Have you obtained Joseph's and Kate's death certificates?  Hopefully the informant(s) were there children who may have supplied info on where, in Russia they were from.

Johanna Becker
Newport, RI

Has anyone in Canada heard of a deceased Rabbi named Gerstein?

Albert,

Found on GoogleBooks:

The County Court Note-book - Volumes 1-5

The court orders payments to the wives of certain recruits from Frederick County.  March court 1779 (From the records of the county court)
Mrs. Levy, wife of David Levy; six children.
The records states that the above men were soldiers in Col. Weltner's regiment.

You might try contacting NARA to check if there are surviving records of his Revolutionary War service.  https://www.archives.gov/research/military/american-revolution

Regards,

Sherri Bobish

Amy,

Looks like Israel BACH submitted naturalization papers in Maryland in 1938.  Ancestry.com has the papers, including a photo of Israel BACH.

Israel gives a home address in Baltimore, but says that his wife and children live in St. Louis.

Regards,

Sherri Bobish

--

Hi Dave, 

I'd like to relate to one aspect of the epitaph which, to my knowledge, belongs to Hungarian tradition only. 

The line which says :Sh[em] i[mo] Yudit i. e. the name of his mother was Yudit.
Sephardic Jews often mention the name of the mother of the deceased in the same line as the name of the father. 
Most Ashkenazi Jews do not mention the mother at all. In Hungary (in that aspect Slovakia is a country of Hungarian culture for the Jews) there is this special formula: His/Her mother was.... 
I asked a number of persons about the origin of this formula and could not obtain a satisfactory answer. The only suggestion that I couldn't check that this custom started with Neolog jewry.
I would appreciate comments from the group on this question  

Best regards, 
Laurent Kassel 
Moreshet  Israel 

My grandfather was conscripted into the Russian Army somewhere around 1900 - 1904.  His name was Michael Goldsmith.  To whom do I contact to find his military record.  How do I contact the Russian Government?  Can I contact them in English or does it have to be in Russian?
Any help would be appreciated.
Karen Goldsmith Adelman
karengadelman@...

I found a number of BDM records through The family history center Familysearch  Nowy Wishnitz synagogue records. I also communicated with the Bochnia Archive which is 5 miles north of Nowy Wishnitz (bochnia@archiwum)

Dennis Rice

Don't overlook the possibility of Galveston as the port of entry.  That's where my GF came in in 1909.

Lee Hover

This is one of a series of high-definition photographs obtained from town residents, for identification.
Please contact me privately using the 'Private' button below, if able to help.

FACTS:

Title: Youths From the Town
Location: Dieveniskes, Divenishok, Dziewieniszki, Jevenishok, Devenishki, Dzievianiski, Vilna Province (south of Vilna City)

Year: about 1928

Comments: seated from left: Unknown-A (possibly a relative of either Blumeh Movshovitsh or Breyneh Rudnik), Yakov Benyakonski (confirmed), Bilkhe Cherson (confirmed), Hershl Rogol (confirmed); standing from left: XXXX Levine, Blume Movshovitsh (confirmed), David Berkovitsh (confirmed), Breyneh Rudnik (confirmed), Unknown-E, Unknown-F (E and F may be siblings)

Adam Cherson

 

Researching:

 

SOLTS, KAPLAN, LEVINE, SZCULC, PORTNOI–  Dieveniskes, Divenishok, Dziewieniszki, Jevenishok, Devenishki, Dzievianiski, Konvalishki, Kallelishok, Vilna Province, Israel

 

RUBINOVITSH, RUBINOVICH, GREIS, GREENES, GREEN– Smarhon, Smorgon, Smorgonie, Svir, Lida, Oshmyany Province, Vilna Province, Israel

 

BENYAKONSKI, BINIAKONSKI, BINAKONSKI, KARTSHMER, SMID, SCHMIDT, DEVENISHKI, GRODZENCZIK, GRODSINSKI, OLKENITSKI, GLAYKH, GLICKMAN, RUDNIK, SHAMIR, SZMERKOWICZ, CHAFETS, CHAFETZ, GOTTLIEB, GURNOFELSKI, KHLAVNOVICH, CHLAVNOVICH, KALAI, BALASHER, BALTORISKI, PRUSAK, PRUSKIS, RAPPAPORT– Voronova, Voronove, Varanova, Binakoni, Benyakon, Yashun, Jiasiunai, Jiasiuny, Rudnia, Lida, Vilna, Dieveniskes, Divenishok, Dziewieniszki, Jevenishok, Devenishki, Dzievianiski, Konvalishki, Kallelishok, Siauliai, Svir, Vilna Province, Oshmyany Province, Israel, Ireland

 

KHRSZN, KHERSON, CHERSON, GERSON, JERSON, RABINOVITSH, RABINOVICH, COHEN, HACOHEN, GERSHON, GERSHONOVITSH, EDELMAN, MELAMED, KARTSHMER, ROGOL, VINOKUR– Dieveniskes, Divenishok, Dziewieniszki, Jevenishok, Devenishki, Dzievianiski, Konvalishki, Kallelishok, Vilna, Volozhin, Bielica, Vilna Province, Oshmyany Province, Israel

 

ABRAMS, APOLLON, ARONSON, CHERSON, BALTER, BASEN, BELIKOFF, BENSINGER, BENYA, BERMANN, BIMBLICH, BINAKONSKI, BLETZ, BRAUDE, BRAUR, BROCHSTEIN, COHEN, DAVIS, DE SHIELDS, DRIZEN, ELKAN, ENOS, FAMILANT, FINKEL, FRIEDMAN, GLAZER, GOLDWASSER, GOLDWATER, GORDON, GOULD, GRODINSKY, GROW, GUTKIN, HATCHER, HOECHSTETTER, HOCHSTEIN, HORWITZ, JACKSON, KARP, KATZ, KOHLENBERG, KUPFER, LABOVITZ, LANZET, LEININGER, LIPMAN, LUBETSKI, MATZ, MELMED, MIELZINER, MITTELSTAEDT, NELSON, MINK, MORRISON, PALLETZ, PRENSKY, RABINOWITZ, RAYBIN, RECKON, REINES, RIVESMAN, RODER, ROSEN, ROTHBERG, RUBENSTEIN, RUBIN, RUDBERG, RUDNITSKY, RUTBERG, SAGAN, SAGANSKI, SCHWED, SECONDHOUSE, SHOHAM, SHULMAN, SIMKO, SINDEROVSKY, SOLKOFF, SPIRT, STAMLER, STAUFFER, STREISAND, STROMBERG, TELENT, TILZER, VURGAIT, WEINSTOCK, WEITZMAN, WHITE, WHITMORE, WILLIAMS, WOLF– California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Australia, England, Ireland, Spain, Venezuela

Albert,

Because you mention that David Levy served in a German battalion unit at Valley Forge, and his wife was born in a German-speaking area, it raises the question about whether he might have been of Ashkenazi origin.

All early American Jews were not all Sephardic. It is true that synagogues operating at the time in America were practicing Sephardi rites, but there are highly visible examples of those who were Ashkenazi that actively participated and intermarried into those communities. One notable example is the religious leader of Shearith Israel in Manhattan in the late 1700s, Hazan Gershom Mendes Seixas himself, was the son of a Sephardic father and a mother of Ashkenazi descent. 

DNA: Not always passed down through all lines, so just because your DNA results didn't show any Jewish, doesn't mean it's not possible. This is assuming you took an autosomal DNA test. 

David Levy is listed in the Daughters of the American Revolution ancestor database (index) as #A069673.The dates differ with him born circa 1740 and death as before 1-18-1804. He was a non-commissioned officer shown as QUATERMASTER SERGEANT, ALSO PVT IN CAPTS KEEPORT, BALTZEL, BUCHARDT, BUNNER and LCOLS GEORGE STRICKER, LUDWIG WELTNER; GERMAN REGT, CL. His wife's name is slightly different as well and listed as Barbara Weisser.

Ordering Genealogical Documentation from DAR: 
More information can be purchased about any patriot ancestor appearing in the DAR database for $10-$30 to see supporting documentation and/or descendant applications including significant genealogical detail about relationships. To search, visit https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/default.cfm?Tab_ID=1. Once you find someone in the results, click on the "PURCHASE" button to order. If more than one descendant application is available, select the one most recently submitted which will be the last one on the list.

Intermarriage in 18th C. America: 
The prominent colonial Jewish gentleman, Simon Gratz of Philadelphia, may or may not have married a non-Jewish woman whom he sired 7 children with. All of the children were raised Christian, and there is no evidence their parents, Simon and Mary Smith married. There are other examples in this time period of similar relationships between Jews who remained involved in the Jewish community but "married" or coupled outside of the faith. Your description of baptisms and roles in the church for David Levy's family are consistent with this. Were they always affiliated with the Lutheran church or another? Some churches excommunicated members for marrying outside of their faith. And where are David Levy and his family buried?

A new JewishGen US Research Division website covering 1624-present will provide links and guidance on research for all periods in America including colonial Jewish families. Suggestions or materials for content are welcome.
--
Ellen Shindelman Kowitt
Director, JewishGen US Research Division
Colorado
ekowitt@...

Dear Albert:

I suggest that you get in touch with my sister, Dr. Mara Cohen Ioannides, a professor at Missouri State University, who is an expert on American Judaism and American Jewish History, and has been tracking various early Jewish families for historical research.

https://english.missouristate.edu/MaraIoannides.aspx

-Dr. Stephen M. Cohen
Central New Jersey

If I'm reading it right, line 27 & 28 (Peisach and Vigor Kelwasser) are going to their nephew M. Gerber at 20 Ridge St.

Line 29 & 30 (Israel & Chane Bach) are going to their nephew Isak Stroch and uncle M. Bach at Rivington St. 147
147 Rivington St. should be in the 1900 Census district Manhattan 277
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4114600_00652?ssrc=&backlabel=Return
I scanned through the pages, but was unable to locate the house number.

Some of Rivington is also in Manhattan 224
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4114594_00149?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

Laurie Sosna
San Francisco, CA

Davya,

Joseph & Kate Slootsky are listed on:
https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Cemetery/

Joseph:
Zundel Ber b. Avraham Yitzchak
Baron Hirsch Cemetery / Bayonne Hebrew Benevolent Association / Section A - Gate 128

Kate:
Gitel b. Gershon
Baron Hirsch Cemetery / Bayonne Hebrew Benevolent Association / Section A - Gate 128

With the exact dates that they passed on you should be able to obtain their death certificates. 

Since they are not listed in the NYC death index, I suggest looking at NJ.

Regards,

Sherri Bobish

The name looks like M. Gerber.  The address is 20 Ridge St.  There is a Ridge St. in NYC. 
The 1900 census for Ridge St. shows a lot of families living at this address.  The closest to Gerber is a Samuel Garber household.  There is no one in this household w/ a first name beginning w/ "M".  Attached is the link to the 1900 census pages on familysearch.org for this address.  20 Ridge St. starts at the bottom of the page and continues on the following page(s). The census was enumerated 2 June and the family on the manifest did not arrive until 24 Aug.; so there may have been some changes in the occupants at this address.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QGS-D52?i=4&cc=1325221&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMSVC-DNY

Regarding the notation between rows 28 and 29, that is a code for citizenship info that was added later.  This info was placed in the occupation column.   Attached is the jewishgen.org link to an explanation of the codes in this column. ( The info file has other sections for other columns.)
https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Manifests/occ/

Johanna Becker
Newport, RI

Thanks to all for this an important addition to JewishGen resources.  It's been years since I originaly uploaded my GEDCOM to the FTJP and have made significant additions since then. How does one augment or replace an existing family tree? I've gone through the FAQ and don't see an answer to this question.

Vivian
--
Vivian Kahn, Santa Rosa, California
Researching families including:
BERKOVICS/BERKOWITZ/ROTH/GROSZ. Avas Ujvaros, Hungary/Orasu Nou, Romania
KAHAN/JOSIPOVITS/DUB, Sziget, Kabolacsarda, Nagyvarad, Hungary/Sighet, Ciarda, Oradea, Romania
KOHN/Zbegnyo/ Zbehnov, Tarnoka/Trnavka, Slovakia; Cleveland  LEFKOVITS/Kolbasa/Brezina, Slovakia
MOSKOVITS/Honkocz, Szobranc, Osztro, Kassa, Hungary/Chonkovce, Sobrance, Ostrov, Kosice, Slov., Nyiregyhaza, Hungary
ELOVITS/Hornya, Hungary/Horna, Slovakia
NEUMANN/Szeretva, Kereszt, Nagymihaly, Miskolc, Hung./Sobrance, Kristy, Stretavka, Michalovce, Slov. 
POLACSEK/Hunfalu, Hungary/Huncovce, Slovakia
SPITZ/Nikolsburg/Mikulov, Prosnitz/Prostejov, Moravia/Czech Republic; Kismarton/Eisenstadt, Hungary/Austria; Hunfalu,Hungary//Huncovce, Slovakia