Gladys is absolutely right about InfoFiles. What a treasure trove of
info, not only for ourselves, but for other genners you're in touch with.
As I wandered around and came across how to read a Hebrew tombstone, I
remembered that another genner who translated my gp's tombstone, asked me
a Q about symbols and did I know the symbol for a Levite. At that time I
didn't. But in INFOFILES there was a paragraph about Symbols which
included the symbol for the Levite---a pitcher.

I sent him the info and now we both know. I heartily recommend that when
you have time take a look at that valuable part of JewishGen. You get
information and who knows, maybe even answer a Q for a genner you met here.

Joan Parker
President JGS-GM, Inc.
Miami, FL

Searching: GOLDBERG and GOODSTEIN-Plock, Poland/Russia and Brooklyn, NY;
PINKUS and WINOGRAD-Brest, Litovsk maybe Odessa, Ukraine, Bronx and
Brooklyn, NY;
GELFAND, YEHUDIS, KATZ-Minsk, Bronx, NY, Miami and Miami Beach, FL.

hi everyone,

I have gotten the name of the town where my grandmother's family lived:
Kosov, in Poland I think. I searched in the town search but there are no
Kosovs with that spelling in Poland and no one else appears to be
searching that town or my grandmother's surname. What's the next thing
to do? This seems hopeless. Her maiden name was PRIESER. Thanks for any
ideas/help.

Ellie Kahana/NY

MODERATOR NOTE: The JewishGen ShtetlSeeker will allow you to search for
towns in Central Europe by spelling or by using the Daitch-Mokotoff
soundex system. It can be accessed at
http://www.jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker/

The JewishGen Family Finder at http://www.jewishgen.org/jgff/ will allow
you to register the surnames and towns of interest to you to allow others
with the same interests to contact you.

The Australian Government has published a Nominal Roll with names of
members of the Australian Defence Forces and Australian civilians who
participated in the British Atomic Tests programme,conducted in Australia

from 1952 to 1963.

It may contain some information or names of interest to JewishGenners.

I offer it simply as possibly useful information.

The roll may be found at:

http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/nomroll/atomic/index.htm

Shalom

Robert W Fraser
Dianella, Western Australia
rwfgjf@iinet.net.au

Gladys is absolutely right about InfoFiles. What a treasure trove of
info, not only for ourselves, but for other genners you're in touch with.
As I wandered around and came across how to read a Hebrew tombstone, I
remembered that another genner who translated my gp's tombstone, asked me
a Q about symbols and did I know the symbol for a Levite. At that time I
didn't. But in INFOFILES there was a paragraph about Symbols which
included the symbol for the Levite---a pitcher.

I sent him the info and now we both know. I heartily recommend that when
you have time take a look at that valuable part of JewishGen. You get
information and who knows, maybe even answer a Q for a genner you met here.

Joan Parker
President JGS-GM, Inc.
Miami, FL

Searching: GOLDBERG and GOODSTEIN-Plock, Poland/Russia and Brooklyn, NY;
PINKUS and WINOGRAD-Brest, Litovsk maybe Odessa, Ukraine, Bronx and
Brooklyn, NY;
GELFAND, YEHUDIS, KATZ-Minsk, Bronx, NY, Miami and Miami Beach, FL.

hi everyone,

I have gotten the name of the town where my grandmother's family lived:
Kosov, in Poland I think. I searched in the town search but there are no
Kosovs with that spelling in Poland and no one else appears to be
searching that town or my grandmother's surname. What's the next thing
to do? This seems hopeless. Her maiden name was PRIESER. Thanks for any
ideas/help.

Ellie Kahana/NY

MODERATOR NOTE: The JewishGen ShtetlSeeker will allow you to search for
towns in Central Europe by spelling or by using the Daitch-Mokotoff
soundex system. It can be accessed at
http://www.jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker/

The JewishGen Family Finder at http://www.jewishgen.org/jgff/ will allow
you to register the surnames and towns of interest to you to allow others
with the same interests to contact you.

The Australian Government has published a Nominal Roll with names of
members of the Australian Defence Forces and Australian civilians who
participated in the British Atomic Tests programme,conducted in Australia

from 1952 to 1963.

It may contain some information or names of interest to JewishGenners.

I offer it simply as possibly useful information.

The roll may be found at:

http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/nomroll/atomic/index.htm

Shalom

Robert W Fraser
Dianella, Western Australia
rwfgjf@iinet.net.au

To transliterate and type onto excel thousands of Jewish names >from LDS
microfilms, holocaust lists, cemetary lists or any kind of databases is
time consuming. Here are some time saving hints:

Print the names onto 8 ½ x 11, 3 hole punched graph paper, one letter
per square. This easy to read format is suitable for you or volunteers to
type from. Number and title each page with the year, type of record and the
town. These pages are convenient to tape onto you computer so that they are
in front of you for easy typing. Keep these sheets in a 3 ring binder.
Column titles >from left to right should be: surname, given names, record
number, year, type (b, m or d), father's given name, mother's given name,
mother's maiden name, age, town, film number. Columns that are just 'edit,
fill down' (year, type, town, film number) can temporarily be moved to the
right for faster typing of the other columns. Using the 'table' menu, the
'sort' feature can put any column in alpha or numeric order. This is useful
to find a surname faster. There is also a way to number each row in excel
if you have a lot of record numbers. For month and day columns I type down
the column all the days in first, then I type all the month numbers last.

The biggest time saver is your personal abbreviations of Jewish given
and surnames with a standardized spelling for each. The following are my
suggestions. Feel free to improve on them:
Abbreviations of polish given names:

Male given names:
Moszek-m, Dawid-d, Josek-js, Icek-i, Jankel-jn, Pinkwas-pw, Majer-mj,
Szija-sj, Lejzor-lzr, Lejbus-lbs, Leib-lb, Haskiel-hsk, Josef-jsf,
Jakob-jkb, Abram-abr, Szlama-szl, Szmul-sm, Beniamin-bmn, Zelik-zlk,
Zelman-zlm, Fiszel-fsz, Nuta-nu, Chaim-hm, Izrael-iz, Herszek-hk, Aron-ar,
Mendel-mdl, Berek-bk, Gerszon-gsz, Gdale-gd, Jojne-jj

Female given names:
Rajzla-rz, Ruchla-ru, Chaja-hj, Marya-my, Maryam-mym, Fajga-fg, Rywka or
Ryfka-rf, Kajla-k, Sura-su, Laja-lj, Dwojra-dw, Golda-go, Mindla-mi,
Malka-ml, Hinda-hi, Szajndla-sza, Gitla-gi, Jochwet-jw, Estera-es

Abbreviations of common polish surnames/prefixes/suffixes:
BERG-bg, MAN-m, BAUM-bm, ROZEN-rzn, SZTAJN-szt, FELD-fd, GOLD-gd,
WICZ-w, DIAMENT-dmt, ZYLBERBERG-zbbg, TENENBAUM-tnnbm

Abbreviations of Russian given names:
Male given names:
Moyshe-m, Duwid-d, Yosek-ys, Itsek-I, Yankel-yn, Pinkhes-pk, Mayer-mr,
Shaya-sy, Leyzor-lzr, Leybus-lbs, Leyb-lb, Haskiel-hsk, Yosif-ysf, Yakov-
jk, Abram-abr, Shluma-shl, Shmul-sm, Benyamin-bnm, Zelik-zlk, Zelman-zlm,
Fishel-fsh, Nuta-nu, Khaim-hm,Izrail-iz, Gersh-gsh, Aron-ar, Mendell-mdl,
Berko-bk, Gershon-gshn, Gdale-gd, Yoyne-yy

Female given names:
Rayzla-rz, Rukhla-ru, Khaya-hy, Marya-my, Maryam-mym, Fayga-fg, Rivka-rv,
Kayla-k, Sura-su, Laya-ly, Dvoyra-dv, Golda-go, Mindla-mi, Malka-ml,
Hinda-hi, Shayndla-sha, Gitla-gi, Yocheved-yv, Ester-es

Abbreviations of common Russian surnames/prefixes/suffixes:
BERG-bg, MAN-m, BAUM-bm, ROZEN-rzn, SHTAYN-sht, FELD-fd, GOLD-gd,
VITS-v, DYAMENT-dmt, ZYLBERBERG-zbbg, TENENBAUM-tnnbm


For surnames that appear often on a film, or the ones you are interested in
use single letters:
Eg. PRAJS-P. KIRSZENBLATT-K, BOJMAYLGRYN-B, TYSZLER-T, etc. If two records
in a row have the same surname, do not rewrite the second one, use
quotation marks instead, ".

A very important time saving feature on a computer is that it types on
excel file the name for you if you just type in the leading letter or
letters. You have to be careful with this and keep your eye on errors
especially if there were two given names the previous time and only the
same first one the next the computer will type both. Another example is
the second time you type a surname with the same leading letters then the
computer will type the first surname erroneously. You must delete the
darkened extra letters.

Sample transliterations:
Birth:
Gdszt, rz (m 21, ru lj 19 rznbg)
In long hand this means the birth of Rajzla GOLDSZTAJN, daughter of Moszek,
age 21 and Ruchla Laja nee ROZENBERG, age 19

Marriage:
klnm, sj 24 son of hk, su prlmtr (chm) to d.w, my 23, d of hm, ml apelbm
In long hand this means the marriage of Szija KLAJNMAN, age 24, son of
Herszek and Sura PERELMUTER of Chmielnik to Marya Dawidowicz (not
capitalized because it is patronymic), age 23, daughter of Chaim and Malka
APELBAUM

After referring to Judith Frazin's for Polish and Jonathan Shea's for
Russian I learned how to read Jewish records. To read difficult handwriting
I first got used to the letters I could read easily and used familiar
strings of letters to get to know the rest of the letters. A surname list
is useful to keep the spelling standardized.

David Price, researching PRAJS of Kielce, GORLICKI of Chmielnik, BADACZ and
KUSHNER of Grodno

To transliterate and type onto excel thousands of Jewish names >from LDS
microfilms, holocaust lists, cemetary lists or any kind of databases is
time consuming. Here are some time saving hints:

Print the names onto 8 ½ x 11, 3 hole punched graph paper, one letter
per square. This easy to read format is suitable for you or volunteers to
type from. Number and title each page with the year, type of record and the
town. These pages are convenient to tape onto you computer so that they are
in front of you for easy typing. Keep these sheets in a 3 ring binder.
Column titles >from left to right should be: surname, given names, record
number, year, type (b, m or d), father's given name, mother's given name,
mother's maiden name, age, town, film number. Columns that are just 'edit,
fill down' (year, type, town, film number) can temporarily be moved to the
right for faster typing of the other columns. Using the 'table' menu, the
'sort' feature can put any column in alpha or numeric order. This is useful
to find a surname faster. There is also a way to number each row in excel
if you have a lot of record numbers. For month and day columns I type down
the column all the days in first, then I type all the month numbers last.

The biggest time saver is your personal abbreviations of Jewish given
and surnames with a standardized spelling for each. The following are my
suggestions. Feel free to improve on them:
Abbreviations of polish given names:

Male given names:
Moszek-m, Dawid-d, Josek-js, Icek-i, Jankel-jn, Pinkwas-pw, Majer-mj,
Szija-sj, Lejzor-lzr, Lejbus-lbs, Leib-lb, Haskiel-hsk, Josef-jsf,
Jakob-jkb, Abram-abr, Szlama-szl, Szmul-sm, Beniamin-bmn, Zelik-zlk,
Zelman-zlm, Fiszel-fsz, Nuta-nu, Chaim-hm, Izrael-iz, Herszek-hk, Aron-ar,
Mendel-mdl, Berek-bk, Gerszon-gsz, Gdale-gd, Jojne-jj

Female given names:
Rajzla-rz, Ruchla-ru, Chaja-hj, Marya-my, Maryam-mym, Fajga-fg, Rywka or
Ryfka-rf, Kajla-k, Sura-su, Laja-lj, Dwojra-dw, Golda-go, Mindla-mi,
Malka-ml, Hinda-hi, Szajndla-sza, Gitla-gi, Jochwet-jw, Estera-es

Abbreviations of common polish surnames/prefixes/suffixes:
BERG-bg, MAN-m, BAUM-bm, ROZEN-rzn, SZTAJN-szt, FELD-fd, GOLD-gd,
WICZ-w, DIAMENT-dmt, ZYLBERBERG-zbbg, TENENBAUM-tnnbm

Abbreviations of Russian given names:
Male given names:
Moyshe-m, Duwid-d, Yosek-ys, Itsek-I, Yankel-yn, Pinkhes-pk, Mayer-mr,
Shaya-sy, Leyzor-lzr, Leybus-lbs, Leyb-lb, Haskiel-hsk, Yosif-ysf, Yakov-
jk, Abram-abr, Shluma-shl, Shmul-sm, Benyamin-bnm, Zelik-zlk, Zelman-zlm,
Fishel-fsh, Nuta-nu, Khaim-hm,Izrail-iz, Gersh-gsh, Aron-ar, Mendell-mdl,
Berko-bk, Gershon-gshn, Gdale-gd, Yoyne-yy

Female given names:
Rayzla-rz, Rukhla-ru, Khaya-hy, Marya-my, Maryam-mym, Fayga-fg, Rivka-rv,
Kayla-k, Sura-su, Laya-ly, Dvoyra-dv, Golda-go, Mindla-mi, Malka-ml,
Hinda-hi, Shayndla-sha, Gitla-gi, Yocheved-yv, Ester-es

Abbreviations of common Russian surnames/prefixes/suffixes:
BERG-bg, MAN-m, BAUM-bm, ROZEN-rzn, SHTAYN-sht, FELD-fd, GOLD-gd,
VITS-v, DYAMENT-dmt, ZYLBERBERG-zbbg, TENENBAUM-tnnbm


For surnames that appear often on a film, or the ones you are interested in
use single letters:
Eg. PRAJS-P. KIRSZENBLATT-K, BOJMAYLGRYN-B, TYSZLER-T, etc. If two records
in a row have the same surname, do not rewrite the second one, use
quotation marks instead, ".

A very important time saving feature on a computer is that it types on
excel file the name for you if you just type in the leading letter or
letters. You have to be careful with this and keep your eye on errors
especially if there were two given names the previous time and only the
same first one the next the computer will type both. Another example is
the second time you type a surname with the same leading letters then the
computer will type the first surname erroneously. You must delete the
darkened extra letters.

Sample transliterations:
Birth:
Gdszt, rz (m 21, ru lj 19 rznbg)
In long hand this means the birth of Rajzla GOLDSZTAJN, daughter of Moszek,
age 21 and Ruchla Laja nee ROZENBERG, age 19

Marriage:
klnm, sj 24 son of hk, su prlmtr (chm) to d.w, my 23, d of hm, ml apelbm
In long hand this means the marriage of Szija KLAJNMAN, age 24, son of
Herszek and Sura PERELMUTER of Chmielnik to Marya Dawidowicz (not
capitalized because it is patronymic), age 23, daughter of Chaim and Malka
APELBAUM

After referring to Judith Frazin's for Polish and Jonathan Shea's for
Russian I learned how to read Jewish records. To read difficult handwriting
I first got used to the letters I could read easily and used familiar
strings of letters to get to know the rest of the letters. A surname list
is useful to keep the spelling standardized.

David Price, researching PRAJS of Kielce, GORLICKI of Chmielnik, BADACZ and
KUSHNER of Grodno

I can only add my $0.02:

- after few generations, the current generation may
not know that they are of Jewish descent.

- some Jews picked, on purpose, "Non Jewish" last
names so they will not be recognized. My family have
REICHENBACH (>from Siedlce, Poland) and HERRMANN (from
Czech Republic) - these are very non-Jewish last
names. I know for sure that the HERRMANN was picked by
my g-g-g-grandfather to hide the fact that he's a Jew.
It probably was HIRSCHMAN or HAIM before that.

- a lot of last names have "generic" meaaning. Many
people >from the same village, Jews or non-Jews, will
pick the same last name. Example: VISHNEVSKY - "from
Vishniev". Some last names are professions,
descriptions, etc which are good for Jews and
non-Jews.

- A good example is the POLAK and HUNGER last name. If
you check, most POLAKs are >from Hungary and most
HUNGERs are >from Poland. For example, the POLAKs got
their last name by the Hungrians because they may came
to Poland. But, 200 years later on, being in Hungary
for generations, they are still POLAKs.

Ron HERRMANN, New Jersey, USA

Robbert wrote:

Can anyone explain me why this family is not Jewish.

Is it possible
they are

jewish but without knowing it ? Did one of their

ancestors became
catholic

because of fear ?

Thanks for helping me
Robbert de GROOT

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online
http://webhosting.yahoo.com

And the we have Sen William Cohen (Clintons Secretary of Defense) and
the late Sen Barry Goldwater who definitely had Jewish forebearers
but were not Jewish
--
Avrum Lapin, of Upland, CA
avrum113@earthlink.net

Researching:
LAPIN Grodno
LAPUNSKI Grodno,Indura and Sokolka
KATZ,Abraham Bialystok and Sokolka
LUBELSKY Bialystok
RODIN Winnipeg and Gomel

On the subject of common surnames Jewish non/Jewish, researching our family
name Lixenberg or Liksenberg I came across baptised Swedes >from the 17th
century while our family is traced back to Nowy Korzcyn and the Stopnica
region
Which probably proves that even less common surnames could have a dual
connection.

Michael Lixenberg

Researcching: LIXENBERG, LIKSENBERG, TRAUB, HACK, KOLSKY,
NOWY-KORCZYN, OPATOWIEC, STOPNICA, LONDON

I just received a response >from the PSA regarding a record request
and would be very grateful if someone could translate the Polish for
me. Please reply to the above address. The letter can be viewed at
http://m.port.home.attbi.com/genealogy/Pages/psadoc.html

thanks,
--
Michael Port
Portland, OR

PORITSKY- Batirin, Gub. Chernigov;
BLITT, BERKINBLITT- Wloclawek and Dubrowno
JARMUS- Ciechanowiec
SHIKORA, ROSENTHAL-Ostroleka

I can only add my $0.02:

- after few generations, the current generation may
not know that they are of Jewish descent.

- some Jews picked, on purpose, "Non Jewish" last
names so they will not be recognized. My family have
REICHENBACH (>from Siedlce, Poland) and HERRMANN (from
Czech Republic) - these are very non-Jewish last
names. I know for sure that the HERRMANN was picked by
my g-g-g-grandfather to hide the fact that he's a Jew.
It probably was HIRSCHMAN or HAIM before that.

- a lot of last names have "generic" meaaning. Many
people >from the same village, Jews or non-Jews, will
pick the same last name. Example: VISHNEVSKY - "from
Vishniev". Some last names are professions,
descriptions, etc which are good for Jews and
non-Jews.

- A good example is the POLAK and HUNGER last name. If
you check, most POLAKs are >from Hungary and most
HUNGERs are >from Poland. For example, the POLAKs got
their last name by the Hungrians because they may came
to Poland. But, 200 years later on, being in Hungary
for generations, they are still POLAKs.

Ron HERRMANN, New Jersey, USA

Robbert wrote:

Can anyone explain me why this family is not Jewish.

Is it possible
they are

jewish but without knowing it ? Did one of their

ancestors became
catholic

because of fear ?

Thanks for helping me
Robbert de GROOT

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online
http://webhosting.yahoo.com

And the we have Sen William Cohen (Clintons Secretary of Defense) and
the late Sen Barry Goldwater who definitely had Jewish forebearers
but were not Jewish
--
Avrum Lapin, of Upland, CA
avrum113@earthlink.net

Researching:
LAPIN Grodno
LAPUNSKI Grodno,Indura and Sokolka
KATZ,Abraham Bialystok and Sokolka
LUBELSKY Bialystok
RODIN Winnipeg and Gomel

On the subject of common surnames Jewish non/Jewish, researching our family
name Lixenberg or Liksenberg I came across baptised Swedes >from the 17th
century while our family is traced back to Nowy Korzcyn and the Stopnica
region
Which probably proves that even less common surnames could have a dual
connection.

Michael Lixenberg

Researcching: LIXENBERG, LIKSENBERG, TRAUB, HACK, KOLSKY,
NOWY-KORCZYN, OPATOWIEC, STOPNICA, LONDON

I just received a response >from the PSA regarding a record request
and would be very grateful if someone could translate the Polish for
me. Please reply to the above address. The letter can be viewed at
http://m.port.home.attbi.com/genealogy/Pages/psadoc.html

thanks,
--
Michael Port
Portland, OR

PORITSKY- Batirin, Gub. Chernigov;
BLITT, BERKINBLITT- Wloclawek and Dubrowno
JARMUS- Ciechanowiec
SHIKORA, ROSENTHAL-Ostroleka

Dear Jewishgenners,

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Southwest Florida meeting on Sunday,
March 16 at 11:00 AM is the opening event of the "Kallah: A Festival of
Jewish Living & Learning" at the Flanzer JCC (582 S. McIntosh Road in
Sarasota) and will feature Roger Wilson. Roger brings 25 years of
experience as an antique collector and dealer of fine arts and antiques.
He has been active in the antique business in Sarasota for 15 years and
also engages in lecturing on antiques and collectibles throughout
Southwest Florida. Please bring one Judaica heirloom you wish to have
evaluated for this "Show and Tell" discussion. Pieces need not be 100
years old, but should have some age and perhaps tell an interesting
story.

If you are going to be in the Sarasota Manatee area on Sunday, March 16,
please join us. For reservations, e-mail Kim Sheintal at klapshein@aol.com

Kim Sheintal,
JGS of SW FL President

Dear Jewishgenners,

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Southwest Florida meeting on Sunday,
March 16 at 11:00 AM is the opening event of the "Kallah: A Festival of
Jewish Living & Learning" at the Flanzer JCC (582 S. McIntosh Road in
Sarasota) and will feature Roger Wilson. Roger brings 25 years of
experience as an antique collector and dealer of fine arts and antiques.
He has been active in the antique business in Sarasota for 15 years and
also engages in lecturing on antiques and collectibles throughout
Southwest Florida. Please bring one Judaica heirloom you wish to have
evaluated for this "Show and Tell" discussion. Pieces need not be 100
years old, but should have some age and perhaps tell an interesting
story.

If you are going to be in the Sarasota Manatee area on Sunday, March 16,
please join us. For reservations, e-mail Kim Sheintal at klapshein@aol.com

Kim Sheintal,
JGS of SW FL President

Topic: Using the University of California Libraries for Jewish Genealogy

Speaker: Jeremy Frankel

When: Sunday, March 16, 2003

Time: Doors open at 12:30 PM
Program begins at 1 PM

Where: Fort Mason Center
Building C, Room 205
Marina Blvd. at Buchanan St.
San Francisco, CA

More: www.jewishgen.org/SFBAJGS

Topic: Using the University of California Libraries for Jewish Genealogy

Speaker: Jeremy Frankel

When: Sunday, March 16, 2003

Time: Doors open at 12:30 PM
Program begins at 1 PM

Where: Fort Mason Center
Building C, Room 205
Marina Blvd. at Buchanan St.
San Francisco, CA

More: www.jewishgen.org/SFBAJGS