JewishGen.org Discussion Group FAQs
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Our old Discussion List platform was woefully antiquated. Among its many challenges: it was not secure, it required messages to be sent in Plain Text, did not support accented characters or languages other than English, could not display links or images, and had archives that were not mobile-friendly.
This new platform that JewishGen is using is a scalable, and sustainable solution, and allows us to engage with JewishGen members throughout the world. It offers a simple and intuitive interface for both members and moderators, more powerful tools, and more secure archives (which are easily accessible on mobile devices, and which also block out personal email addresses to the public).
I am a JewishGen member, why do I have to create a separate account for the Discussion Group?
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I like how the current lists work. Will I still be able to send/receive emails of posts (and/or digests)?
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.”
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Correct!
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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!
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Sincerely,
The JewishGen.org Team
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Re: German Citizenship under Article 116
#germany
David Seldner
Sorry I am answering so late.
It took two months, that was in 2016. Since I live in Germany I had to apply personally and brought notarized documents which prove that my father (and his parents) were German and left in 1940.They told me they only have to verify the information. -- David Seldner, Karlsruhe, Germany seldner@...
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Re: Brief translation from German?
#germany
#translation
Helen Krag
Dear Alberto Guido Chester
There is nthing special about the handwriting on this postcard. It is a kind of calligraphic writing which people in Vienna used formally. My grandfather who was from Galicia and lived in Vienna wrote the same way. It says: In memory for ever from your sister Schächter Pepi (could also be Perl) I have myself inherited postcards and pictures from a Schächter. First name Mila. She was from Mszana Dolna south of Cracow. Kindly, Helen Krag
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Chana Bonn
In my family, our aunts were called "mima" and our uncles "fetter".
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Re: Brief translation from German?
#germany
#translation
Hello Alberto,
indeed the writing is 'different'! It is unusual that she uses her surname. The writing says: "Zum Ewigen Andenken von Deiner Schwester Schächter Pepi" As eternal memento from your sister Schächter Pepi" Regards from Germany Corinna
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Re: Radziejow, Poland
#poland
Do you know if they shortened it to Lazarus? The husband of my 3X great aunt originally spelled it “Lazarovitch” before changing it to Lazarus. Coincidentally also named Woolf, but he was from Lodz and immigrated to England.
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WASSERZUG - AJFER
#general
David Lewin
My grandfather
1. Sally Seelig Esra LEWIN Halevi-39 (b.7 Feb 1864-Gollub,Kr Briesen,West Prussia d.17 Sep 1936-Gollub,Kr Briesen,West Prussia) married my grandmother Rosalie Rachel LEBRECHT-14 (b.15 May 1864-Hagenau,Kr Mohrungen,East Prussia m.14 Nov 1893 d.13 Aug 1922-Berlin,Germany) When my grandmother died he married sp2: Lucyna Ludka WASSERZUG-306 (b.10 Dec 1886-Plock m.8 Jun 1925 d.1939/1945-Nazis,Auschwitz,,Poland) Lucyna Ludka WASSERZUG had previously married- and I believe divorced Abraham Leibus AJFER-314 (b.1876) I found Lucyna Ludka deportation and murder by the Nazis but nothing whatever on the AJFER side Can anyone guide me please? Thanks David Lewin London
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Good question. Click on the person in your tree, then click on Profile. Their relation is under the person's Name, Birth and Death information at the top, such as 1st cousin 2x removed.
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Translation needed from Hebrew
#translation
Karen Gramigna-Warren
Could someone please translate the attached tombstone?
Thanks, Karen 
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ANSWER: Thank you for all your answers, public and private. I understand the concept of naming the cousins. The question was around the issue of what to do when it is asymmetric, which is always the case in the "removed" cousins. Whether one counts up or down in regards to the common ancestor, the number is different, depending on which cousin one counts from. Therefore, it comes down to (as many of you stated):
It is always calculated from the older-generation relative.
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Re: Translation needed from Hebrew for matzevah.
#translation
Malka
Hello Avivah,
Here lies or here is buried (Abbreviation on top) The young man Haim Mordechai Milkah Passed away 30 Tishrei In year 5679 May his memory be bund in eternal life (abbreviation on bottom) Shalom, Malka Chosnek
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Re: Surname TAJWIL
#names
Miriam Bulwar David-Hay
Do you mean Rozdol (not Rozdal), previously in Poland, now in Ukraine? If so, it would be pronounced the Polish way, with J = Y and W = V. Therefore, TAYVIL, or depending on how you pronounce your vowels, TEIVEL. Ironically, a "teivel" is actually a "devil" in Yiddish, but this is unlikely to be the origin of the name. Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of the Jewish People here in Israel, has a database of surnames which does not list TAJWIL/TEIVEL but does list TEVELE and other similar variations as surnames deriving from the Yiddish given name Tevye or Tuvya (Tobias in English), which in turn derives from the Biblical Hebrew Tobiah, which means "the goodness of God." This seems the most likely origin.
Some other responders have mentioned that the name may be Sephardi. The word "tawil" means "tall" in Arabic and is a known surname for Jews and non-Jews in Arabic-speaking countries. The "w" is pronounced the English way. Jews in Poland/Ukraine, however, were most unlikely to have had Arabic surnames. All the best, Miriam BULWAR DAVID-HAY, Raanana, Israel. Professional writer, editor, proofreader, translator (Hebrew/Yiddish to English). Certified guide at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Museum. Long-time family history researcher.
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Re: Other names for Yitzchak?
#names
binyaminkerman@...
The Yiddish nickname is sometimes Itche.
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Re: synagogue memorial plaques
#JewishGenUpdates
peter isert
I think it’s a wonderful idea to help trace loved ones & to keep in touch with family members long forgotten. I agree with Matt, if you want to keep it private, don’t place the plaques in a public area for all to see. Peter Isert, Sydney, Australia
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Percy Mett
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Re: The male name Shapsei
#names
#lithuania
Eleanor Lind
My uncle was Shapsel Nikodemus on his 1907 English birth certificate which later became Stephen Nicholas
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Re: Other names for Yitzchak?
#names
abergman@...
Can be Icek in Poland. My grandfather, Yitzchak, became Isidor.
-- Abby Barry Bergman New York
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Re: Surname TAJWIJ
#names
Helen Gardner
On the 1862 summary of the marriage record of her daughter, my gggrandmother is named Chaia Sura Tywel, but in the body of the text her father's name is given as Faivel. I have always assumed that her name was Chaia Sura bat Faivel.
-- Helen Gardner ancestral names, all from Poland, mostly Warsaw AJGENGOLD/EIGENGOLD, BERCHOJER, BLANK, BIALOGORA, BLUMBERG, CHMIELNICKI, FELD, FERNEBOK/FERNSBUN, EDELMAN, FRYDMAN, GELDTRUNK, GURIN, ISSAKOWICH, LAKS, LERMAN, MALIS, MENDER/MONDER, MLYNARZ/MILLER, PODGORER/PODGORSKI, POPOWER, RAUTARBER/ROTGERBERG, RASTENBERG, POSSIBLY PRESSEIZEN
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Re: Brian Stern, the names WURM and WIENER
#germany
gujlaki@...
Hello,
I am researching the WURMs from Hungary. There are several teories concerning the origin of WUM as a surname: 1. The ancestors of the family originated from the medieval German town of WORMS. 2. Its a fantasy name in contemporary German, meaning WORM in English. 3. Its a fantasy name from old or middle German, meaning Dragon in English (Like in the operas of Wagner. There rae sveral forms, like WURM, WORM, VURM, VORM etc. Regards, Gyorgy Ujlaki
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Re: Town in Hungary KOMIDAT (UNGAR)
#hungary
gujlaki@...
Dear Jackie,
I would think the place you mentioned might be Magyarkomjat in the Subcarpathian area, now in Ukraine https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magyarkomj%C3%A1t https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/velikiye_komyaty/ The name translates as "Hungarian Komjat". "Ungar" might mean Hungarian, J was mispelled as "MI". I drove through it several times. Cheers, Gyorgy
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Re: New Book By Historian Jan Grabowski Polish Shows Polish Police Had Key Role in Nazi Final Solution
#holocaust
#poland
p.tomaszewski@...
Unfortunately, there are so many evident and intentional (!!) errors and ommissions in this book to treat it as a serious source of data. Mr Grabowski "corrected" the documents to show that Polish police helped Nazi forces. More, this is not Polish police but the forces directed by Germans. Thus, Grabowski could not be treated as historian!
Best regards, Pawel
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