I was asked privately about how to find passenger information online.
In the course of replying, I found newer links, so I'm sharing my reply
with the SIG.

In most cases for immigration to the United States, you'll have to get
to the National Archives regional branch for where they came ashore.
The National Archives has a microfilm catalog available at its website:
http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/immigrat.html#film

Additionally, there are the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild's
passenger manifests, hosted at RootsWeb. An excellent starting point
is the guild's Compass, which points to lists hosted by the guild and
elsewhere. It's especially nice because the lists include countries
outside of North America:
http://istg.rootsweb.com/newcompass/pcindex.html

You also can view some manifests on CD-ROM. Many local Jewish Genealogical
Societies have these. The San Francisco Bay Area JGS, in particular, has
a fine selection that is available only to members. I *highly* recommend
joining a local JGS.
You can locate a JGS near you by searching the JewishGen site.
http://www.jewishgen.org/iajgs/ajgs-jgss.html

Betsy BRAZY
researching SIPERSTEIN of Pinsk, Belarus; DRAIKIN of Kherson, Ukraine;
BRAZY of Tukums, Latvia; HURWICH of Kaunas, Lithuania

I can't find the name of the author of the book; can anyone supply it, along
with other purchasing/bibliographic information? I forwarded the message
about the young draftees to my father, and he'd love to find the book
somewhere--as would I!

Thanks--Barbara Pilvin

I was asked privately about how to find passenger information online.
In the course of replying, I found newer links, so I'm sharing my reply
with the SIG.

In most cases for immigration to the United States, you'll have to get
to the National Archives regional branch for where they came ashore.
The National Archives has a microfilm catalog available at its website:
http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/immigrat.html#film

Additionally, there are the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild's
passenger manifests, hosted at RootsWeb. An excellent starting point
is the guild's Compass, which points to lists hosted by the guild and
elsewhere. It's especially nice because the lists include countries
outside of North America:
http://istg.rootsweb.com/newcompass/pcindex.html

You also can view some manifests on CD-ROM. Many local Jewish Genealogical
Societies have these. The San Francisco Bay Area JGS, in particular, has
a fine selection that is available only to members. I *highly* recommend
joining a local JGS.
You can locate a JGS near you by searching the JewishGen site.
http://www.jewishgen.org/iajgs/ajgs-jgss.html

Betsy BRAZY
researching SIPERSTEIN of Pinsk, Belarus; DRAIKIN of Kherson, Ukraine;
BRAZY of Tukums, Latvia; HURWICH of Kaunas, Lithuania

I can't find the name of the author of the book; can anyone supply it, along
with other purchasing/bibliographic information? I forwarded the message
about the young draftees to my father, and he'd love to find the book
somewhere--as would I!

Thanks--Barbara Pilvin

Dear fellow researchers

At last after so many years, extradition proceedings are about to commence
which might (hopefully) lead to the extradition of Konrads Kalejs to Latvia
to face trial for his actions as leader of a unit of the Arajs Kommando,
and as a commander at Salaspils camp.

I won't hold my breath waiting - it probably will never happen and he will
die peacefully in his bed in Australia, but finally, something is at least
being acknowledged by the commencement of extradition proceedings. Too
little too late for all our murdered families.

Reports can be accessed via The Age newspaper
<www.theage.com.au/issues/kalejs>
and <www.anti-rev.org>

Lorraine Bertelsen

Dear fellow researchers

At last after so many years, extradition proceedings are about to commence
which might (hopefully) lead to the extradition of Konrads Kalejs to Latvia
to face trial for his actions as leader of a unit of the Arajs Kommando,
and as a commander at Salaspils camp.

I won't hold my breath waiting - it probably will never happen and he will
die peacefully in his bed in Australia, but finally, something is at least
being acknowledged by the commencement of extradition proceedings. Too
little too late for all our murdered families.

Reports can be accessed via The Age newspaper
<www.theage.com.au/issues/kalejs>
and <www.anti-rev.org>

Lorraine Bertelsen

One of our new volunteers, Myra, has not only volunteered to help, but the
momentum sent her rummaging through old files. She came up with a wonderful
complement to the 1924 booklet "Historical Review of KYMMAS " generously
donated by Marion, which is soon to go up on the Courland site.

Myra found and is going to database the 1945 List of Members, along with
their addresses, of the Latvian Mutual Aid Association of Montreal! Who
knows what the rest of you might find that you have inherited >from parents
or grandparents! Take a look. Latvians were a tight group and stuck
together. Amazing things can be found to help others!

Our thanks to Marion and Myra for thinking of the rest of us!!

Martha

One of our new volunteers, Myra, has not only volunteered to help, but the
momentum sent her rummaging through old files. She came up with a wonderful
complement to the 1924 booklet "Historical Review of KYMMAS " generously
donated by Marion, which is soon to go up on the Courland site.

Myra found and is going to database the 1945 List of Members, along with
their addresses, of the Latvian Mutual Aid Association of Montreal! Who
knows what the rest of you might find that you have inherited >from parents
or grandparents! Take a look. Latvians were a tight group and stuck
together. Amazing things can be found to help others!

Our thanks to Marion and Myra for thinking of the rest of us!!

Martha

010122

First of all thanks all of you who answered my question about the names Eliezer and Leyba.
Now I wonder something else. Unfortunately the state archive in Riga lack both of censuses and familylists >from Frauenburg/Saldus at the middle of 1800. Eather they have disappeared or maybe there have never been any.
Does anyone of you know if it could be worth to order films >from the mormons instead? Could they possibly contain information that the archive doesn't have? Or are their films equal to the arcives documents?

Susanne Fleischer

In my family Edward was Ezra and Robert was Rubin. StanJudd@AOL.com

010122

First of all thanks all of you who answered my question about the names Eliezer and Leyba.
Now I wonder something else. Unfortunately the state archive in Riga lack both of censuses and familylists >from Frauenburg/Saldus at the middle of 1800. Eather they have disappeared or maybe there have never been any.
Does anyone of you know if it could be worth to order films >from the mormons instead? Could they possibly contain information that the archive doesn't have? Or are their films equal to the arcives documents?

Susanne Fleischer

In my family Edward was Ezra and Robert was Rubin. StanJudd@AOL.com

I am just tickled pink at all the offers of help that are coming forth.
Thank you! For those volunteering their time, I will soon send you out a
letter with questions we need answered to be able to utilize your talents
to the fullest. Our database manager had to leave so she asked me to do
this for her and have the answers ready on her return. That way we can all
plunge in, full speed ahead, as soon as she returns after she catches her
breath! Thank you!

Some people wrote asking me how to send donations. Those of you wanting
to support our work, please send a check for the Courland Research Group
made out to me, Martha LEV-ZION . I am the treasurer of our group.

The checks can be sent to:

Martha Lev-Zion, Ph.D
POB 786
84965 OMER, ISRAEL

Once again, thank all of you for coming forth.

Martha

Susan Fleischer asked:

Does anyone know if Elieser, Lazer and Leiser could be variations on the
same name?

Yes, they are. The reason why the first sound is dropped is because God's
name as a prefix in a personal name was avoided. You have the same
phenomenon in names like Elchanan, for instance, or Elimelech which become
Chanan or Choni or similiar for the first and Melech or Meilich or similiar
for the latter.

And another question, is Leyba a womans or a mans name?

Believe it or not, it can be both, depending. A diminuative of the German
name Lieber [male] can become Lieb[e][a]. And Lieba, the female name from
the German [and then Yiddish] can also be Leibe and variations right down
to Luba - just to confuse you!

Martha

Yes, they are all the same name. There are also other variations like Leser,
Lazer, Laser, etc.

Indy Rebhun Spector
Thousand Oaks, CA
Rebspec@aol.com

I am just tickled pink at all the offers of help that are coming forth.
Thank you! For those volunteering their time, I will soon send you out a
letter with questions we need answered to be able to utilize your talents
to the fullest. Our database manager had to leave so she asked me to do
this for her and have the answers ready on her return. That way we can all
plunge in, full speed ahead, as soon as she returns after she catches her
breath! Thank you!

Some people wrote asking me how to send donations. Those of you wanting
to support our work, please send a check for the Courland Research Group
made out to me, Martha LEV-ZION . I am the treasurer of our group.

The checks can be sent to:

Martha Lev-Zion, Ph.D
POB 786
84965 OMER, ISRAEL

Once again, thank all of you for coming forth.

Martha

Susan Fleischer asked:

Does anyone know if Elieser, Lazer and Leiser could be variations on the
same name?

Yes, they are. The reason why the first sound is dropped is because God's
name as a prefix in a personal name was avoided. You have the same
phenomenon in names like Elchanan, for instance, or Elimelech which become
Chanan or Choni or similiar for the first and Melech or Meilich or similiar
for the latter.

And another question, is Leyba a womans or a mans name?

Believe it or not, it can be both, depending. A diminuative of the German
name Lieber [male] can become Lieb[e][a]. And Lieba, the female name from
the German [and then Yiddish] can also be Leibe and variations right down
to Luba - just to confuse you!

Martha

Yes, they are all the same name. There are also other variations like Leser,
Lazer, Laser, etc.

Indy Rebhun Spector
Thousand Oaks, CA
Rebspec@aol.com

I am pleased to announce the launching of a project regarding the Yizkor
Book of Zdunska Wola. See:
http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Zdunska_Wola/Zdunska_Wola.html

I hope to update it in the near future with the Table of Contents of the
Hebrew/Yiddish part, and the names included in the necrology.

If some of you are interested in either transcribing some of the English
articles or translating the Hebrew/Yiddish articles into English, please
let me know. I would sincerely appreciate any help.

Regards to all.


H Daniel Wagner
The Livio Norzi Professorial Chair

Weizmann Institute of Science
Tel: +(972) 8 934 2594
Fax: +(972) 8 934 4137
E-mail: daniel.wagner@weizmann.ac.il
Homepage: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/wagner/home.htm

I am pleased to announce the launching of a project regarding the Yizkor
Book of Zdunska Wola. See:
http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Zdunska_Wola/Zdunska_Wola.html

I hope to update it in the near future with the Table of Contents of the
Hebrew/Yiddish part, and the names included in the necrology.

If some of you are interested in either transcribing some of the English
articles or translating the Hebrew/Yiddish articles into English, please
let me know. I would sincerely appreciate any help.

Regards to all.


H Daniel Wagner
The Livio Norzi Professorial Chair

Weizmann Institute of Science
Tel: +(972) 8 934 2594
Fax: +(972) 8 934 4137
E-mail: daniel.wagner@weizmann.ac.il
Homepage: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/wagner/home.htm