
stages of this project, we were extremely fortunate that Susan Rosin
stepped up and took on the considerable task of translating a major part
of this book, enabling its completion and now, its publishing.

Another published book made available recently by the YBIP Project is
"We Remember Lest the World Forget" covering the Holocaust in Belarus
and, in particular, the unique history of the Minsk Ghetto. The
translation of the original Russian book was facilitated by The Together
Plan, a UK Charity, and was kindly presented to the YB Project to be
published. Last month, the book was also made available online and
appears in our Translations Index under "Minsk, Belarus". Purchase
details of both of these books may be found via the link the Yizkor
books in Print link appearing at the end of this report, as does the
link to our Translations Index.

A recent addition to the list of our Translation Funds is the book
"Memorial Book of the Community of Siedlce" covering Siedlce, Poland.
This translation fund, like the many others, is our way of enabling
those with family connections and interest in a particular community,
to take part in a group effort to financially support the translation
of the book relating to its history and people. A link list to this
fund and all the other current funds appears at the end of this report
and please see if you are able to contribute to one of these projects
providing very unique information on our lost communities.


And now for the additions and updates are what we've carried out during
October:

We have added in one new book:

- Minsk, Belarus (We Remember Lest the World Forget)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/weremember/weremember.html

We have added in 8 new entries:

- Hanusovce nad Topl'ou, Slovakia (Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities
in Slovakia) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_slovakia/slo172.html

- Jezor, Poland (Sosnowiec and the Surrounding Region in Zaglembie)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Sosnowiec/Sos357.html

- Marijampole, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_263.html

- Pilviskiai, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_352.html

- Sarata, Ukraine (Akkerman and the towns of its district; memorial
book) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/akkerman/akk337.html

- Taurage, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_499.html

- Utena, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_566.html

- Virbalis, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_661.html

And we have continued to update 19 of our existing projects:

- Bialystok, Poland (The chronicle of Bialystok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Bialystok/Bialystok.html

- Budanov, Ukraine (Book of Budzanow)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Budanov/Budanov.html

- Czyzew-Osada, Poland (Czyzewo Memorial Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Czyzew/Czyzew.html

- Dubno, Ukraine (Dubno; a Memorial to the Jewish community of Dubno,
Wolyn) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dubno/dubno.html

- Dynow, Poland (The Memorial Book of Jewish Dinov)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dynow1/dynow1.html

- Kamyanyets, Belarus (Memorial Book of Kamenets Litovsk, Zastavye,
and Colonies) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Kamenets/Kamenets.html

- Kovel, Ukraine (Kowel; Testimony and Memorial Book of Our Destroyed
Community) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/kovel1/kovel1.html

- Kherson, Ukraine (Jewish Farmers in Russian Fields)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JewishFarmers/JewishFarmers.html

- Monor, Hungary (Bound by Fate: In Memory of the Jewish Community of
Monor) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Monor/Monor.html

- Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki, Poland (Memories >from Nowy-Dwor)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/nowy_dwor1/nowy_dwor1.html

- Przemysl, Poland (Przemysl memorial book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/przemysl/przemysl.html

- Smarhon, Belarus (Smorgonie, District Vilna; memorial book and
testimony) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/smorgon/smorgon.html

- Staszow, Poland (The Staszow book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/staszow/staszowp.html

- Stowbtsy, Belarus (Memorial volume of Steibtz-Swerznie and the
neighboring villages Rubezhevitz, Derevna, Nalibok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Stowbtsy/Stowbtsy.html

- Svencionys, Lithuania (Svintzian region: memorial book of 23
communities) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/svencionys/svencionys.html

- The Jacob Rassen Story
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JacobRassen/JacobRassen.html

- Turobin, Poland (The Turobin book; in memory of the Jewish community)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Turobin/Turobin.html

- Wolomin, Poland (Volomin; a memorial to the Jewish community of
Volomin) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/wolomin/wolomin.html

- Wyszkow, Poland (Wyszkow Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Wyszkow/Wyszkow.html

Some important links to note:

- This month's additions and updates are flagged at
www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/translations.html to make it easy to find them.
- All you would like to know about the Yizkor Books in Print Project
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip.html
- Yizkor Book Translation Funds
www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen-erosity/v_projectslist.asp?project_cat=23
where your financial support will assist in seeing more translations go
online.

All the best,
Lance Ackerfeld
Yizkor Book Project Manager

Shalom,

I could not send out this Yizkor Book Project report without relating
to the recent horrendous murders in Pittsburgh. In a project which deals
intrinsically with the tragic consequences of Jewish hatred, it is always
disturbing to see that this same senseless hatred continues to this very
day. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families of the victims and,
in fact, to all the Jewish community of Pittsburgh and pray that events
of this kind don't reoccur there and anywhere else.

And now to the report. Whilst this month we can't announce the completion
of a Yizkor book translation, I can say that there are several that are
just a whisker's way >from completion. I'm quite certain that I will be
able to pass on good news about several books in coming reports.

I am pleased, however, to announce that the Yizkor Books in Print Project
recently published the "Book of Stryj" on Stryj, Ukraine. The book was
coordinated over the years by Mike Kalt and its translation encouraged
vigorously by Uriel Zur Shutzer z"l >from the Stryj organization in Israel
who sadly passed away before the project was completed. In the final
stages of this project, we were extremely fortunate that Susan Rosin
stepped up and took on the considerable task of translating a major part
of this book, enabling its completion and now, its publishing.

Another published book made available recently by the YBIP Project is
"We Remember Lest the World Forget" covering the Holocaust in Belarus
and, in particular, the unique history of the Minsk Ghetto. The
translation of the original Russian book was facilitated by The Together
Plan, a UK Charity, and was kindly presented to the YB Project to be
published. Last month, the book was also made available online and
appears in our Translations Index under "Minsk, Belarus". Purchase
details of both of these books may be found via the link the Yizkor
books in Print link appearing at the end of this report, as does the
link to our Translations Index.

A recent addition to the list of our Translation Funds is the book
"Memorial Book of the Community of Siedlce" covering Siedlce, Poland.
This translation fund, like the many others, is our way of enabling
those with family connections and interest in a particular community,
to take part in a group effort to financially support the translation
of the book relating to its history and people. A link list to this
fund and all the other current funds appears at the end of this report
and please see if you are able to contribute to one of these projects
providing very unique information on our lost communities.


And now for the additions and updates are what we've carried out during
October:

We have added in one new book:

- Minsk, Belarus (We Remember Lest the World Forget)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/weremember/weremember.html

We have added in 8 new entries:

- Hanusovce nad Topl'ou, Slovakia (Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities
in Slovakia) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_slovakia/slo172.html

- Jezor, Poland (Sosnowiec and the Surrounding Region in Zaglembie)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Sosnowiec/Sos357.html

- Marijampole, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_263.html

- Pilviskiai, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_352.html

- Sarata, Ukraine (Akkerman and the towns of its district; memorial
book) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/akkerman/akk337.html

- Taurage, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_499.html

- Utena, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_566.html

- Virbalis, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_661.html

And we have continued to update 19 of our existing projects:

- Bialystok, Poland (The chronicle of Bialystok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Bialystok/Bialystok.html

- Budanov, Ukraine (Book of Budzanow)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Budanov/Budanov.html

- Czyzew-Osada, Poland (Czyzewo Memorial Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Czyzew/Czyzew.html

- Dubno, Ukraine (Dubno; a Memorial to the Jewish community of Dubno,
Wolyn) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dubno/dubno.html

- Dynow, Poland (The Memorial Book of Jewish Dinov)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dynow1/dynow1.html

- Kamyanyets, Belarus (Memorial Book of Kamenets Litovsk, Zastavye,
and Colonies) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Kamenets/Kamenets.html

- Kovel, Ukraine (Kowel; Testimony and Memorial Book of Our Destroyed
Community) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/kovel1/kovel1.html

- Kherson, Ukraine (Jewish Farmers in Russian Fields)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JewishFarmers/JewishFarmers.html

- Monor, Hungary (Bound by Fate: In Memory of the Jewish Community of
Monor) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Monor/Monor.html

- Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki, Poland (Memories >from Nowy-Dwor)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/nowy_dwor1/nowy_dwor1.html

- Przemysl, Poland (Przemysl memorial book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/przemysl/przemysl.html

- Smarhon, Belarus (Smorgonie, District Vilna; memorial book and
testimony) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/smorgon/smorgon.html

- Staszow, Poland (The Staszow book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/staszow/staszowp.html

- Stowbtsy, Belarus (Memorial volume of Steibtz-Swerznie and the
neighboring villages Rubezhevitz, Derevna, Nalibok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Stowbtsy/Stowbtsy.html

- Svencionys, Lithuania (Svintzian region: memorial book of 23
communities) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/svencionys/svencionys.html

- The Jacob Rassen Story
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JacobRassen/JacobRassen.html

- Turobin, Poland (The Turobin book; in memory of the Jewish community)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Turobin/Turobin.html

- Wolomin, Poland (Volomin; a memorial to the Jewish community of
Volomin) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/wolomin/wolomin.html

- Wyszkow, Poland (Wyszkow Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Wyszkow/Wyszkow.html

Some important links to note:

- This month's additions and updates are flagged at
www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/translations.html to make it easy to find them.
- All you would like to know about the Yizkor Books in Print Project
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip.html
- Yizkor Book Translation Funds
www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen-erosity/v_projectslist.asp?project_cat=23
where your financial support will assist in seeing more translations go
online.

All the best,
Lance Ackerfeld
Yizkor Book Project Manager

Shalom,

I could not send out this Yizkor Book Project report without relating
to the recent horrendous murders in Pittsburgh. In a project which deals
intrinsically with the tragic consequences of Jewish hatred, it is always
disturbing to see that this same senseless hatred continues to this very
day. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families of the victims and,
in fact, to all the Jewish community of Pittsburgh and pray that events
of this kind don't reoccur there and anywhere else.

And now to the report. Whilst this month we can't announce the completion
of a Yizkor book translation, I can say that there are several that are
just a whisker's way >from completion. I'm quite certain that I will be
able to pass on good news about several books in coming reports.

I am pleased, however, to announce that the Yizkor Books in Print Project
recently published the "Book of Stryj" on Stryj, Ukraine. The book was
coordinated over the years by Mike Kalt and its translation encouraged
vigorously by Uriel Zur Shutzer z"l >from the Stryj organization in Israel
who sadly passed away before the project was completed. In the final
stages of this project, we were extremely fortunate that Susan Rosin
stepped up and took on the considerable task of translating a major part
of this book, enabling its completion and now, its publishing.

Another published book made available recently by the YBIP Project is
"We Remember Lest the World Forget" covering the Holocaust in Belarus
and, in particular, the unique history of the Minsk Ghetto. The
translation of the original Russian book was facilitated by The Together
Plan, a UK Charity, and was kindly presented to the YB Project to be
published. Last month, the book was also made available online and
appears in our Translations Index under "Minsk, Belarus". Purchase
details of both of these books may be found via the link the Yizkor
books in Print link appearing at the end of this report, as does the
link to our Translations Index.

A recent addition to the list of our Translation Funds is the book
"Memorial Book of the Community of Siedlce" covering Siedlce, Poland.
This translation fund, like the many others, is our way of enabling
those with family connections and interest in a particular community,
to take part in a group effort to financially support the translation
of the book relating to its history and people. A link list to this
fund and all the other current funds appears at the end of this report
and please see if you are able to contribute to one of these projects
providing very unique information on our lost communities.


And now for the additions and updates are what we've carried out during
October:

We have added in one new book:

- Minsk, Belarus (We Remember Lest the World Forget)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/weremember/weremember.html

We have added in 8 new entries:

- Hanusovce nad Topl'ou, Slovakia (Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities
in Slovakia) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_slovakia/slo172.html

- Jezor, Poland (Sosnowiec and the Surrounding Region in Zaglembie)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Sosnowiec/Sos357.html

- Marijampole, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_263.html

- Pilviskiai, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_352.html

- Sarata, Ukraine (Akkerman and the towns of its district; memorial
book) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/akkerman/akk337.html

- Taurage, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_499.html

- Utena, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_566.html

- Virbalis, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_661.html

And we have continued to update 19 of our existing projects:

- Bialystok, Poland (The chronicle of Bialystok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Bialystok/Bialystok.html

- Budanov, Ukraine (Book of Budzanow)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Budanov/Budanov.html

- Czyzew-Osada, Poland (Czyzewo Memorial Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Czyzew/Czyzew.html

- Dubno, Ukraine (Dubno; a Memorial to the Jewish community of Dubno,
Wolyn) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dubno/dubno.html

- Dynow, Poland (The Memorial Book of Jewish Dinov)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dynow1/dynow1.html

- Kamyanyets, Belarus (Memorial Book of Kamenets Litovsk, Zastavye,
and Colonies) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Kamenets/Kamenets.html

- Kovel, Ukraine (Kowel; Testimony and Memorial Book of Our Destroyed
Community) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/kovel1/kovel1.html

- Kherson, Ukraine (Jewish Farmers in Russian Fields)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JewishFarmers/JewishFarmers.html

- Monor, Hungary (Bound by Fate: In Memory of the Jewish Community of
Monor) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Monor/Monor.html

- Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki, Poland (Memories >from Nowy-Dwor)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/nowy_dwor1/nowy_dwor1.html

- Przemysl, Poland (Przemysl memorial book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/przemysl/przemysl.html

- Smarhon, Belarus (Smorgonie, District Vilna; memorial book and
testimony) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/smorgon/smorgon.html

- Staszow, Poland (The Staszow book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/staszow/staszowp.html

- Stowbtsy, Belarus (Memorial volume of Steibtz-Swerznie and the
neighboring villages Rubezhevitz, Derevna, Nalibok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Stowbtsy/Stowbtsy.html

- Svencionys, Lithuania (Svintzian region: memorial book of 23
communities) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/svencionys/svencionys.html

- The Jacob Rassen Story
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JacobRassen/JacobRassen.html

- Turobin, Poland (The Turobin book; in memory of the Jewish community)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Turobin/Turobin.html

- Wolomin, Poland (Volomin; a memorial to the Jewish community of
Volomin) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/wolomin/wolomin.html

- Wyszkow, Poland (Wyszkow Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Wyszkow/Wyszkow.html

Some important links to note:

- This month's additions and updates are flagged at
www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/translations.html to make it easy to find them.
- All you would like to know about the Yizkor Books in Print Project
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip.html
- Yizkor Book Translation Funds
www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen-erosity/v_projectslist.asp?project_cat=23
where your financial support will assist in seeing more translations go
online.

All the best, Lance Ackerfeld
Yizkor Book Project Manager

Shalom,

I could not send out this Yizkor Book Project report without relating
to the recent horrendous murders in Pittsburgh. In a project which deals
intrinsically with the tragic consequences of Jewish hatred, it is always
disturbing to see that this same senseless hatred continues to this very
day. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families of the victims and,
in fact, to all the Jewish community of Pittsburgh and pray that events
of this kind don't reoccur there and anywhere else.

And now to the report. Whilst this month we can't announce the completion
of a Yizkor book translation, I can say that there are several that are
just a whisker's way >from completion. I'm quite certain that I will be
able to pass on good news about several books in coming reports.

I am pleased, however, to announce that the Yizkor Books in Print Project
recently published the "Book of Stryj" on Stryj, Ukraine. The book was
coordinated over the years by Mike Kalt and its translation encouraged
vigorously by Uriel Zur Shutzer z"l >from the Stryj organization in Israel
who sadly passed away before the project was completed. In the final
stages of this project, we were extremely fortunate that Susan Rosin
stepped up and took on the considerable task of translating a major part
of this book, enabling its completion and now, its publishing.

Another published book made available recently by the YBIP Project is
"We Remember Lest the World Forget" covering the Holocaust in Belarus
and, in particular, the unique history of the Minsk Ghetto. The
translation of the original Russian book was facilitated by The Together
Plan, a UK Charity, and was kindly presented to the YB Project to be
published. Last month, the book was also made available online and
appears in our Translations Index under "Minsk, Belarus". Purchase
details of both of these books may be found via the link the Yizkor
books in Print link appearing at the end of this report, as does the
link to our Translations Index.

A recent addition to the list of our Translation Funds is the book
"Memorial Book of the Community of Siedlce" covering Siedlce, Poland.
This translation fund, like the many others, is our way of enabling
those with family connections and interest in a particular community,
to take part in a group effort to financially support the translation
of the book relating to its history and people. A link list to this
fund and all the other current funds appears at the end of this report
and please see if you are able to contribute to one of these projects
providing very unique information on our lost communities.


And now for the additions and updates are what we've carried out during
October:

We have added in one new book:

- Minsk, Belarus (We Remember Lest the World Forget)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/weremember/weremember.html

We have added in 8 new entries:

- Hanusovce nad Topl'ou, Slovakia (Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities
in Slovakia) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_slovakia/slo172.html

- Jezor, Poland (Sosnowiec and the Surrounding Region in Zaglembie)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Sosnowiec/Sos357.html

- Marijampole, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_263.html

- Pilviskiai, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_352.html

- Sarata, Ukraine (Akkerman and the towns of its district; memorial
book) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/akkerman/akk337.html

- Taurage, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_499.html

- Utena, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_566.html

- Virbalis, Lithuania (Preserving Our Litvak Heritage - Volume I)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania4/lit4_661.html

And we have continued to update 19 of our existing projects:

- Bialystok, Poland (The chronicle of Bialystok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Bialystok/Bialystok.html

- Budanov, Ukraine (Book of Budzanow)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Budanov/Budanov.html

- Czyzew-Osada, Poland (Czyzewo Memorial Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Czyzew/Czyzew.html

- Dubno, Ukraine (Dubno; a Memorial to the Jewish community of Dubno,
Wolyn) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dubno/dubno.html

- Dynow, Poland (The Memorial Book of Jewish Dinov)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/dynow1/dynow1.html

- Kamyanyets, Belarus (Memorial Book of Kamenets Litovsk, Zastavye,
and Colonies) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Kamenets/Kamenets.html

- Kovel, Ukraine (Kowel; Testimony and Memorial Book of Our Destroyed
Community) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/kovel1/kovel1.html

- Kherson, Ukraine (Jewish Farmers in Russian Fields)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JewishFarmers/JewishFarmers.html

- Monor, Hungary (Bound by Fate: In Memory of the Jewish Community of
Monor) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Monor/Monor.html

- Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki, Poland (Memories >from Nowy-Dwor)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/nowy_dwor1/nowy_dwor1.html

- Przemysl, Poland (Przemysl memorial book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/przemysl/przemysl.html

- Smarhon, Belarus (Smorgonie, District Vilna; memorial book and
testimony) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/smorgon/smorgon.html

- Staszow, Poland (The Staszow book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/staszow/staszowp.html

- Stowbtsy, Belarus (Memorial volume of Steibtz-Swerznie and the
neighboring villages Rubezhevitz, Derevna, Nalibok)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Stowbtsy/Stowbtsy.html

- Svencionys, Lithuania (Svintzian region: memorial book of 23
communities) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/svencionys/svencionys.html

- The Jacob Rassen Story
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/JacobRassen/JacobRassen.html

- Turobin, Poland (The Turobin book; in memory of the Jewish community)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Turobin/Turobin.html

- Wolomin, Poland (Volomin; a memorial to the Jewish community of
Volomin) www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/wolomin/wolomin.html

- Wyszkow, Poland (Wyszkow Book)
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Wyszkow/Wyszkow.html

Some important links to note:

- This month's additions and updates are flagged at
www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/translations.html to make it easy to find them.
- All you would like to know about the Yizkor Books in Print Project
www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip.html
- Yizkor Book Translation Funds
www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen-erosity/v_projectslist.asp?project_cat=23
where your financial support will assist in seeing more translations go
online.

All the best, Lance Ackerfeld
Yizkor Book Project Manager

Dear GerSig members,
I am researching Sally SCHMERZLER, who was family friend of my
grandparents in Berlin in the early 1900s. He was killed in action
during WW-I, serving at the German Army. I am researching the
circumstances of his death, as well as his burial location.
In response to my query I have recently received a response >from the
German War Graves Committee. Unfortunately the response is in German,
so I kindly ask for translation into English.
The letter is posted on ViewMate at the following addresses:
Page 1 - http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM70152
Page 2 - http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM70153

Please respond via the form provided on the ViewMate image page.

Thank you very much. Ilan Ganot

Dear GerSig members,
I am researching Sally SCHMERZLER, who was family friend of my
grandparents in Berlin in the early 1900s. He was killed in action
during WW-I, serving at the German Army. I am researching the
circumstances of his death, as well as his burial location.
In response to my query I have recently received a response >from the
German War Graves Committee. Unfortunately the response is in German,
so I kindly ask for translation into English.
The letter is posted on ViewMate at the following addresses:
Page 1 - http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM70152
Page 2 - http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM70153

Please respond via the form provided on the ViewMate image page.

Thank you very much. Ilan Ganot