Shirley Flaum's announcement about the Jewish Encyclopedia being on line
was most welcome news. It brought back memories of myself over 40 years ago
going through each volume to glean genealogical information, so difficult
to find then in Australia.

Of particular interest are the many genealogical tables, which can be found
using the site's *search*. A list appears under *pedigree*. This material
was sadly ignored when Encyclopedia Judaica was being compiled. Of course
we need to take care with this material, some of which may be superceded
by later research. Very useful also are the many biographies and
descriptions of communities.

Chaim Freedman
Petah Tikvah, Israel
chaimjan@zahav.net.il
http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Colonies_of_Ukraine/index.htm

In a message dated 8/27/2002 12:15:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
israel@math.ubc.ca writes:

I have pictures of family members at the turn of the 20th century (some

>> end of 19th century). I know that it is possible to categorize a
>> tradiional jew by his clothing: Is he a Chassid or a Mitnaged and if a
>> Chassid, what group he belonged to. Is there a reference book that can
>> help me determine where I should categorize my ancestor?
>> Can I deduce more facts >from just a picture? >>

==It depends in part of the extent they are *in uniform,* though perhaps
more so than in the past. Today, shtreimels (furred bonnets worn on
Shabbat and festive occasions, come in many shapes and varieties, as do
the black hats. Some wear long black kapotes, others wear striped ones or
colored. Some wear lace-up shoes, others don't, pantlegs may be stuffed
into the socks, some wear white socks . . . and it's mostly a matter of
what the *rebbe* wore and when.

I remember as a child playing with my father's collection of cigarette
cards showing the various uniforms of the regiments in the Kaiser's army.
I wonder whether anyone has published an album or a set of cards showing
the *uniforms*--festive and quotidian--of the various chasidic sects.

Michael Bernet, New York <mBernet@aol.com>

WOLFF (Pfungstadt, Frankfurt/M, Koenigsberg, Amsterdam, N.Carolina);
BERNET, BERNERT, JONDORF(Frensdorf, Bamberg, Nurnberg); FEUCHTWANGER
(Schwabach, Hagenbach & Fuerth); KONIGSHOFER (anywhere); BERG, WOLF(F),
(Demmelsdorf & Zeckendorf); Shim`on GUTENSTEIN (Bad Homburg ca 1760);
FRENSDORF/ER (anywhere); MAINZER (Lorsch); anyone in Ermreuth or Floss;
GOLDSCHMIDT (B. Homburg, Hessdorf). ALTMANN (Silesia); TIMMENDORFER

The National Archives and Records Administration will have a nice new
regional building to search census, military and immigration records by
summer 2004. On Monday, August 26 officials broke ground for the new
Southeast Archives facility in Morrow, adjoining Clayton College and State
University. Morrow is just south of Atlanta, Georgia. The facility will be
one of the largest of its kind in the country. It will replace the current
facility in East Point, Ga. The NARA building will share a 19-acre complex
with a new Georgia Department of Archives and History facility. The
complex will include a visitor learning & welcome center, an amphitheater,
a large multifunctional reception & lobby space and a research wing. The
Microfilm Research Room will house up to 60 microfilm readers and 66 film
cabinets, as well as microfiche readers and copy stations. The research
wing will allow researchers to search the Archives' online catalog and
access future Electronic Records.

Howard Margol

In a message dated 8/27/2002 11:10:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
snillop@tesco.net writes:

<< A First World War soldier who was killed while serving in the British
army was Pte Garshum SCKKOOL. I have found nothing about him so far except
that he was born in Russia and lived in the East End of London. Both of
those facts plus his first name (Gershon?) suggest that he was Jewish, but
his surname is interesting. The spelling is that given in two official
sources bur I wonder how it was pronounced?

==SCK KOOL was killed too soon to have been a contemporary rap singer. I
assume the name is a typo, even if it appears twice in the records.

Try SO[C]KOL, a popular East European Jewish name, borne by one of
Israel's greatest writers and by a prominent American teacher of dance,
both surnamed SOKOLOW. There were many towns in East Europe that started
with the syllables SOKOL. According to Kaganoff, "sokol" is Polish
for "falcon." If so, Sokol may have been a form of the name Falk, which
is a kinnuy for the Hebrew name Yehoshua.

Michael Bernet, New York <mBernet@aol.com>

WOLFF (Pfungstadt, Frankfurt/M, Koenigsberg, Amsterdam, N.Carolina);
BERNET, BERNERT, JONDORF(Frensdorf, Bamberg, Nurnberg); FEUCHTWANGER
(Schwabach, Hagenbach & Fuerth); KONIGSHOFER (anywhere); BERG, WOLF(F),
(Demmelsdorf & Zeckendorf); Shim`on GUTENSTEIN (Bad Homburg ca 1760);
FRENSDORF/ER (anywhere); MAINZER (Lorsch); anyone in Ermreuth or Floss;
GOLDSCHMIDT (B. Homburg, Hessdorf). ALTMANN (Silesia); TIMMENDORFER

Where can I find or purchase:

Sefer Hatzezoim by Rabbi Shmuel Elazor Halperin (1980).

George Sackheim
Skokie, Illinois
ZeraKodesh@aol.com

Shirley Flaum's announcement about the Jewish Encyclopedia being on line
was most welcome news. It brought back memories of myself over 40 years ago
going through each volume to glean genealogical information, so difficult
to find then in Australia.

Of particular interest are the many genealogical tables, which can be found
using the site's *search*. A list appears under *pedigree*. This material
was sadly ignored when Encyclopedia Judaica was being compiled. Of course
we need to take care with this material, some of which may be superceded
by later research. Very useful also are the many biographies and
descriptions of communities.

Chaim Freedman
Petah Tikvah, Israel
chaimjan@zahav.net.il
http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Colonies_of_Ukraine/index.htm

In a message dated 8/27/2002 12:15:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
israel@math.ubc.ca writes:

I have pictures of family members at the turn of the 20th century (some

>> end of 19th century). I know that it is possible to categorize a
>> tradiional jew by his clothing: Is he a Chassid or a Mitnaged and if a
>> Chassid, what group he belonged to. Is there a reference book that can
>> help me determine where I should categorize my ancestor?
>> Can I deduce more facts >from just a picture? >>

==It depends in part of the extent they are *in uniform,* though perhaps
more so than in the past. Today, shtreimels (furred bonnets worn on
Shabbat and festive occasions, come in many shapes and varieties, as do
the black hats. Some wear long black kapotes, others wear striped ones or
colored. Some wear lace-up shoes, others don't, pantlegs may be stuffed
into the socks, some wear white socks . . . and it's mostly a matter of
what the *rebbe* wore and when.

I remember as a child playing with my father's collection of cigarette
cards showing the various uniforms of the regiments in the Kaiser's army.
I wonder whether anyone has published an album or a set of cards showing
the *uniforms*--festive and quotidian--of the various chasidic sects.

Michael Bernet, New York <mBernet@aol.com>

WOLFF (Pfungstadt, Frankfurt/M, Koenigsberg, Amsterdam, N.Carolina);
BERNET, BERNERT, JONDORF(Frensdorf, Bamberg, Nurnberg); FEUCHTWANGER
(Schwabach, Hagenbach & Fuerth); KONIGSHOFER (anywhere); BERG, WOLF(F),
(Demmelsdorf & Zeckendorf); Shim`on GUTENSTEIN (Bad Homburg ca 1760);
FRENSDORF/ER (anywhere); MAINZER (Lorsch); anyone in Ermreuth or Floss;
GOLDSCHMIDT (B. Homburg, Hessdorf). ALTMANN (Silesia); TIMMENDORFER

The National Archives and Records Administration will have a nice new
regional building to search census, military and immigration records by
summer 2004. On Monday, August 26 officials broke ground for the new
Southeast Archives facility in Morrow, adjoining Clayton College and State
University. Morrow is just south of Atlanta, Georgia. The facility will be
one of the largest of its kind in the country. It will replace the current
facility in East Point, Ga. The NARA building will share a 19-acre complex
with a new Georgia Department of Archives and History facility. The
complex will include a visitor learning & welcome center, an amphitheater,
a large multifunctional reception & lobby space and a research wing. The
Microfilm Research Room will house up to 60 microfilm readers and 66 film
cabinets, as well as microfiche readers and copy stations. The research
wing will allow researchers to search the Archives' online catalog and
access future Electronic Records.

Howard Margol

In a message dated 8/27/2002 11:10:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
snillop@tesco.net writes:

<< A First World War soldier who was killed while serving in the British
army was Pte Garshum SCKKOOL. I have found nothing about him so far except
that he was born in Russia and lived in the East End of London. Both of
those facts plus his first name (Gershon?) suggest that he was Jewish, but
his surname is interesting. The spelling is that given in two official
sources bur I wonder how it was pronounced?

==SCK KOOL was killed too soon to have been a contemporary rap singer. I
assume the name is a typo, even if it appears twice in the records.

Try SO[C]KOL, a popular East European Jewish name, borne by one of
Israel's greatest writers and by a prominent American teacher of dance,
both surnamed SOKOLOW. There were many towns in East Europe that started
with the syllables SOKOL. According to Kaganoff, "sokol" is Polish
for "falcon." If so, Sokol may have been a form of the name Falk, which
is a kinnuy for the Hebrew name Yehoshua.

Michael Bernet, New York <mBernet@aol.com>

WOLFF (Pfungstadt, Frankfurt/M, Koenigsberg, Amsterdam, N.Carolina);
BERNET, BERNERT, JONDORF(Frensdorf, Bamberg, Nurnberg); FEUCHTWANGER
(Schwabach, Hagenbach & Fuerth); KONIGSHOFER (anywhere); BERG, WOLF(F),
(Demmelsdorf & Zeckendorf); Shim`on GUTENSTEIN (Bad Homburg ca 1760);
FRENSDORF/ER (anywhere); MAINZER (Lorsch); anyone in Ermreuth or Floss;
GOLDSCHMIDT (B. Homburg, Hessdorf). ALTMANN (Silesia); TIMMENDORFER

Where can I find or purchase:

Sefer Hatzezoim by Rabbi Shmuel Elazor Halperin (1980).

George Sackheim
Skokie, Illinois
ZeraKodesh@aol.com

Please advise status of orders for documents sent to PSA (particularly
the Pultusk Archives Branch). I there any hope of receiving documents
ordered as long ago as March? Has the problem of redeeming cashiers'
checks been solved?
(Latest info >from my bank is that check sent with order had not yet been
paid.

When will we be able to send new orders for documents. We were advised
not to send orders until word was received that previous problems have
been cleared up -- have I somehow missed this information?

Mel Sofian
Studio City, CA

Searching for:
SAFIAN / SOFIAN
JOSKOWICZ
ZARYWACZ
=A0=A0=A0=A0=D0=C5WIDOWICZ

Please advise status of orders for documents sent to PSA (particularly
the Pultusk Archives Branch). I there any hope of receiving documents
ordered as long ago as March? Has the problem of redeeming cashiers'
checks been solved?
(Latest info >from my bank is that check sent with order had not yet been
paid.

When will we be able to send new orders for documents. We were advised
not to send orders until word was received that previous problems have
been cleared up -- have I somehow missed this information?

Mel Sofian
Studio City, CA

Searching for:
SAFIAN / SOFIAN
JOSKOWICZ
ZARYWACZ
=A0=A0=A0=A0=D0=C5WIDOWICZ

Shawn Weil wrote:

My GGreatgrandmother had 9 children, 8 of which survived to adulthood.
Family lore says that the child who passed away before his time was run
over in the streets of the Lower East Side by a beer wagon, while my
grandfather was supposed to be supervising. However, my grandfather was
the youngest of the 8 siblings that survived, and he wouldn't have been
older than 3 years old himself. I doubt the family story, and would like
corroboration in documentation.

I am trying to figure out when this missing sibling was born and killed.
Here are my clues.
1) The 1900 census does not indicate that a child passed away.
2) The 1910 census does indicate the passing of a child.
3) I know that siblings were born 6/1899, 8/11/1901, 7/28/1903
*4) NYC Birth Certificates >from 1901 and 1903 seem to indicate that the
child was born in 1902. However, I do not know if I am interpreting the
questions correctly.

In NYC Birth records of this era, there are two questions that seem
pertinent to my mystery:
- Number of Previous Children
- How Many Now Living (in all)

The answers in the 1901 Certificate:
- Number of Previous Children: 6
- How Many Now Living (in all): 7
(Does this mean that all of her children are living?)

The answers in the 1903 Certificate:
- Number of Previous Children: 8
- How Many Now Living (in all): 8
(Does this mean that a child has passed away?)

Now, I would interpret the first question to reflect the number of
successful pregnancies that the mother had had before(and not including)
the birth of the current child I would interpret the second question to
reflect the number of children that are currently living, including the
current child.

Is this the correct interpretation?

You have a mystery! The way that the birth records are written could be
confusing: if all her 'previous kids' were still alive the number should be
the same. In 1901 more of them were alive than were born!

Is there a name listed in the 1900 census which is missing in 1910,
indicating a death? Or do you think the child died before it got to a
census year? Every 2 years for births is common-if you have all the
birthdates, is there a longer gap?

I would go to the Columbus FHL and get the Death index for New York.
Unless the surname is common, you should be able to find the death.

Sally Bruckheimer
Albany, NY

The LDS has films for HIAS. I know that they have them for NY and
Philadelphia, there may be some for Boston as well. You can check online
at http://www.familysearch.org

Hope that this helps.


Linda Altman - Raleigh, NC
researching:
ALTMAN, >from Russia to NY City. TYRNAUER >from Hungary. BERGMAN >from Warsaw
& Sokolow-Podlaski, Poland to the UK, Israel and US.
CYBULA/CYBULKA/CYBULKO/CYBULKSI, Ostrow Maz., Siedlce,& Zambrow, Poland to
UK, and US. GOLDFINGIER, Sokolow-Podlaski, Poland. SINGER, Austria.
KRIEDBERG/KREIDBERG/KZAIBURG/KRITBERG/KRITZBERG >from Russia to US.
LIEBERMAN, Austria and Romania to US.

Shawn Weil wrote:

My GGreatgrandmother had 9 children, 8 of which survived to adulthood.
Family lore says that the child who passed away before his time was run
over in the streets of the Lower East Side by a beer wagon, while my
grandfather was supposed to be supervising. However, my grandfather was
the youngest of the 8 siblings that survived, and he wouldn't have been
older than 3 years old himself. I doubt the family story, and would like
corroboration in documentation.

I am trying to figure out when this missing sibling was born and killed.
Here are my clues.
1) The 1900 census does not indicate that a child passed away.
2) The 1910 census does indicate the passing of a child.
3) I know that siblings were born 6/1899, 8/11/1901, 7/28/1903
*4) NYC Birth Certificates >from 1901 and 1903 seem to indicate that the
child was born in 1902. However, I do not know if I am interpreting the
questions correctly.

In NYC Birth records of this era, there are two questions that seem
pertinent to my mystery:
- Number of Previous Children
- How Many Now Living (in all)

The answers in the 1901 Certificate:
- Number of Previous Children: 6
- How Many Now Living (in all): 7
(Does this mean that all of her children are living?)

The answers in the 1903 Certificate:
- Number of Previous Children: 8
- How Many Now Living (in all): 8
(Does this mean that a child has passed away?)

Now, I would interpret the first question to reflect the number of
successful pregnancies that the mother had had before(and not including)
the birth of the current child I would interpret the second question to
reflect the number of children that are currently living, including the
current child.

Is this the correct interpretation?

You have a mystery! The way that the birth records are written could be
confusing: if all her 'previous kids' were still alive the number should be
the same. In 1901 more of them were alive than were born!

Is there a name listed in the 1900 census which is missing in 1910,
indicating a death? Or do you think the child died before it got to a
census year? Every 2 years for births is common-if you have all the
birthdates, is there a longer gap?

I would go to the Columbus FHL and get the Death index for New York.
Unless the surname is common, you should be able to find the death.

Sally Bruckheimer
Albany, NY

The LDS has films for HIAS. I know that they have them for NY and
Philadelphia, there may be some for Boston as well. You can check online
at http://www.familysearch.org

Hope that this helps.


Linda Altman - Raleigh, NC
researching:
ALTMAN, >from Russia to NY City. TYRNAUER >from Hungary. BERGMAN >from Warsaw
& Sokolow-Podlaski, Poland to the UK, Israel and US.
CYBULA/CYBULKA/CYBULKO/CYBULKSI, Ostrow Maz., Siedlce,& Zambrow, Poland to
UK, and US. GOLDFINGIER, Sokolow-Podlaski, Poland. SINGER, Austria.
KRIEDBERG/KREIDBERG/KZAIBURG/KRITBERG/KRITZBERG >from Russia to US.
LIEBERMAN, Austria and Romania to US.

Hi, Genners:

By chance, I came upon an Obituary Index for the years 1874-2001
maintained by the librarians of the Public Library of Highland Park,
Illinois, which is a northern suburb of Chicago, Ill. The site is:

http://www.highlandpark.org/obits/a.html

It is very easy to consult. It lists obituaries that appeared in the
above-mentioned years in at least four local papers. I noticed many
Jewish names. Just thought I'd share this with y'all.

Henny

Henriette Moed Roth
Los Angeles, California
hennynow@pacbell.net

Could anyone please advise me regarding the best way to obtain information
on a marriage which took place in Warsaw in 1903?

Thanks in advance - and please respond privately.

Jonathan Newman,
Leeds, England.
Primpark@aol.com

As we have pointed out many times, any English name could be used with any
Hebrew/Yiddish/Russian/ Polish/Whatever name. My gr grandfather used a
different name in Britain and the US.

However, Sarah is already a Hebrew name, so if she was Sarah, why change.
Of course, she could have been something else and liked Sarah better.

My gr gr grandmother, Zepora, was Ida, Helen, and Birdie on her kids' death
certificates (she was never in the US). So Ida could be Zepora, but I
would think Ida would more likely be Ita or Etta.

My gr grandmother Merle was Mary or Marian in English so that is possible,
but Mera is fine also. Of course my grandmother Rosa was called Matilda.

As you can see, the initial sound usually stayed the same, but not always.
Anything is possible.

Sally Bruckheimer
Albany, NY

I am currently researching a Bessie Surinamer Levine who came >from the
ubiquitous *Russia* and seems to have arrived in America under the first
name of Feige.
Shalom,
Judi Langer-Surnamer Caplan
Long Beach, NY

Burt Altman <baltman@mailer.fsu.edu> recently asked:

Does anyone on the list know what the Russian name is for *Bessie?* She
was my maternal grandmother and came >from the Crimean region.