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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

Re: Trying to break a brick wall to find living relatives in the US... #general #usa #belarus

On Sun, Mar 29, 2020 at 05:43 PM, Renee Steinig wrote: In Ancestry's New York birth index, I found a Sylvia ETKIN born 19 Jan. 1918 in Brooklyn, then searched further for a Sylvia with that birth

By Gregory Engels · #641166 ·

Re: What happened to Suwalki-Lomza group run by Marilyn? #lithuania #poland

I’d love to know as well – I was lucky to put a reference up on Jews of Grajewo on FB and got a translation of the reference. I’ve tried writing to see about ordering the collection but got no

By Esther Brill · #641165 ·

Re: Name IDA #names

My mother’s Hebrew name was Chaya Sara, English was Sarah Ida. I understand that Chaya is a name given to a child who is either ill (and the parent wants to get G-d’s help healing the child), or

By Jeff Miller · #641164 ·

JewishGen Education DNA II class April 26-May 16 #dna

JewishGen Education welcomes Larry Fagan as the instructor for DNA test Analysis and Discussion: https://www.jewishgen.org/education/description.asp?course=40212 He will teach a discussion class that

By Nancy Holden · #641163 ·

Re: Name IDA #names

My grandmother Edith Joroff Schwartz was born in Shchors in 1901 and immigrated to the US with her family in 1905. In the 1910 census she is recorded as Ida. In the 1920 census she is recorded as

By Lee Jaffe · #641162 ·

Re: Name IDA #names

Every Ida in my family, seems like there's one in every branch, started out as Chaya/Chaije/Chaike, all of which are from the Hebrew, Chaya חיה (from Chaim, חיים "life"). But there's no hard

By L Goldstein · #641161 ·

Rina and Yacov Cieslewicz in Israel? #israel

I have tried over the years to trace members of the extended family in Israel, without success. Rina Cieslewicz was born approx 1946 and Yacov approx 1952. They lived in Tel Aviv. Rina may have

By Peter Bush · #641160 ·

Re: Bobr, Belarus #belarus

There are 28 users listed in the JGFF ("JewishGen Family Finder") who are interested in Jewish families from Bobr, Belarus. https://www.jewishgen.org/Communities/community.php?usbgn=-1941394 Warren

By Warren Blatt <warren.blatt@...> · #641159 ·

Re: Trying to break a brick wall to find living relatives in the US... #general #usa #belarus

This past year or so DNA testing is starting to pay off as I have now been able to add a number of missing branches and connect with more family.

By Max Heffler · #641158 ·

Re: Re: Bobr, Belarus #belarus

There is a web address My shtetl\Bobr Linda Wolfe Kelley Portland, OR, USA

By Linda Kelley · #641157 ·

Re: Name IDA #names

My Mom was born Rebecca. That morphed into Becky which then became Beatrice. This was in the USA. So it might help to think of a nickname and follow that chain. Another source of names were famous

By Deanna Levinsky <DEANNASMAC@...> · #641156 ·

Re: Let me restate my name question Re: Nellie #russia #names

The closest Hebrew name I can think of is Nili - it is in fact an acronymfor "Nezach Yisrael lo Yeshaker" a quote from Samuel 1, chapter15 verse29 and an expression for the eternity of the

By David Lewin · #641155 ·

Re: Name IDA #names

Hello, I agree as well. I have an uncle Sholom who uses the English name Wilfred. Always struck me as kind of arbitrary except I guess Old English meaning of the name Wilfried includes the word

By joannegrosman joannegrosman · #641154 ·

Re: Prohibition Bootleggers and Sacramental Wine "Fake Rabbis" #usa #general

Hi Carl My CARL family in St. Louis operated a bottle recycling business prior to Prohibition, and then ran booze during and after Prohibition - the "after" had to do with avoiding bottle tax. They

By Renée K. Carl · #641153 ·

Re: Yiddish or Hebrew name for IDA #belarus #names

My great grandmother's name was Aidel. People with that name may have Americanized it to Ada or Ida.

By Nurit Har-zvi · #641152 ·

Re: Question about Khust (Huszt) birth, death and marriage registers to Gary, Head of Ukraine Sig #ukraine

Dear Lajos, I recently became aware of this project https://sub-carpathia-genealogy.org/ They appear to have access to records from Khust. Regards, Alex Goldinger, New York

By alexgoldinger@... · #641151 ·

Re: Let me restate my name question Re: Nellie #russia #names

If you go to the Jewishgen Memorial Plaque Data Base and enter the given name (Sounds like) Nellie you will get a list of Nellies, many with Hebrew/Yiddish names. The most common is

By Susan&David · #641150 ·

Re: Name IDA #names

It's the usual story, I think. There isn't always a consistent, logical or rational explanation to why people with a particular Yiddish or Hebrew first name took a particular new English name when

By Harvey Kaplan · #641149 · Edited

Re: Trying to break a brick wall to find living relatives in the US... #general #usa #belarus

Perhaps consider taking an entirely different approach via DNA technology. Do you have access to the DNA test kits such as those sold by Ancestry and 23 and me? In our extended family a second

By alan moskowitz · #641148 ·

Re: Translation Request - German #hungary #germany

I recommend you cease using Google Translate and instead turn to www.deepl,com Be well and safe David Lewin London Search & Unite attempt to help locate people who, despite the passage of so many

By David Lewin · #641147 ·