... Information you should (or need) or want ... to know
This Genealogy page is a mish-mash of information that doesn't seem to fit properly within the scope of the other pages, or is so general, that I have chosen to place the information or links here. You should be able to learn a lot here - regardless of whether you are just starting your research, or are far advanced. "The Internet is a intersecting set of a vast number of independent databases. Genealogical researchers are able to use this facility to build up a picture of their ancestors." There is something here for everyone.
"If you are going to successfully pan for gold, you will need to sift a lot of sand!"
My father's birthplace in Talnoye, Ukraine ... now the home of Mr.and Mrs. Natenson whom I met in Talnoye in August, 1994.
Sharing information has a lot to do with the many successes individual genealogists have enjoyed these past years. Helping youFind good information easily on the Internet, is the main purpose of this site. Genealogy has become the fastest growing hobby in the 1980s and 90s ... even more so in the new millennium. Genealogy is the collection of names, dates and progeny and it can be fascinating enough, but most people study it for family history; the stories and personalities behind the facts.
Now, through the miracle of computers and the Internet, you can check out the thousands of sources of information pertaining to your special needs, in order to search for your ancestors, without going through the many years of searching the thousands of web sites on your own. Everything that is posted is truly factual! Please note this
Try, for example, this site http://www.1800USSEARCH.com There is a nominal charge to use this site, but it is a lot cheaper than traveling the world to find the information or writing many letters and spending hours on the phone. The Internet is there to help you get closer to the solution you are looking to achieve.
As interest in our ancestors has increased many times over, (mainly due to Alex Haley's Roots, the advent of JewishGen http://www.jewishgen.org and an article in Time Magazine http://cgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/ articles/0,3266,22974,00.html various genealogical sources have emerged on the web. Some of them are especially directed to those who have Jewish roots, but there are still many that, unless actually searched, will never be discovered to contain important Jewish genealogical information.. The breadth of the material available is enormous, and even the casual researcher can be overwhelmed. That's where my web site comes in to play.
There are many genealogical lists currently available to help research a heritage tracing it back to various European and Mediterranean countries, but none that is specifically designed to offer to display most of the important Jewish informational web sites and databases right from your friendly home computer.
When you think about it, probably one of the main reasons for the longevity of the Jewish people, is the fact that it has treasured and preserved the record of its early history. But what of the history hereafter? Books have been written and libraries have been created, but much historical material has been destroyed in wars, or simply vanished due to indifference and neglect History of the Jewish People - by Eli Birnbaum. The sisiographies and major events in Jewish life www.jewishhistory.org.il/today.htm
"Nutshell Too" - and on-line history in a nutshell deals with the period between 1917 until 1974 and with the early history of the region from Joshua's conquests, until the 2000 Camp David summit http://www.conceptwizard.com/info.html
In time, and with your cooperation, we should be able to provide the most comprehensive Jewish genealogical informational web site --- ever! The breadth of the material now surfacing is enormous, and even the casual visitor is overwhelmed. Though the Nazis tried so desperately to annihilate our people, they exercised traditional German efficiency in seeking to rescue and preserve the written records of the very communities they were attempting to destroy.
"The Kingdom of Poland was owned by France at the beginning of the 19th century, and after Napoleon it was owned by Russia. Then it was stable for 100 years, roughly. Is 100 years a long time?
When our ancestors talked about the 'old country' when they were in the US, of course, they were talking about the time they knew. My gr grandmother was from (the duchy of) Nassau, so you know she came over before 1871 when Germany was formed - and that is important to know (except she came in the mid-50's, which I know from other things).
Places also varied by other things than time. Many of our ancestors were Lithuanian, if you asked them, not because they came from a nation of Lithuania, but because one tradition of Judaism is Lithuanian. So don't think all Lithuanian Jews came between the World Wars from the nation of Lithuania - or since the fall of the Soviet Union.
And of course, some people were from Germany because that was 'better' than being from Poland which was 'better' than being from Russia - regardless of where they were from in that area. (You may fill in whatever your family felt the 'better' and 'worse' origins were). From a posting by Sally Bruckheimer on 6/5/05
This is the Family Search Internet Genealogy Service from the Mormon Genealogy Library and the JewishGen website http://www.jewishgen.com
Dave Wilks' Free Gedcom Server is an extremely fast database server especially crafted for genealogy research on the Internet. If you would like to share your Family Tree with others, then this is the place to do so. www.my-ged.com
The Home Page of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints http://www.lds.org/
In recent years, the LDS (Mormons) have made many updates to their catalogue. As a result, when Jewish records are included in Catholic Civil transcripts or other non-Jewish records, the catalogue typically so indicates. For areas covered by the former Kingdom of Poland (Congress Poland), this almost always applies only to pre-1826 records. After 1825, in the Kingdom of Poland, separate civil registers begin for each religious community i.e. Roman Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Russian Orthodox, etc. The FHL has microfilmed through 1965 and the names should be in alphabetical order.
The LDS Family History Library is the largest genealogical library in the world with more than 2.2 million rolls of microfilm, 750,000 microfiche and 300,000 books available for research. There are 617 microfilm readers. The library has dozens of notebook finding aids to frequently used resources. Specialist at Reference Desks assist you in finding the resources you require. Here are some examples as sited by Eileen Polakoff as a Supplement to Avotaynu Vol. XX, No. 1
Eastern Europe - various records, primarily Revision lists or lists of Jewish residents from over 200 towns in Latvia; Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records from Krementz from 1870 to 1907; Revision lists and vital records from fifteen towns in Belarus; Rabbinate records of Beltsy and Moldova; Crimean Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death records from 6 towns for various years; Vital records for Lithuanian towns that were in Russian Poland in the 19th century and Metrical records of the Crown Rabbinate of Lithuania: Kovno from 1822 to 1940 and Vilna from 1837 to 1923
Western Europe - English Census Records from 1841/51/61/71/81; Indexes to English vital records from 1837 to 1980; Alsace-Lorraine Vital Records from the 19th century; and Emigration Lists from Alsace from 1817 to 1866.
Germany - over 2000 microfilms of vital records of Jewish Communities from 1700 to 1930s - not all years and not for all towns, plus Port of Hamburg Departure Indexes and Manifests and German Minority Census of 1939 compiled by the Nazis.
Hungary - over 750 microfilms of vital records of Jewish Communities from 1770 to 1895 - not all years for all towns and the 1848 Census of the Jews for 23 counties
Poland - More than 2000 microfilms of vital records of Jewish Communities (ca. 1800-1930s - not all years for all town)
United States - Federal and State Census Records with finding aids (All US census records from 1790 to 1930; State Census Records vary); Federal and State Naturalization Indexes and/or Records; Vital records Indexes and Records for many States; Passenger Arrival Indexes and Manifests for all US ports (1820 to 1940s), (not complete for all ports); Thousands of City directories for all States and World War 1 Draft registrations
Anyone can find where the FHCs are. They're staffed by volunteers and usually have limited hours. The ones near me at least are open on most Saturdays. Since they put their catalog online, I've been able to search for the films I need at home. http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp
They're staffed by volunteers and usually have limited hours. The ones near me at least are open on most Saturdays. Since they put their catalog online, I've been able to search for the films I need at home ahead of time & then I just bring the film information to the center. It takes two trips: one to order and one to view. Not as convenient as zipping online, but very valuable indeed because of the variety of materials. I encourage everyone with an FHC nearby to check the catalog & see what may be of use in your own research. From a posting by Barbara Niederhoff
You probably know about the good news. LDS' site now allows *keyword searches*. What you may not know is that there is a go-around for speeding up your searches for films in any specific country of interest.
Surprise... besides listings of books, census and many other information in LDS's rich repository, you will get the links to entries of Jewish vital record films in many Slovakian towns (not all, see note below).
Note: For obvious reasons, in the case of Slovakia, try searching several countries Slovakia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Ukraine, etc.
A final touch of beauty: click on the "order results by title" button. It makes the search returns much easier to use since they will appear in alphabetical order of the links titles e.g. "Anyakonyvek, 1760-1895 Izraelita Hitkozseg, Nagyteteny" will be listed before "Anyakonyvek, 1764-1895 Izraelita Hitkozseg, Lovasbereny", because 1760 precedes 1764 even if the town Lovasbereny precedes Nagyteteny.
Of course the above works with any combination of words. For example, try: Hungary census Jewish or Poland books Jewish.
CAVEAT: the search engine **will not find** combinations when the **exact keywords** can not be matched in its database. Also, so far I haven't discovered a wildcard method of searching.
Sounds confusing? Try it and in two minutes your will discover that the searches above are a piece of cake and this method will save you a lot of time. Submitted by Tom Venetianer on JewishGen
It generally takes two weeks for a rental order (microfilm) to arrive at the FHC. Microfiche orders can take up to six weeks. Some films can also take up to four months to be delivered. Films to foreign countries (non-US countries) will take longer. If you renew your film two times, it will be at the FHC for one year. Microfiche remain in the FHC forever.
If you are a 'Newbie' (one who is just starting your research of your family tree, then I haven't forgotten you. Just scroll down to the end of this page and you'll find some helpful tips. Don't be afraid. We all had to start someplace! There is also a 'Novice' page that I am developing. Click here
Someone once stated that 'statistics are like a bikini: what they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.'
This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine! The year is 1906. One hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes! Here are some of the U.S. statistics for the Year 1906 : ************************************ The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.
There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads. (55.6 Cars/mile-wow)
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.
With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.
The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death in the U.S. were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Eighteen percent of households in the U.S. had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE ! U.S.A. !
Now I posted this from someone else without typing it myself, and sent it to you and others all over the United States, possibly the world, in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
Shorpy.com is the 100 year old photography blog that brings our ancestors back, at least to the desktop. Curious as to what it was like? There are plenty of great photos to view here. http://www.shorpy.com/
About Judaism - the starting place for exploring Judaism focusing on Jewish religion and culture www.judaism.about.com
Acronym Finder a searchable database of 108,300 acronyms/abbreviations & their meanings http://mtnds.com/af/
Louise Wise Services (formerly The Free Synagogue Child Adoption Committee) established in 1916, is probably the most important Jewish Adoption Agency in the world. It had a reputation as a 'fortress' against release of identifying information to adult adoptee. This agency announce it will now help arrange reunions if all 3 parties agree (Natural Parent, Adoptive Parent and Adult Adoptee)
Louise Wise Services 12 E 94th St. New York, NY Phone: (212) 876 3050
"Adoption and the Jewish Family" - authored by Shelley Kapnek Rosenberg and available through by Amazon.com link
AFN = Ancestral File Number is found while searching LDS microfilms. This number will help you find the person who submitted the information you are interested in.
Allen County Public Library - Fort Wayne, Historical Genealogy Department has the second largest genealogy collection in the US. Sue Kaufman, the Librarian at the library, can be contacted at Historical Genealogy Department, Allen County Public Library, Box 2270, 900 Webster St., Fort Wayne, IN 46815 or via e-mail: skaufman@acpl.lib.in.us Phone: (219) 421 1225
American Jewish Historical Society 15 West 16th Street New York, NY 917 606 8200 Fax: 917 606 8201 with links to their Library and Archives, Photographs, Historical Organizations, Genealogical Societies and much more to relish http://www.ajhs.org/
This site offers improved searching capabilities, five sets of revolving photographs, and lots more added features besides a list of the many Jewish communities around the world, served by a genealogy society with their addresses.
The AJHS is the world's leading institution for the preservation of original materials on Jewish life and culture in the Americas. They are located at 2 Thornton Road, Waltham, Massachusetts within the campus of Brandeis university. The Society holds more than 40 million manuscripts, 30,000 books and thousands of newspapers, magazines, paintings, photographs and other artifacts that document the growth and accomplishments of American Jewry. Information about the holdings can be found at http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/ajhs.htm
AMJ History offers an on-line Discussion group at to subscribe, send an e-mail to: listserv@web03.jh.orgwith the following command in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE AMJHISTORY (Leave the Subject Line Blank)
Living History - e-mail newsletter www.ajhs.org Telephone: 1 866 740 8013
American Jewish Yearbooks - 1918 Edition is located at the JGS Palm Beach County Judaic Library, Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida; the 1919 Edition is located at The Beerman Library, Dayton Jewish Center, Dayton, Ohio; the 1920 Edition is located at the San Diego JGS, Lawrence Jewish Center, La Jolla, Ca
The American Jewish Year Book 5661 - September 24, 1900 to September 13, 1901 1900-01AJYB.htm#New%20York
The Ancestors of The Eastern European Jews - although I haven't really explored this site in depth, it sure looks interesting http://www.ucl.ac.uk/tcga/ashkenazim
Ancestry.com www.ancestry.com allows you to print out a form letter requesting a Social Security file. In addition, they offer over 700 databases including Vital Records, Immigration Records, Military Records, Census Records, Court & Probate Records. This commercial site allows you to search over 900 million names ... not necessarily your ancestors, however.
Ancient Faces - military photos (vintage photos of Veterans, ships, etc. by war, last name and branch of service and a lot more of interest to a genealogist index.cfm-13842
Anusim (anousim) - a list is available for those who know/think/suspect or are interested in Spanish or Portuguese Jewish people that were forced to convert under duress but kept Jewish practices, in secret, to any extent. http://members.tripod.com/~anak/anusim.htm
Archive Information - links to various types of Archives, including Diplomatic, Literature and Art, Military, Municipal, Museums, National, Parliaments and Political Parties, Religious Communities, State and Regional and Universities and Research Institutions Archives http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_archives/pages/Archives/
Dokumentations-Archiv - a free and public archive for all people who are interested in Jewish History and Culture. In German and Hebrew http://www.juedisches-archiv-chfrank.de/
Archivists Round Table discusses how to research your family, care for photos and oldpapers; use libraries and archives; locate missing relatives; interpret and translatedocuments and more at http://www.nycarchivists.org/fhf.htm
Arenda - the Jewish Arenda paid a fixed sum for the Arenda contract, and held the contract for a fixed duration - five years in the example discussed at http://www.ukar.org/shest01.shtml
Arrendator or lessee system "The Lords' Jews, Magnate-Jewish Relations in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 18th Century" - authored by J. J. Rosman. The book details the development of the system and focuses on the Sieniawski-Czartoryski family latifundum which was the largest and best run of the estates in Poland. The Jews participated as both lessees and as administrators, with the administrator function becoming more prevalent in the 18th century.
Ashkenazi Jews - The country a Jew lived in has nothing to do with whether they were Ashkenazi or Sephardi. They are two branches of the Jewish religion. From a posting by Sally Bruckheimer http://www.ucl.ac.uk/tcga/ashkenazim
Jun. 3, 2005 (UPI) -- A University of Utah study of Ashkenazi Jews suggests an unusual link between their genetic diseases and their higher intellectual ability.
The study, to appear in Cambridge University's Journal of Biosocial Science, says this unusual pattern of diseases among the Ashkenazis of central and northern Europe is the result of natural selection for enhanced intellectual ability. The study says the selective force was the restriction of Ashkenazim in medieval Europe to occupations that required more than usual mental agility, the New York Times reported Friday.
The study has received mixed reaction, with some scientists saying the finding is extremely implausible. Others say the researchers have made an interesting case. The Utah researchers say Ashkenazic diseases like Tay-Sachs are a side effect of genes that promote intelligence. They say for some 900 years Jews in Europe were restricted to managerial occupations, which were intellectually demanding.
In the United States, Ashkenazi Jews make up 3 percent of the American population but have won 27 percent of its Nobel prizes. They also account for more than half of world chess champions.
Twenty percent of American Jews are ethnically and racially diverse -- i.e. non-Ashkenazic. Research published by Gary A. Tobin, Diane Tobin and Scott Rubin in "In Every Tongue" (Institute for Jewish and Community Research) notes that 1.2 million Jews in the US identify as Sephardic, Hispanic, African-American, African, Asian, mixed-race and other population types.
Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies - a non-profit organization dedicated to the coordination of the activities of some 60 local Jewish genealogical societies around the world http://www.Jewishgen.org/ajgs/
Association of Professional Genealogists (NACA APG) - promotes the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in the genealogical field at the regional level. Nearly all of our members conduct research in local repositories such as the National Archives and Library of Congress, but many have geographic and ethnic specialties outside the Capital area. http://www.apgen.org/ncac.html
Professional Researchers - the Special Interest Group for Romanian Jewish Genealogy offers a wonderful informational site about dealing with professional researchers at http://www.jewishgen.org/romsig/rsdb/prof-sum.html
Two other organizations which exist for professional genealogists are the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and International Commission of Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). These organizations confer credentials (either certification or accreditation) with testing procedures. In addition to these groups there are organizations in England, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia for professional genealogists.
Avotaynu - this is a monthly publication and their offices are located in Bergenfield, New Jersey. It has a 400-book library about Jewish genealogy and the Holocaust which you can browse. Gary Mokotoff is an author, lecturer and publisher of Avotaynu. He is the author of a number of books including "Where Once We Walked" a gazetteer providing information about 22,000 towns in central and eastern Europe where Jews lived before the Holocaust. The Fall 1996 issue of Avotaynu has an excellent article on "Sources for Jewish Genealogical Research in Romania". http://www.avotaynu.com
Baal Shem Tov (Ba'al Shem Tov abbreviated as BeShT). Ba'al Shem Tov (owner/master of the Good/Divine Name) was a title of respect for a rabbi who had studied the mysteries and was believed to be capable of healing or other magical qualities. "Knowing" the ineffable and forgotten name of God was believe to permit such a person to change the natural course of events (e.g. the Mahara'l of Prague who made a living golem out of clay by announcing the sacred name). Israel Ben Eliezer (BeShT) was born on Chai (18th) Elul 5458 (1698) in Okup, a small village in Western Ukraine on the border between Podolia and Moldavia. He died on the second day of Shavuot 5520 (1760), leaving an only son Rabbi Zvi, and an only daughter, Adil, the mother of Rabbi Moshe Hayim Ephraim of Zedlikov and of Rabbi Baruch of Medzhibozh. R' Israel b. Eliezer was the founder of modern Hasidism in Eastern Europe in the 2nd half of the 18th century.
This site is devoted to spreading the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov through stories, music and art - http://www.baalshemtov.com/
Bann - the proclamation (announcement) generally made in the synagogue on 3 successive Saturdays of an intended marriage. If the bride and the groom belonged to separate Jewish synagogue districts, the banns were made simultaneously in the two synagogues.
BBYO - founded by B'nai B'rith in 1924. The boys' arm is known as AZA, Aleph Zadek Aleph; the girls' is BBG (B'nai B'rith Girls). Today, the organization has 20,000 members and countless alumni across North America, Israel, Europe and Australia.
Berg - means hill or mountain. Burg means town or city
Beth Ha'tefutsorth - a cultural and educational institution http://www.bh.org
Birth Certificates - British users of this site should be aware that correspondents from the USA are wise to ask what information is contained on British certificates. Birth, marriage and death registrations in the USA (depending on State) give more information than English/Welsh certificates and often provide information about the place of birth of parents. USA censuses similarly contain more information than censuses in UK and may show the place of birth and language spoken by parents of those listed. Evelyn Wilcock (London)
As a descendant of (name, born / married / deceased on date) (in place) at the time living in street, I would like to obtain a copy of his / her birth / marriage / death certificate.
Enclosed please find a check / money order for amount $
There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of books available on the many countries and subjects discussed on my web site. If you wish, you can use my link to Amazon.com to help you research for books on any country or subject by clicking here > Jewish
Genealogy
"A Guide to Jewish Genealogy" - authored by Sam Aaron
The Black Book (Chornaya Kniga) - compiled and edited by Vasily Grossman and Ilya Erenburg and published in Jerusalem by Tarbut in 1980 and Kiev: M.I.P. "Oberig", 1991 (Russian) and is available online (English translation of the table of contents) http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/black_book/Black_Book.html
"Hungering for America: Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration" - authored by Hasia R. Diner. In this fascinating survey of the eating habits and influences of Jewish, Italian and Irish immigrants, Diner, a professor of American Jewish history at New York University, charts with wit and graceful prose the similarities and differences between these three distinct groups.
Buy
from Amazon.comBuy
from Amazon.comBuy
from Amazon.comBuy
from Amazon.com
"In Search of Your European Roots"
"International Vital Records Handbook" - authored by Thomas J. Kemp and has the various forms to make request for most of the countries in the world
"Timeless Tales Retold" - an article by Rahel Musleah and published in the January 2008 issue of Hadassah Magazine, tells the story of how for over 50 years, Dov Noy has been collecting stories that crisscross the Jewish globe. He founded the Israel Folktale Archives in 1955 and it is located at the University of Haifa http://research.haifa.acil/~folklore/ifa.htm
"Border Changes" - "Timeline Consequences of Border Changes - the History of the Administrative-Territorial Division of Belarus 1569-January 2000" created by Nancy Holden www.jewishgen.org/belarus/borders_timeline.htm
Bund - the anti-Zionist Jewish workers' part that upheld the integration of the Jewish proletariat in the socialist revolution, and demanded Jewish cultural autonomy in the framework of the socialist regime that would arise after the victory of the revolution in every country.
JOS - JewishGen Calculator can also help with a Jewish Calendar, Calendar Conversion, Soundex, Distance and Direction tools http://www.jewishgen.org/JOS/
The Jewish cemetery is regarded as a "Beth Olam" i.e. "House of Eternity". Within Jewish religious law, the cemetery exists, in perpetuity, until the appearance of the messiah. The cemetery constitutes an important institution for the community. When entering a synagogue or a cemetery, one's head should be covered. On maps, Jewish cemeteries are indicated with a right-angled bracket, not a cross, depicting the headstone and grave. It is traditional custom to deposit a small stone when visiting a grave.
Burial usually takes place on the day after the death, but not on a Sabbath, or any of the other Jewish holy days. Cremation is only permitted in Reform Judaism. Those present at the burial can throw three shovels of sand onto the coffin. The Kaddish, which praises the name of God, is the most important prayer on this occasion.
The first phase of the period of mourning lasts seven days during which the mourners stay at home and do not work. This is called Shiva. The second, less intensive period of mourning (Sh(e) loshim) lasts 30 days. When one of the parents dies this is followed by a year of mourning. On the first anniversary of the death (Season), the gravestone is placed in the cemetery. During each of the following "Season" a candle is lit in memory of the deceased and a fast is observed.
Cemetery Transcriptions by Region (worldwide). There is a 'Special collections' section listing Veterans Cemeteries, Flooded Cemeteries and more http://www.interment.net/Default.htm
Tip: When visiting a cemetery, take a laminated card with you that contains your name and an e-mail address and/or phone number on it, as well as the words "researching this ancestor," putting the surname (s) in bold letters: and put the card on a stake next to the headstone. Someone may come along that has the information to share with you about this ancestral line.
Cemeteries Worldwide - The advanced search features for the All Country Databases include all of the following:
* You can search by a specific Given Name (first name), as well as Surname (last name), Town Name, and full-text search. * You can filter searches by geographic regions and sub-regions such as Guberniya or district. * You can specify search criteria for each field and use a "sounds like" feature. * You can filter searches for data updated since a specific date. * You can search in the JOWBR Cemetery Database by Given Names which allows you to find tombstones which do not contain a surname! http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Cemetery/
* You can combine multiple search criteria, using Boolean AND/OR searches. For example, you can search for all persons whose surname sounds like "Katz" and first name Starts-With "Abr". Or you can search for family groups containing a particular set of given names, within a particular town. http://www.jewishgen.org/databases
The last three features listed above are available only to those who qualify for value-added services. While JewishGen never subtracts anything from basic search and use capabilities which always have been, and will continue to be available to all JewishGenners, the value-added service is our way of saying thank you to those who provide financial support and help us pay the bills for all the programs and projects offered as a public service. http://www.ladyoflinks.com/obituaries.htm
In early August (2006) many tens of thousands of new records were added to JOWBR, JewishGen's Online Worldwide Burial Registry, a searchable database, bringing the total number of records to almost 600,000. Check the names and locations of all the cemeteries included in this database at http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Cemetery/tree/CemList.htm.
The additions included over 50,000 burial records from Canada, over 16,000 records from the United States, as well as new records from England, Hungary, Israel, Mauritius, Netherlands, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
Please contact me or Nolan Altman, JOWBR Technical Coordinator, nta@pipeline.com if you have any questions. From a posting by Joyce Field
InfoFile on NY Cemeteries - a database of cemeteries and burial societies on the NYJGS website www.nyjgs.org
Headstone Hunter - this site offers a possible solution to obtaining a photograph of a tombstone that may not be near or convenient for you. The site also offers a searchable database, a message board, photography tips, inscription meanings, links, and more. http://www.headstonehunter.com
Heritage Foundation for Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries (HFPJC) - a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of neglected cemeteries throughout Eastern Europe. gen@jewishcemeterypreservation.org Jewish communities they once served http://icpjms.org/
"In response to Ralph Salinger's post in the October 8 Digest, I would like to share a few points about my experience in a similar project. Ralph, who lives at Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin and works as the kibbutz gardener, wants to clean up the old Jewish cemetery in his ancestral town, Vilkaviskis.
In 2003 I spent three weeks on a similar project in the town of Butrimonys. I continue to feel that this was the most important thing I have done in my life. We all share the same craving to get closer to our ancestors. It is one thing to find records about them; it is another to visit their villages and towns. But to restore their place of rest to the way it must have looked when they lived and died in their shtetl creates a permanent bond. It is as though you leave a part of you behind and take a part of them with you.
The practical problems of carrying out a cemetery cleanup in another country where you cannot even communicate well can be overcome with good advance planning. I contacted the mayor of Butrimonys at least eight months before the project, asking his permission to do the work since most of the old Jewish cemeteries are now municipal properties. Since the mayor did not speak English and I could not speak Lithuanian, I had someone write to him in Lithuanian and act as a liaison. Both the mayor and the priest were very supportive and pledged assistance--which they delivered. Some of the work we did (we restored not only the cemetery but also the two mass gravesites) required skilled labor, and the mayor arranged for this. Most of the work, however, was simple back-breaking labor. We hired four local townspeople to work with us. It is very important to involve locals so they feel a connection and partnership in the project. Their rates were so low that even when we paid them much more than they asked, it was still a true bargain.
Large hardware stores carrying building supplies exist in any fair-sized town; our local helpers took us there and we were able to buy all our supplies. Seven of us worked long days for more than two weeks, though we were frequently rained out. It is important to plan the project for early summer or fall (we were there in May) so that you avoid the rainy season and the mosquitoes and gnats that swarm after the rainfalls.
It took some sixty-five years of neglect for the cemeteries and mass graves to turn into overgrown, abandoned sites--the only Jewish legacy in most Lithuanian towns. If annual maintenance is not in the plan, it will take only a year or two for the cemeteries to return to their former condition. The winters are severe, and the sites become garbage dumps if they are not cared for. I arranged for an annual cleanup and maintenance with two of our work team. They are very happy to have the "income," and they send me photos of the grounds every so often.
I hope that Ralph succeeds. I hope he feels that ray that possesses you when you finish the job and know you will never do anything more important. Fro
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