You've probably heard about the "Antiques Road Show" where experts identify
the treasures found in our attics, in the back of our closets or decorating
our homes. The 26th Annual IAJGS Conference will present its own version,
"The Jewish Chochka and Ephemera Road Show" during a Friday, August 19th
Conference session.

Rafi Guber, consulting genealogist to the Simon Wiesenthal Center/Museum of
Tolerance in Los Angeles and co-creator of the Museum’s exhibit Finding Our
Families Finding Ourselves, which explores the family histories of Billy
Crystal, Maya Angelou, Joe Torre and Carlos Santana as well as others, will
first give an introductory lecture. Then, as Rafi explains it, “Our panel of
experts will look at your documents, photos, ephemera and 'stuff' to help
you understand what it tells you about your family. We won't be telling you
what it is worth, however, because we all know that it's priceless. So bring
your questions and your dusty old shoe boxes and let's see what the past has
to tell us.

To view the entire Conference schedule, go to
http://www.jgsny2006.org/conference_program.cfm

6 Days to the Early Registration Deadline of May 15. For more information on
registering for the Conference, please visit
www.jgsny2006.org/registration.cfm

Gloria Berkenstat Freund
26th Annual IAJGS Conference Program Committee Chair

You've probably heard about the "Antiques Road Show" where experts identify
the treasures found in our attics, in the back of our closets or decorating
our homes. The 26th Annual IAJGS Conference will present its own version,
"The Jewish Chochka and Ephemera Road Show" during a Friday, August 19th
Conference session.

Rafi Guber, consulting genealogist to the Simon Wiesenthal Center/Museum of
Tolerance in Los Angeles and co-creator of the Museum’s exhibit Finding Our
Families Finding Ourselves, which explores the family histories of Billy
Crystal, Maya Angelou, Joe Torre and Carlos Santana as well as others, will
first give an introductory lecture. Then, as Rafi explains it, “Our panel of
experts will look at your documents, photos, ephemera and 'stuff' to help
you understand what it tells you about your family. We won't be telling you
what it is worth, however, because we all know that it's priceless. So bring
your questions and your dusty old shoe boxes and let's see what the past has
to tell us.

To view the entire Conference schedule, go to
http://www.jgsny2006.org/conference_program.cfm

6 Days to the Early Registration Deadline of May 15. For more information on
registering for the Conference, please visit
www.jgsny2006.org/registration.cfm

Gloria Berkenstat Freund
26th Annual IAJGS Conference Program Committee Chair

In regard to Stephen Gaffin's comments about causes of death, I also had
been intrigued by the records he referred to for 1922-1939.

The following is suggested based on my perusal of the entire group of
Rokiskis death records, not just the records which Stephen is referring to,
as well as many other shtetl death records:

1. Causes of death are dependent on the time period viewed. For instance,
during WWI there would have been a greater incidence of cases of influenza
and other communicable diseases.

During 1811, I found in some revision lists for another shtetl that the
majority of the population was listed in hospital.

2. Generally, consumption or tuberculosis, in all of its forms, was rampant
due to the physical conditions of where our ancestors lived. In prior
times, it could ravage an entire family >from infants to adults. It is
treatable now and not such a threat to life.

3. Children often died of diseases for which we have shots or other
treatment now such as diptheria, whopping cough, measles, mumps, scarlatina,
etc.

In addition, infant mortality was far greater in Eastern Europe than it is
today due to the physical circumstances of lack of cleanliness, medical
care, etc. The advent of prenatal care and testing, use of obstetricians,
hospital births and new surgical techniques. greatly reduced infant/mother
mortality.

4. Antibiotics changed the world as many of the diseases prevalent as
causes of death for both adults and children were brought under control such
as pneumonia.

5. Diseases such as appendicitis are no longer immediate causes of death
due to surgical techniques being developed to resolve them.

6. Cancers of various kinds are now treatable as well as heart-related
illnesses which were previously considered death sentences.

7. The upgrade in the modern world to better hygienic conditions have rid
towns and homes of dysentery, typhus, typhoid, and other illnesses of this
genre.

8. The discovery and introduction of insulin and modern changes in dietary
habits and exercise has brought much of the rampant untreated diabetes
common in previous times under control.

Generally, the modern world has gained much in the way of new medications,
surgical techniques, and medical care to rid itself of the majority of
diseases that killed our ancestors.

As a last note, the records themselves tend to show the incidence of certain
types of deaths in certain years and at certain times of the year. For
instance, one can see when there were epidemics of measles amongst the
children and when there were particularly hard winters when the death count
for those with pneumonia, coughs, etc., rose above the norm.

All in all, our Jewish death records reflect the history of our shtetls and
what was happening in and around them and are well worth looking at for that
reason alone.

Ann Rabinowitz
annrab@bellsouth.net

In regard to Stephen Gaffin's comments about causes of death, I also had
been intrigued by the records he referred to for 1922-1939.

The following is suggested based on my perusal of the entire group of
Rokiskis death records, not just the records which Stephen is referring to,
as well as many other shtetl death records:

1. Causes of death are dependent on the time period viewed. For instance,
during WWI there would have been a greater incidence of cases of influenza
and other communicable diseases.

During 1811, I found in some revision lists for another shtetl that the
majority of the population was listed in hospital.

2. Generally, consumption or tuberculosis, in all of its forms, was rampant
due to the physical conditions of where our ancestors lived. In prior
times, it could ravage an entire family >from infants to adults. It is
treatable now and not such a threat to life.

3. Children often died of diseases for which we have shots or other
treatment now such as diptheria, whopping cough, measles, mumps, scarlatina,
etc.

In addition, infant mortality was far greater in Eastern Europe than it is
today due to the physical circumstances of lack of cleanliness, medical
care, etc. The advent of prenatal care and testing, use of obstetricians,
hospital births and new surgical techniques. greatly reduced infant/mother
mortality.

4. Antibiotics changed the world as many of the diseases prevalent as
causes of death for both adults and children were brought under control such
as pneumonia.

5. Diseases such as appendicitis are no longer immediate causes of death
due to surgical techniques being developed to resolve them.

6. Cancers of various kinds are now treatable as well as heart-related
illnesses which were previously considered death sentences.

7. The upgrade in the modern world to better hygienic conditions have rid
towns and homes of dysentery, typhus, typhoid, and other illnesses of this
genre.

8. The discovery and introduction of insulin and modern changes in dietary
habits and exercise has brought much of the rampant untreated diabetes
common in previous times under control.

Generally, the modern world has gained much in the way of new medications,
surgical techniques, and medical care to rid itself of the majority of
diseases that killed our ancestors.

As a last note, the records themselves tend to show the incidence of certain
types of deaths in certain years and at certain times of the year. For
instance, one can see when there were epidemics of measles amongst the
children and when there were particularly hard winters when the death count
for those with pneumonia, coughs, etc., rose above the norm.

All in all, our Jewish death records reflect the history of our shtetls and
what was happening in and around them and are well worth looking at for that
reason alone.

Ann Rabinowitz
annrab@bellsouth.net

A colleague compiled a 4000-name database of deaths, and in the Date of
Death column he entered the dates in the European way, as follows:
22.5.1839. I have not been able to sort in chronological order.
Is there a simple way to separate the three components, arrange them into
three separate columns, and then sort? Or, at the very least, just sort
according to the final four digits--by year.

Jim Bennett
Haifa

MODERATOR NOTE: Please reply privately

A colleague compiled a 4000-name database of deaths, and in the Date of
Death column he entered the dates in the European way, as follows:
22.5.1839. I have not been able to sort in chronological order.
Is there a simple way to separate the three components, arrange them into
three separate columns, and then sort? Or, at the very least, just sort
according to the final four digits--by year.

Jim Bennett
Haifa

MODERATOR NOTE: Please reply privately

Would you please recommend sources for learning Polish pronunciation of
names and places to me? Our ancestors spoke German, and talked about places
their people originated. With the combination of German accents and no
knowledge of Polish pronunciation, we're having trouble figuring out what
the place names might be. Thank you.

Saundra

Would you please recommend sources for learning Polish pronunciation of
names and places to me? Our ancestors spoke German, and talked about places
their people originated. With the combination of German accents and no
knowledge of Polish pronunciation, we're having trouble figuring out what
the place names might be. Thank you.

Saundra

Gesher Galicia is trying to find out if there is a Jewish cemetery still in
existence in Borislav, Ukraine (about 5 km >from Drohobycz.)

We've been contacted by someone who says there is a cemetery with about 300
headstones, which we would be interested in documenting, but there seems to
be some uncertainty if this truly exists...or if it is a Jewish cemetery.

If you have traveled to Borislav recently and have knowledge of a Jewish
burial grounds in or around the town, please contact me privately unless the
information is of interest to the group. If you have any photographs please
include them.

Many thanks!

Pamela Weisberger
Research Coordinator, Gesher Galicia
Santa Monica, CA
pweisberger@hotmail.com

Gesher Galicia is trying to find out if there is a Jewish cemetery still in
existence in Borislav, Ukraine (about 5 km >from Drohobycz.)

We've been contacted by someone who says there is a cemetery with about 300
headstones, which we would be interested in documenting, but there seems to
be some uncertainty if this truly exists...or if it is a Jewish cemetery.

If you have traveled to Borislav recently and have knowledge of a Jewish
burial grounds in or around the town, please contact me privately unless the
information is of interest to the group. If you have any photographs please
include them.

Many thanks!

Pamela Weisberger
Research Coordinator, Gesher Galicia
Santa Monica, CA
pweisberger@hotmail.com

Prisoner of Paradise- a movie written about Martin ROMAN in 2003 after
he died its his true story how he was forced to make a propaganda film for
the nazis He was a composer and a director. He is in IMDB I need a
favor >from anyone who knows how to find on line info for the N.Y.Time's or
any newspaper I am sure he was in the newspapers in the 1950's and 1960's
I am looking pictures of him and his first wife Toni ROMAN or her maiden
name was Tony MAUSNER and anything about his family and her family
She was cousin of my mothers
Or her brother IMRE MAUSNER or his family thank you so much
Evelyn FILIPPI Manhattan NYC

Gesher Galicia is trying to find out if there is a Jewish cemetery still in
existence in Borislav, Ukraine (about 5 km >from Drohobycz.)

We've been contacted by someone who says there is a cemetery with about 300
headstones, which we would be interested in documenting, but there seems to
be some uncertainty if this truly exists...or if it is a Jewish cemetery.

If you have traveled to Borislav recently and have knowledge of a Jewish
burial grounds in or around the town, please contact me privately unless the
information is of interest to the group. If you have any photographs please
include them.

Many thanks!

Pamela Weisberger
Research Coordinator, Gesher Galicia
Santa Monica, CA
pweisberger@hotmail.com

Prisoner of Paradise- a movie written about Martin ROMAN in 2003 after
he died its his true story how he was forced to make a propaganda film for
the nazis He was a composer and a director. He is in IMDB I need a
favor >from anyone who knows how to find on line info for the N.Y.Time's or
any newspaper I am sure he was in the newspapers in the 1950's and 1960's
I am looking pictures of him and his first wife Toni ROMAN or her maiden
name was Tony MAUSNER and anything about his family and her family
She was cousin of my mothers
Or her brother IMRE MAUSNER or his family thank you so much
Evelyn FILIPPI Manhattan NYC

Gesher Galicia is trying to find out if there is a Jewish cemetery still in
existence in Borislav, Ukraine (about 5 km >from Drohobycz.)

We've been contacted by someone who says there is a cemetery with about 300
headstones, which we would be interested in documenting, but there seems to
be some uncertainty if this truly exists...or if it is a Jewish cemetery.

If you have traveled to Borislav recently and have knowledge of a Jewish
burial grounds in or around the town, please contact me privately unless the
information is of interest to the group. If you have any photographs please
include them.

Many thanks!

Pamela Weisberger
Research Coordinator, Gesher Galicia
Santa Monica, CA
pweisberger@hotmail.com

Hi Ginger,

Ginger wrote:
Has anyone any idea if it is possible to access Jewish records in Rangoon
(Burma)?
--->
Some records >from Rangoon, Burma >from 1857 and after are listed in the new
book published by Avotaynu:

"Guidebook to Sephardic and Oriental Genealogical Sources in Israel".
For details go to:
www.avotaynu.com/books/taggerkerem.htm


Shalom,
Mathilde Tagger
Jerusalem

Hi Ginger,

Ginger wrote:
Has anyone any idea if it is possible to access Jewish records in Rangoon
(Burma)?
--->
Some records >from Rangoon, Burma >from 1857 and after are listed in the new
book published by Avotaynu:

"Guidebook to Sephardic and Oriental Genealogical Sources in Israel".
For details go to:
www.avotaynu.com/books/taggerkerem.htm


Shalom,
Mathilde Tagger
Jerusalem

Dear genners,
I just got a translation of a letter >from 1924 and discovered that
my grandfather Aba Brandes ( born ab. 1870 ) had a brother Yankev
Shmil Brandes whose two sons were already in USA : the eldest Avrom
( Abraham ) helped his younger brother Ayzik ( Itsik or Isaac ) to
come while the other could only go to Cuba waiting for an US visa :
he was Yosie ( Joseph or Yossef ) Brandes..
The letter mentions also another relative Wolf Kremmer already in US.
If these names sounds to you please let me know.
Brigitte Brandes ( >from France )

Dear genners,
I just got a translation of a letter >from 1924 and discovered that
my grandfather Aba Brandes ( born ab. 1870 ) had a brother Yankev
Shmil Brandes whose two sons were already in USA : the eldest Avrom
( Abraham ) helped his younger brother Ayzik ( Itsik or Isaac ) to
come while the other could only go to Cuba waiting for an US visa :
he was Yosie ( Joseph or Yossef ) Brandes..
The letter mentions also another relative Wolf Kremmer already in US.
If these names sounds to you please let me know.
Brigitte Brandes ( >from France )