One of the most frequently asked questions on this site goes something
like this:

"My grandfather born in Prztdsysk, Poland, was named Iszklik in Yiddish.
What name would he have taken when he came to the USA in 1902?"

Unfortunately, there's no way that question can be answered by anyone who
didn't know your grandfather or has access to his records. Many Yiddish
names based on the Hebrew scriptures have known equivalents in English
(e.g. Yankel or Ya`akov are properly rendered Jacob in English)--but that
still doesn't help us figuring out what "real American" name your
granddaddy chose when he immigrated.

As always, the US government tries to solve some of the knottiest problems
its citizens can think of posing. The Social Security Administration has a
site that *may* help you figure out the answer.

Find it at < http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ > It's a list of popular
baby names.

You'll find here the "Top 10 names by year of birth for years 1880 through
1997, based on a 1% sample."

Better yet, you can inspect, in ranking order the 1000 most popular names
in each decade for each gender, based on a 5% sample. (Names are limited
to births in the U.S.A. ), e.g. Top 1000 names of the 1900's; Top 1000
names of the 1910's . . . . . Top 1000 names of the 1990's

How do you use this list? For our example, look at the 1000 most popular
names for 1900-1909. Of course you won't find Iszklik among them. But
wait. Our folks back then generally tried to keep their first initial
when they transited to a new American name. Look down the list for names
starting with "I" (you'll be surprised how many "Hebrew" names you pass
along the way, Joseph # 7, Davd # 29, Michael # 39, Benjamin # 64, etc).

The first name in the list that starts with "I" is Irving, # 113. Irving,
as we can all attest, was the most popular name taken by our forefathers
named Isaac or Israel.

Ira takes the 134th place (we all had at least one great uncle Ira), then
there's Isaac itself, # 171, Irvin # 181, Ivan # 196 (forget that one; no
one called himself after a Czar).

Isadore was #314 and Isidore was #447--if you took the two variant
spellings as one name, it would have been #237 on the popularity list

So there you have it. In 1902, Granpa Iszklik is likely to have called
himself Irving, Ira, Isaac, Isadore or Isidore, in that order, when he
came to the USA.

If scanning this site doesn't help or satisfy you, please don't ask us to
guess, and don't even dream of asking the SSA for their opinion.

I'm indebted to today's New York Times Magazine for this useful URL

Michael Bernet,
New York

One of the most frequently asked questions on this site goes something
like this:

"My grandfather born in Prztdsysk, Poland, was named Iszklik in Yiddish.
What name would he have taken when he came to the USA in 1902?"

Unfortunately, there's no way that question can be answered by anyone who
didn't know your grandfather or has access to his records. Many Yiddish
names based on the Hebrew scriptures have known equivalents in English
(e.g. Yankel or Ya`akov are properly rendered Jacob in English)--but that
still doesn't help us figuring out what "real American" name your
granddaddy chose when he immigrated.

As always, the US government tries to solve some of the knottiest problems
its citizens can think of posing. The Social Security Administration has a
site that *may* help you figure out the answer.

Find it at < http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ > It's a list of popular
baby names.

You'll find here the "Top 10 names by year of birth for years 1880 through
1997, based on a 1% sample."

Better yet, you can inspect, in ranking order the 1000 most popular names
in each decade for each gender, based on a 5% sample. (Names are limited
to births in the U.S.A. ), e.g. Top 1000 names of the 1900's; Top 1000
names of the 1910's . . . . . Top 1000 names of the 1990's

How do you use this list? For our example, look at the 1000 most popular
names for 1900-1909. Of course you won't find Iszklik among them. But
wait. Our folks back then generally tried to keep their first initial
when they transited to a new American name. Look down the list for names
starting with "I" (you'll be surprised how many "Hebrew" names you pass
along the way, Joseph # 7, Davd # 29, Michael # 39, Benjamin # 64, etc).

The first name in the list that starts with "I" is Irving, # 113. Irving,
as we can all attest, was the most popular name taken by our forefathers
named Isaac or Israel.

Ira takes the 134th place (we all had at least one great uncle Ira), then
there's Isaac itself, # 171, Irvin # 181, Ivan # 196 (forget that one; no
one called himself after a Czar).

Isadore was #314 and Isidore was #447--if you took the two variant
spellings as one name, it would have been #237 on the popularity list

So there you have it. In 1902, Granpa Iszklik is likely to have called
himself Irving, Ira, Isaac, Isadore or Isidore, in that order, when he
came to the USA.

If scanning this site doesn't help or satisfy you, please don't ask us to
guess, and don't even dream of asking the SSA for their opinion.

I'm indebted to today's New York Times Magazine for this useful URL

Michael Bernet,
New York

I) I am trying to find the location (and new name if there is one) of
the town of Katrinaslav, in the circa 1840 possibly near Leipsig ,as th=
at
is where the family left from?. =


2) I am also trying to find where the town of "POIN" , is or was --cir=
ca
1880 . This family name is Solomon and would be >from the Austro-Hungari=
an
Empire. I would appreciate any help. Carole Pivnik, Miami, Fl. =

Moderator VK: As you probably know, Katrinaslav was in Russia. In order to help you find the town of "Poin" you need to provide more information. Austria-Hungary was a very big place that included not only presentday Hungary but substantial parts of presentday Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia. "Poin" could be Pónicz, now in Austria, formerly in the Németújvári jaras (district) of Vas megye (county) or Pónik in Zólyom megye Beszterczebányai jaras, or even Sapony in Sáros megye Girálti jaras. Where was this place mentioned? What year? Knowing any of these facts would help us to help you.

I) I am trying to find the location (and new name if there is one) of
the town of Katrinaslav, in the circa 1840 possibly near Leipsig ,as th=
at
is where the family left from?. =


2) I am also trying to find where the town of "POIN" , is or was --cir=
ca
1880 . This family name is Solomon and would be >from the Austro-Hungari=
an
Empire. I would appreciate any help. Carole Pivnik, Miami, Fl. =

Moderator VK: As you probably know, Katrinaslav was in Russia. In order to help you find the town of "Poin" you need to provide more information. Austria-Hungary was a very big place that included not only presentday Hungary but substantial parts of presentday Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia. "Poin" could be Pónicz, now in Austria, formerly in the Németújvári jaras (district) of Vas megye (county) or Pónik in Zólyom megye Beszterczebányai jaras, or even Sapony in Sáros megye Girálti jaras. Where was this place mentioned? What year? Knowing any of these facts would help us to help you.

Dear Fellow Genners:

I want to thank all of you very much who replied to my queries
re:VM2583 and VM2585. It will help me greatly in my research!

Thank you,
Katie Sobol
Researcher#9386
katie2727@...

Hello,
I have naturalization papers for Louis Silverman, that turn out
to be the wrong ones for me. Here is the information, if anyone connects
with this family, I will be happy to send them on.
Louis Silverman, aged 25, in 1911.
Painter, born in Seno, Russia, Oct.15, 1885
Wife, Ida Levine, children, Frances, born Sept.3,1910, Leo, born
Nov.12, 1912, NYC.
In 1913, lived at 64 E. 100 St., N.Y.,N.Y.

I hope this relates to someone out there. They are lovely
papers.
Marilyln Siegel in Fl.

Dear Fellow Genners:

I want to thank all of you very much who replied to my queries
re:VM2583 and VM2585. It will help me greatly in my research!

Thank you,
Katie Sobol
Researcher#9386
katie2727@...

Hello,
I have naturalization papers for Louis Silverman, that turn out
to be the wrong ones for me. Here is the information, if anyone connects
with this family, I will be happy to send them on.
Louis Silverman, aged 25, in 1911.
Painter, born in Seno, Russia, Oct.15, 1885
Wife, Ida Levine, children, Frances, born Sept.3,1910, Leo, born
Nov.12, 1912, NYC.
In 1913, lived at 64 E. 100 St., N.Y.,N.Y.

I hope this relates to someone out there. They are lovely
papers.
Marilyln Siegel in Fl.

In the Nagykanizsa, Hungary community book I found registrations (in
Hebrew) of contributions made, among others, by people in my family. One
of the contributions was made by a Isar (or Isser) son of Pesach REINITZ.
I have an Ignac son of Peter REINITZ in my family. could these names be
equivalents? If not what would be the equivalents of Peter and Ignac?
Ignac is usually translated to Yitzhak, but I have not found any
equivalents of Peter (could Feitel be a possibility ?).

Thanks,

Omri Arnon
Israel

Dear Genners

I would just like to thank every one for their thoughts on this topic.
I now realise that it was not as unusual as I thought
for this spice to be used in the traditional jewish style chicken soup.

regards

Anita Benson
London England

I was curious as to when the National Yiddish Book Center will have its
Yizkor Book Collection digitized. Well, it turns out that not only will
the collection be available online in early fall, but that Fay Zipkowitz
the Director of the NYBC Yiddish Book Department will be attending the
conference in D.C.!!!

According to her response to my query, she will not only be speaking at the
conference, but that there will be an exhibit table with prototypes!

This is something that I know many of us have been waiting for, and it
seems to be just around the corner. We will no longer have to scour the
world looking for a specific yizkor book to have for our personal
collection. The only difference will be that these books will be in
paperback form and newly printed. As for me, I'm now looking forward to
early fall.:-)
Debbie Raff
California

In the Nagykanizsa, Hungary community book I found registrations (in
Hebrew) of contributions made, among others, by people in my family. One
of the contributions was made by a Isar (or Isser) son of Pesach REINITZ.
I have an Ignac son of Peter REINITZ in my family. could these names be
equivalents? If not what would be the equivalents of Peter and Ignac?
Ignac is usually translated to Yitzhak, but I have not found any
equivalents of Peter (could Feitel be a possibility ?).

Thanks,

Omri Arnon
Israel

Dear Genners

I would just like to thank every one for their thoughts on this topic.
I now realise that it was not as unusual as I thought
for this spice to be used in the traditional jewish style chicken soup.

regards

Anita Benson
London England

I was curious as to when the National Yiddish Book Center will have its
Yizkor Book Collection digitized. Well, it turns out that not only will
the collection be available online in early fall, but that Fay Zipkowitz
the Director of the NYBC Yiddish Book Department will be attending the
conference in D.C.!!!

According to her response to my query, she will not only be speaking at the
conference, but that there will be an exhibit table with prototypes!

This is something that I know many of us have been waiting for, and it
seems to be just around the corner. We will no longer have to scour the
world looking for a specific yizkor book to have for our personal
collection. The only difference will be that these books will be in
paperback form and newly printed. As for me, I'm now looking forward to
early fall.:-)
Debbie Raff
California

Is there a list of what films of vital records, probate,land records,etc.
of Washington,DC that are on permanent loan to the Washington DC LDS? Will
the list be available at the conference.Also what is the LDS location and
hours? Are there voter registration list available for DC and where would
they be -in LDS and/or DC. In Ca. and NYC , they let us know what local
films are available so we didn't have to go the bureaus.

In fact, in NYC and LA ,the committees asked ahead of time for the
documents we needed and got them for us. Will they do that in DC?

Thanks,
Joyce Oshrin
JOSHRIN@...

Is there a list of what films of vital records, probate,land records,etc.
of Washington,DC that are on permanent loan to the Washington DC LDS? Will
the list be available at the conference.Also what is the LDS location and
hours? Are there voter registration list available for DC and where would
they be -in LDS and/or DC. In Ca. and NYC , they let us know what local
films are available so we didn't have to go the bureaus.

In fact, in NYC and LA ,the committees asked ahead of time for the
documents we needed and got them for us. Will they do that in DC?

Thanks,
Joyce Oshrin
JOSHRIN@...

Are there any library staff -- librarians, library techs, archivists,
etc. -- on the list who would be interested in some kind of BOF group?
or getting together at the Conference week after next? Is there
anything "special" we might be able to offer Genners based on our
particular line of work?

Look forward to hearing >from y'all.

Stephanie Weiner
San Diego, CA, USA

Dear Galicia researchers,

If you plan to attend the Galicia luncheon at the DC 2003 conference on
Tuesday July 22, you must register NOW or be disappointed!!! Luncheon
tickets will not be available after Friday, July 11. I just received the
following >from the conference committee:

Only through THIS Tuesday morning, July 8, 9AM (online at
www.jewishgen.org/dc2003 ) or THIS Friday (by phone, 800-805-3976), will you
be able to book a seat at the Belarus SIG 5th Anniversary and Germany SIG
Luncheons (Monday, July 21) and Tuesday's Gesher Galicia SIG 10th
Anniversary and Latvia SIG Luncheons, because the hotel and our kosher
caterer both need 72-hour notice to prepare your meals. Tickets will be
unavailable for purchase when you arrive in Washington. This is your last
chance to enjoy one or more of those events as the registrar will close off
registration to prepare your credentials.

We already have over 130 coming to the Galicia luncheon (as of June 27) and
we have some special things planned for attendees. First, we will show the
Galicia video that Sam Eneman has been working on, with contributions from
several members. Suzan Wynne will tell us about how Gesher Galicia came to
be formed. And a surprise, too! Enjoy a buffet lunch or a kosher meal! Enjoy
schmoozing with fellow researchers!

We hope you will come to the luncheon and help us celebrate at Gesher
Galicia's 10th anniversary Gala!

Before the luncheon, >from 9-11 a.m., we will be part of a SIG Fair, with
displays, where GG members will be available to answer questions about
Galicia and Gesher Galicia.

After the luncheon, >from 2:00 - 3:15, we will again host the Galicia Birds
of a Feather (BOF) networking session to share surnames and towns and to
divide into town groups for sharing.

The SIG Fair will again be held Thursday 10:30 - 12:30.

Several of the GG Research Groups will also hold BOF meetings.

Check the Daily Planner online at www.jewishgen.org/dc2003 .

Regards to all,

Shelley K. Pollero, Coordinator
Gesher Galicia
Severna Park, Maryland
rkpollero@...
http://www.jewishgen.org/galicia

Hi All,

Everyone has been so helpful in the past, I would like to try and repay
y'alls kindness.

I have the following microfilms on loan to July 17th:
- Index to Deaths, NYC, 1937-1941, FHC 1324923
- Birth Index, NYC, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Richmond 1915, All boroughs
1916, FHC 13222464
- Birth Index, NYC, All boroughs 1917-1918, FHC 1322465

First come, first serve, I will do some lookups pro bono. Please supply
the best info you have available and I will do my best to find the
record.

On a separate note:
***If anyone has on permanent or temporary loan, marriage indexes
between 1908 and 1915 for NYC or the Brooklyn City Directory for 1930,
please let me know if you would do a quick lookup for me.

Please reply privately!!

Thanks,

Marc Hodies
Searching CHODOSH, HOROWITZ, >from Smorgon, Belarus
Searching LEVY, GALONOS, SHABOS, >from Ioannina, Greece

Are there any library staff -- librarians, library techs, archivists,
etc. -- on the list who would be interested in some kind of BOF group?
or getting together at the Conference week after next? Is there
anything "special" we might be able to offer Genners based on our
particular line of work?

Look forward to hearing >from y'all.

Stephanie Weiner
San Diego, CA, USA