Autumn 2013 Vol. 22 No. 3
November “Myth and Counter-Myth: The Shtetl ”
Instead of our usual meeting, we at- wrong was that Jewish males were sub- tended a presentation at the Siegal Facil- ject to conscription into the Tsar’s army ity on Shaker Blvd. in Beachwood. Ste- for twenty-five years. He told us that par- ven Zipperstein , Professor in Jewish ticular law was not in force at the end of Culture and History at Stanford Univer- the 19th and beginning of the 20th cen- sity, spoke. He asserted that our ances- tury. tors left Europe for economic reasons, Following is an article about the con- not because of pogroms or mandatory scription law that was in force. military conscription. A myth he said was
Russian military conscription documents in 1888
Saul Issroff , who lives in London, count of his grandfather Yudel Issroff's UK, gave us permission to reprint his ac- enrolment in Ligum / Legumiai (Lithu- ania) in November 1888, and sent us additional material. “The late Prof. John Klier (University College, London) told me that he had never seen a similar document in many years of research in Soviet Mili- tary Archives. After the Military reforms of 1874 in the Russian Empire all male citizens of whatever class were eligible for
Conscription cont’d p. 10 Saul sent a photo of the actual document. (If you want to read the image, increase the zoom level on your electronic copy.)
Index to this issue on p. 21 From President Helen Wolf
It is hard to believe two meetings as required by the State of Ohio in years have gone by case we are ever audited. It doesn’t sound too since I was elected. I difficult but it is an important job. Thanks, had big shoes to fill Pete. I turned to our treasurer, Chuck Lis- since I followed Ken sauer , many times to help with an issue I Bravo who was and is wasn’t sure of or something that came from an amazing, knowl- the State of Ohio that had to be filled out and edgeable genealogist. filed with the state. Chuck has had the job of The two years maintaining the checkbook, keeping track of have been very inter- the bank accounts, and filing the official pa- esting for me and I pers with the State of Ohio to maintain our hope for you. My Program Vice President, non-profit 501-C3 status. Chuck has done a Shelly Baskin , provided a variety of pro- wonderful job with the group’s funds. Thanks, grams; hopefully you found the programs in- Chuck. The Kol , our newsletter has been pub- teresting and informative. He varied the pro- lished regularly by our editor Cynthia Spikell . grams so that they would interest everyone if She has done a wonderful job writing articles, not each time, most of the time. I think my fa- photographing speakers, reminding people vorite one was a year ago when Rabbi that their articles are due and in return, has Machol, aka Nate Arnold visited us and we the admiration of everyone who reads The heard about his life and the life of the congre- Kol . I was recognized at a meeting out of town gation. He made the history of our community because an editor from another society reads come alive for me. I also enjoyed when we our newsletter and saw my photo. She com- had Jean Hoffman from the Cuyahoga County plemented Cyndy on the wonderful publication Lineage Society come and talk about doing she produces. Thank you on behalf of the the research to enroll our ancestors and our- group, Cyndy. Our Trustees, Richard Spec- selves in the group. It gave me the momentum tor , Sylvia Abrams and Jerry Kliot have to do it. Just a short time ago, Marilyn Baskin been invaluable to the group and myself. The presented the program about the software, first year of my presidency, Phyllis Wachs Picasa. I definitely learned something that was a Trustee and I thank her for her efforts night and I hope you did too. Thank you Shelly on the group’s behalf. Whenever there have for the variety of programs you presented to been issues that I needed advice about and I the group. Phyllis Bravo , our membership wrote to our Board of Trustees, Richard and Vice President, had a hard job collecting not Sylvia were the first to respond. They were the only the dues each year but also the informa- conscience of the group. I thank them for their tion for the directory. She did a great job keep- hard work and the interesting comments. ing track of who was a paid member and who If you have been on the website, you know it thought they were a paid-up member. is up-to-date and has lots of interesting web- Throughout the year, she would meet some- sites and information that can help you with one who she knew meant to pay but it had just your searches. Our webmaster, Paul Wolf , slipped their mind, and she would gently re- has done an excellent job maintaining the site mind them that we live on dues and dona- as well as consolidating all the various mailing tions. Our membership increased due to her lists so that we have a central mailing list and diligence. Thanks, Phyllis. I know you will be emails can be sent easily to all our members glad to turn the files over to your successor in and those who want to be on our mailing list good shape. The official record of every meet- but have not joined officially yet. Thank you, ing is kept by our secretary, Pete Fredrix. He Paul. not only kept the official record but would send Throughout the year, we get requests for me a copy monthly so I too knew what was help finding a Cleveland relative and the per- being recorded. In addition, Pete keeps the son is out of options in their personal search. minutes and attendance records of all our President’s report cont’d p. 4
The Kol 2 Autumn 2013
December through March we meet at our winter location -- Anshe Chesed - Fairmount Temple -- 23737 Fairmount Boulevard in Beachwood -- in the Lelyveld Library -- Enter through the second set of doors (beyond the main entrance).
Sunday, January 5 , 2014; 1:30 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Kevin Adelstein , Publisher and CEO of the Cleveland Jewish News, presenting “Perspectives from the Publisher: Thoughts and Insights into The Cleveland Jewish News Today and into the Future”
At our January 5 meeting there will be a drawing of three names from the paid members for 2014 for each to win a three-month subscription to Ancestry.com.
Sunday, February 2 , 2014; 1:30 p.m. Our speaker will be member Sally Wertheim presenting "Glimpses of Cleveland's Jewish History."
Sunday, March 2 , 2014; 1:30 p.m. Our trustee Sylvia Abrams will speak.
Come early at 1 p.m. if you would like some help from board members on using our library.
At the Hilton Center Hotel at a special conference rate. To learn more about the conference and sign up for the conference blog and/or discussion forum, visit www.iajgs2014.org. Registration will open by the end of December.
2014 -- April 30 to May 3 -- Ohio Ge- Do you like to plan ahead? nealogical Society 2015 -- Jerusalem -- 35th IAJGS Conference Conference “Gene- 2016 -- Seattle -- 36th IAJGS Conference co- alogical Expedition” hosted by Seattle IAJGS, JGS of Washington State at the Kalahari Re- and JGS of Oregon sort and Convention Center in Sandusky, 2017 IAJGS Conference To be announced Ohio. Ken Bravo is 2018 IAJGS Conference Eastern Europe scheduled to present (Tentative) a session . The Kol 3 Autumn 2013 2014 officers elected in December
President -- Charles Lissauer 1st V.P. ~ Programming -- Richard Spector 2nd V.P. ~ Membership -- Peter Fredrix Treasurer -- Amy Wachs Secretary -- Adelle Gloger Trustee term ending December 2016 -- Becky Werman Trustee term ending December 2014 -- Stewart Hoicowitz (to fill Richard Spector’s term) Sylvia Abrams will continue as a trustee with her term ending December 2015. Past presidents also serve on the board -- Helen Wolf not shown below..
After the election, we managed to corral some of the incoming officers for a photo. From left, Ken Bravo , a past president; Stewart Hoicowitz, Sylvia Abrams, Peter Fredrix, Becky Werman, and Richard Spector , 1st V.P. . and a past president.
President’s report cont’d from p. 2
We have a form they can fill out and submit on who died in August. We are grateful to her son for line. This form is the result of Adelle Gloger all the materials he has donated to the group that nudging me so look-ups aren’t duplicated by our were used by Arlene when she was able to do her researchers. Adelle and Paul Klein are two research. There are many books on the shelf that amazing people who I have been able to count on came from the Rich home and I am grateful to to find the information the inquirer needs and they Cynthia Spikell for sorting through them and help- do it usually within a few hours of receiving the ing Julie Moss , the Fairmount Temple librarian email. Thank you, Adelle, for all the late-night re- process them for the group. searching and solutions you send to those seek- Speaking of books, there are books on the ing information. back table that have been taken out of circulation We have had a good two years with lots of and are available to any member who might interesting programs and the move to Anshe Che- want them. Over the next few months, there will sed - Fairmount Temple for the winter months is be more books put out at the meetings that you successful. It is helpful to be by our library and can take for your own collection. hopefully over the next few months, you will come Genealogy is about people. I have tried to to the meetings early and use the library or come tell you about the people who have worked hard during the week. As long as the building is open, these two years to help this society flourish. I the library is available. have made new friends and found relatives while We always welcome new members and are being president of the group. I hope you have glad that our members continue to rejoin year af- been successful learning about something new ter year. We have also lost members who have and/or meeting someone new during these two moved away or passed away and we will never years. forget our founding president, Arlene Blank Rich , ~~ Helen
The Kol 4 Autumn 2013 Local
Our JGS library at Anshe Chesed - Fairmount Temple
After the death of our former presi- materials that Arlene had kept at her dent, Arlene Blank Rich, her son Adam house. So we have more materials on donated some of her books to our library. the shelves, or soon to be on the He also sent family histories and other shelves.
● Yahrzeit memorials from the Jewish Orthodox Home for the Aged in Cleveland -- photographs of plaques from 1921 - 1968 that could not be removed from the wall when Menorah Park became the new home for the old JOH. The Jewish Ar- chives at the Western Reserve Historical Society does not even have a copy of this. ● Cleveland in the Western Reserve 1796 - 1996: A Time Line (many names indexed) ● Dead Ends: An Irreverent Field Guide to Graves of the Fa- mous ● Family histories: CUKIERBRAUN/GOTTLIEB/ ZUCKER- MAN/KRIPKE; APPLE; KLEIN; BRUDNO; FEFFERMAN ● Jewish Women in America ● More Cleveland Jewish News obituaries and stone settings compiled by Paul Klein ● A book on Mariampole, Lithuania ● Cleveland Blue Books from various years 1962 to 1990 ● Cleveland Telephone Directory from 1916 ● Haines Criss-Cross Directory -- Cleveland city and subur- ban 1974 ● John Carroll Univ. Alumni Directory -- 1994 ● Ohio Business Index 1983 - 1988 ● Representative Clevelanders -- 1927 ● Social Register s -- Cincinnati/ Dayton/ Cleveland ● Cleveland Jewish Society books (various years 1915 - 1926) ● Shaker Heights Alumni Assoc. Directory -- 2001 ● Jewish Independent indexed from 1906 - 1947
News about the Cuyahoga County Archives The sale of the county archives building has been approved The Cuyahoga County Council will ing for residents with developmental dis- sell the Cuyahoga County Archives abilities. The county can lease the build- building to the nonprofit Welcome ing for up to two years while it searches House Inc. for $650,000. Welcome for a permanent home for the archives. House Inc. hopes to convert it into hous- See The Plain Dealer (27 Nov 2013, p. A4)
The Kol 5 Autumn 2013 Local Many thanks to our 2013 officers, trustees, research volunteers, and webmaster Through their hard work and dedication, they brought us through another year. Our group is growing, our members get information and help on doing research, and we continue to answer queries from out-of-towners. Thank you to President Helen Wolf , Vice Presidents Sheldon Baskin and Phyllis Bravo , Secretary Peter Fredrix, Treas- urer Charles Lissauer , Past-presidents Kenneth Bravo and Richard Spector (doing double duty as a trustee), Trustees Jerry Kliot and Sylvia Abrams , and research vol- unteers Adelle Gloger and Paul Klein . Keeping us all informed and the website run- ning smoothly is Paul Wolf . Thank you to all!
Alert us if information is missing from our Jewish Independent database
The Jewish Independent was pub- number 11, dated May 1, 1931, with her lished in Cleveland from the late 1800’s to obituary. Is it possible to update your site the early 1960’s. Paul Klein compiled its so that her name is included, especially, death notices, which are in our library; our for people looking for her. This page was group has the names and dates of death originally copied at the Cleveland Public on our group’s website; and there is a Library in the 1950's. There are several card file at the Western Reserve Historical other obituaries on the page. ~~ Celia Society Library. We received this mes- Ginsberg, died April 29 at the age of 41. sage: Thank you, “I am a member of the CJGS. I went Sheila Adler ” on the Jewish Independent obituary site only to find that my grandmother was not Helen Wolf replied, “Paul is able to listed. Many years ago I noted the same add the information she provided and she when I went through the index card cata- is sending him a copy of the page that is log at the Western Reserve Historical So- missing from the notebook and it will be ciety Library. added to the collection. It is important that “I have a copy of the page from the people let us know when they have infor- Jewish Independent logo, second volume, mation that is missing from a project .”
Euclid High School yearbooks
Euclid is a close-in suburb east of Cleve- digitized Euclid High School yearbooks online land. It had a small Jewish population, but at www.euclidlibrary.org/research/euclid- there were enough to form their own temple in yearbooks. the 1950’s. As the Jewish population in Euclid We tried the site for graduates we knew, grew smaller, that temple, Ner Tamid , eventu- and found that when the name of a person is ally joined with Temple Israel in Mayfield entered, the page numbers for that name are Heights. shown. Then you have to navigate to the Recently the Euclid Public Library put pages.
The Kol 6 Autumn 2013 September
The Geography of Eastern Europe presented by Dr. Sean Martin
Our website announcement for the meeting asked, “ Where was your family from? The answer is at once both simple and complex. One's town of origin may have come under political control of sev- eral different states. Understanding where your family was from and who was in charge when will help you. Learn more about traces of Jewish life in Eastern Europe today too.“ It is critical to know where your ances- tors came from if you want to do European research. Dr. Martin emphasized that a person might have identified himself as a member of an ethnic group different from what his papers classified him as. For ex- ample, If your greatgrandfather were “Hungarian” he probably came from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. You might find the same person listing himself as “Austrian” on another document. To explain the changes that have Dr. Sean Martin -- Associate Curator taken place over the years, Dr. Martin for Jewish History at Western Re- started by giving us blank maps* with only serve Historical Society the outlines of the countries. We scratched our heads to fill in the country names we Records are stored where the rul- knew. But that did not mean that those ing country at the time kept its records, names were the names our grandparents and the records are recorded in the used. language of that country. He then told us of the changes in bor- Dr. Martin cited some resources for ders that began with the 1772 - 1795 Parti- researching your ancestors’ homes: tion of Poland up to the changes after the Yizkor books available online from the break-up of the Soviet Union. New York Public Library or Jewish- As mentioned above, people identified Gen.org, and at the National Yiddish with an ethnic identity. Someone from the Book Center and the Rothschild Foun- Russian Empire might identify with Lithua- dation has funded www.Jewish- nia, for example. A subject of the Austro- Heritage-Europe.edu with information Hungarian Empire might list himself as on Jewish communities and cemetery from any of the countries included. Some restoration and other articles. people even identified themselves as from a region -- Galitzianers, for example (now * From the Cartographic Research Poland, Ukraine, and Slovakia). Lab at the Univ. of Alabama
The Kol 7 Autumn 2013 October
How to Organize and Edit Your Photos Using Picasa presented by Marilyn Baskin
Picasa is a digital image management system available free at www.picasa.google.com. It has a lot of good features for picture editing. Your origi- nal photos are preserved, as you edit your files. You can
• caption photos • store photos in different folders • share the photos by e-mail • print the photos • send the photos to websites • edit the photos to improve the image • prepare and resize the images to use elsewhere • back up your pictures up on Google maps, in street You can choose the formats you want to see. satellite, terrain, or hybrid maps. You can move photos from one folder to another, A Smartphone can add GPS or delete from a folder. Folders can be displayed in when the photo is taken, and several formats, like grouped or listed. You can Picasa will accept it as metadata create albums of photos. (below) to add to the photo. Facial recognition can be used to find and For genealogy use, you can group similar faces to organize photos with people show your house or school and in them. This can be turned off, if you do not want where it is/was on a map. to use the computer memory required. Marilyn has used Picasa to For fixing photos, Picasa can create family photograph books to publish. My Publisher online • crop • lighten can be used to create books. • straighten • apply auto-contrast • fix red-eye • apply auto-color • resize • remove glare “ Geotagging : Usually this is done by assigning at least a latitude You can use “save as” to save a variation on and longitude to the image, and op- the original photo. tionally altitude, compass bearing Text can be placed right on the photo. You can and other fields may also be in- choose the font, style, and color of text. cluded. “ Metadata may be written into a The photos can be organized to make them digital photo file that will identify easier to find. They can be found by using people, who owns it, copyright and contact places, technical information, or by “tags”. One information, what camera created photo can have multiple tags, which are one word, the file, along with exposure infor- or multiple words for identification. Geotagging mation and descriptive information such as keywords about the photo, (below) shows where the photo was taken, and making the file searchable on the then when you are on the internet the place shows computer and/or the Internet.” ~~ Wikipedia.org The Kol 8 Autumn 2013 December
Teachable Moments Learned at the IAJGS Conference
Some of the members who attended Paul Wolf the 2013 conference in Boston told of their reported that experiences there. he made a President Helen Wolf gave an over- contact with a view of the conference events, attendees, man looking and speakers. She asked herself why she for the same had not attended before. surname and Sylvia Abrams told of how since town as Paul’s there were so many presentations, and grandfather. she could not attend them all, she planned Cynthia Spikell liked Helen Wolf to attend sessions on doing European re- the opening night session with Aaron search. These included information about Lansky who created the National Yiddish the Tabula Registers in Lviv/Lvov/ Book Center. He told of his adventures Lemberg where the Austro-Hungarian Em- collecting Yiddish books that had already pire stored some records -- presented by been discarded in dumpsters, or stored in Alexander Dunai; talks on ports other than miserable conditions. “Interpreting 19th Ellis Island; Galicia; Latvian-Baltic re- Century Russian Documents” was very search; The Genealogical Proof Standard; informative. Dr. Stephen Morse told about United Kingdom records; and Landsmann- writing a modern Ketubah , and what every shaften. one of them must contain. Phyllis Bravo liked the presentations Ken Bravo mentioned the 1200+ at- about ports and ships best. She told us tendees from all over the world, the 300 how the port of Galveston was used to di- programs, the 30 exhibitors/vendors, apps vert immigrant Jews from east coast ports available for mobile devices, and the and get them to settle in the Midwest. She streaming of some of the programs (for a also told us how fee). Ken also reported that Ancestry now the cost of steer- lets researchers put a wildcard at the be- age passage fell ginning of a name. Wildcards for unknown from the equiva- letters are ? for one letter and * for zero to lent of $3000 to five letters. $4000 down to $600 to $800. Ken Bravo She also told us that after 1910 steerage travel became a little Paul Wolf better. Phyllis said that she learned that the Jewish Film Center at Brandeis University is looking for movies of European and American Jewish com- munities that show community life.
The Kol 9 Autumn 2013 Conscription cont’d from p. 1
the draft of a seven-year term of service. Physical deformities:- There were some reductions of the pe- Moles:- riod for those with education. There were Warts:- a number of exemptions for various cate- Scars:- gories: only sons, second sons of fami- lies with a son already in service, support Signed: Chairman of the local Military of widows, etc. The call-up affected 21 Commission Siauliai district. year olds (but there were exceptions). “Yudel almost certainly never served “Article 154. Upon completion of the in the army, but the document was recruitment for active Military Service, probably kept because the family would the district, area or town authorities un- have been required to show that they dertake a medical check-up of all other had no family members eligible for mili- persons due for conscription in accor- tary service when they emigrated. dance with article 116, except those per- “My grandfather, Yudel Isroff, lived in sons eligible for Class 1 benefits due to Linkuva/ Pamusha. This is a translation their Family Status. Those accepted as of the certificate of my grandfather's Rus- fit for military service will be enlisted by sian Military conscription and exemption. the authority for Class 1 Reserve ser- vice, all others, including those eligible “Certificate of Attendance for Conscrip- for benefits and the rest, except for those tion Urban artisan Class ( meshchantsvo ) whose physical appearance renders citizen of Ligumiai Jewish Society, Si- them unfit for carrying arms, will be auliai District, Kovno province. enlisted as Class 2 Reserve. “Note: Persons eligible for Class 1 ISEROV Yudel Lipmanovich benefits in accordance with their family Has attended the military conscription for status shall, if or when their family stat- 1888 and has been enlisted as Class 1 ues alters, be transferred to Class 1 re- Ratnik Issued by Pavelsk district Author- serve service, provided their state of ity Military Commission on 22 November health renders them fit for Military Ser- 1888, number 2578 vice. “Art. 303: Persons enlisted in the Re- Signed Commission's Chairman Stamp. serve Service are called ‘ Ratniks ’ and are divided into two classes. The first The Jew's particulars: one incorporates the reserve forces and Yudel Lipmanovich ISEROV the regular ones, which, when depleted Height: 165.6 cm will make use of persons under the age Chest size: 81.7 cm of 43, enlisted into that class of the re- Hair: black serve service (Art. 154) and persons re- Eyebrows: manded in the reserve forces, when dis- Eyes: brown charged from the active Service in the Nose: moderate army and navy. Class 2, applied only Face: clean (means no beard) within the reserve, incorporates persons Rounded chin enlisted into that class when drafted. The Special features: - junior four ages of Class 1 Reserve, i.e. Visible illnesses: - Conscription cont’d p. 11
The Kol 10 Autumn 2013 Conscription cont. from p. 10
persons enlisted in that class at the last “Art. 364. The non-appearance on four drafts, shall come under the regula- time for military maneuvers with no legal tions, adopted by the mutual consent of reason behind it will incur, for those the Defence and Interior Ministers, and, found guilty (including the reserve lower by His Majesty’s permission may be ranks and Class 1 Ratniks ) such punish- called up for military manoeuvres, but no ment as is stipulated for avoiding con- more than twice within the first four years scription as per art. 140 of the Military after being enlisted for Class 2, and each Code for Punishment (Military regula- time for no more than 6 weeks. tions, Book XXII)”
“Thanksgivukkah” got a lot of attention
When you have a question about the http://stevemorse.org/jcal/whendid.html. simultaneity of events like the once-in-a- That is Steve Morse’s site for looking up lifetime holidays of Hanukkah and Thanks- events, or what date or day of the week a giving together, you can consult holiday occurred.
Local
“The White Hurricane of 1913”
A local TV weather show made men- snowiness, storm-swept from end to end, tion of “The White Hurricane of 1913”. Cu- when the violence of the two-day blizzard rious, we looked it up, since our relatives lessened late yesterday afternoon.’ were living in Cleveland at the time. “William H. Alexander, Cleveland's Wikipedia.com told us, “ Along the chief weather forecaster, observed: ‘Take shoreline, blizzards shut down traffic and it all in all—the depth of the snowfall, the communication, causing hundreds of thou- tremendous wind, the amount of damage sands of dollars in damage. A 22-inch done and the total unpreparedness of the snowfall in Cleveland, Ohio, put stores out people—I think it is safe to say that the of business for two days. present storm is the worst experienced in “After the final blizzards hit Cleveland, Cleveland during the whole forty-three the city was paralyzed under feet of ice years the Weather Bureau has been es- and snow and was without power for days. tablished in the city .’ “ Telephone poles had been broken, and We cannot imagine how our relatives power cables lay in tangled masses. made it through, but since we think they “The November 11 Plain Dealer de- had gaslight and wood/coal stoves rather scribed the aftermath: ‘Cleveland lay in than electricity, they may at least have white and mighty solitude, mute and deaf had light and heat. to the outside world, a city of lonesome
The Kol 11 Autumn 2013 Queries
CULLEN, FIRESTONE From: [email protected] tain a copy of that record contact the Cuya- To: [email protected] hoga County Archives http://public Sent: Jul 30, 2013 works.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/ Dear Helen, Archives.aspx Thank you so much! Unfortunately my Volume: 120 Page: 88 wonderful father died in 1988 and until re- ... I did find the Cullens on the 1940 cently we never noticed there was another census ... birth before his. Also, due to conditions we I have not had success getting informa- know nothing about, he was placed in Par- tion re Parmadale or a call back from Uni- madale Orphanage twice: once when his versity Hospital. They told me I need the adopted father Ed Cullen ( Anna Rose Cul- birthdate of the older sibling but I only found len, Jean Cullen /daughter, and Nellie/ out some 80 years later. grandmother) died. The information on the older child who Because the child, Baby Firestone dob was still living at the time the 2nd child was 1926, who was placed for adoption prior to born in 1926 might be in the adoption re- 1964 those records might be available to cords as there might be some family history you from the Cuyahoga County Probate and reason the 2nd child was placed for Court -- Adoption Dept. http://probate. cuya- adoption. There might also be a record re- hogacounty.us/adoption.htm Be sure to look garding which agency placed the child for at the FAQs. adoption. You might also want to contact Par- ...Although we heard about a possible madale regarding the records they might Hungarian relation, we had our DNA have. I would venture a guess that Par- checked and it came back Italy (mother born madale / Catholic Charities placed the child there) Britain and Wales. with the Cullen family. Although the father, That is all I know so anything added Robert Lewis Firestone was Jewish (as indi- would be wonderful. Thank you so much!, cated on the child's birth cert) Julia Carroll, Sylvia Seremak mother, was not. In all probability she was Catholic. From: [email protected] We were surprised because we had al- Sent: Oct 3, 2013 ways been told they were Jewish. There is Ms. Gloger, no record of any family name in the Fir Thank you so much for the direction and Street Cemetery. I did see an article in the information. It can sometimes be challeng- Plain Dealer archives November 1946, I ing to get records that far back. We still think, where a Robert L. Firestone was shot know almost nothing about the other live and killed by a Thomas C. San Filippo but I birth and I could potentially have cousins out have no idea if they are the same person. there and it is not inconceivable that I still This Robert Firestone is listed sometimes as have an uncle somewhere. a glazier and others as a café owner. The This became important to me when I café owner might make sense since his was diagnosed with cardio-myopathy and mother lists her occupation as a waitress. realized I knew nothing about the medical Lastly, I looked up Julia Carroll and history on my fathers side. I did see that again, not sure if it is the same one, she Julia married Lazar Alexander later, not sure later married a Lazar Alexander. if it is the same person though. In the Cuyahoga County marriage re- Sylvia Seremak cords I found a Julia Carroll who married Alexander J. Wolf. Vol. 120 Page 88. To ob- Queries cont’d p. 13
The Kol 12 Autumn 2013
Queries cont’d from p. 12
From: [email protected] ideas where we can go next PLEASE tell us Sent: October 4, 2013 as I would appreciate it so much. I am 86 Ms. Seremak, and just want to know about Marie before I Adoption files *usually* have family pass on. medical history. Thanking you so much, You might also want to contact the Ada Gallagher Adoption Network of Cleveland. This is a P.O. Box 57 Shabbona, IL 60550 non-profit organization and there might be some fee involved depending on what they Helen Wolf tried to find specific informa- are able to do for you. tion, but could not supply an answer. She www.adoptionnetwork.org/ sent a detailed explanation of where she had For other record types you might want to searced, including, “I have never heard of a go to familysearch.org. Everything on this Jewish girl who married a non-Jewish boy site is free, but you have to create an ac- having to take a name that would ‘brand’ count to view digitized records. them (which is what you imply). Her family Adelle Gloger sitting shiva for her may have happened but having her take a special name, I do not BLOOMFIELD, REMO, MOTHEY, think that happened.”
JACOBS Ada’s son replied: Ms Wolf, From: [email protected] Many thanks for your email, the information Sent: August 20, 2013 it contained was actually very helpful in that I Thank you for answering. I have always can probably eliminate Cleveland as a possi- wondered about my great grandmother and ble location for Maria. That was very kind of wanted to know more about her. My mother you to take the time to research the numer- Ruth Bloomfield Remo told me this story: ous sites for me, I truly appreciate your help. Marie Mothey born around 1859 in Ohio Regards, fell in love with Samuel A. Williams who was Jim Gallagher not Jewish. [email protected] Her family buried her and told her she was no longer in their family. They were GUREVITCH / GUREVITZ married August 13, 1867 have no idea where. From: Eleanor Cohen [email protected] Marie gave birth to Jennie January 5, To: [email protected] 1871 in Quincy, IL, and Adah June 22, 1876, November 8, 2013 in Creston, IA. A son Charles in April 1877 Subject: The Jewish Carpenters' Society and he died in July 1877. Building Co. Marie died May 2, 1877. My Mother said Marie 's father was a Jeweler. Dear Helen, When Jennie married she wrote her The JCC office gave me your email ad- mother's maiden name was JACOBS. When dress to see if you can help me research my Adah married Charles M. Bloomfield she Grandfather's Certificate that I've attached. wrote MOTHEY for her mother 's name. His name was Ralph GUREVITCH (or My son James has really tried to find GUREVITZ as it shows on the Certificate). I information but I feel looking into Marie's know that he came to Cleveland from Ellis Jewish background will be the key to finding Island when he arrived from Russia; and that out. he married my Grandmother Celia If you can't find anything but have some Queries cont’d p. 14
The Kol 13 Autumn 2013 Queries cont’d from p. 13 (who came from Russia to marry him) there. Adelle, Also, my father and his brother were born My family thanks you for all of your re- while they lived in Cleveland. They moved ferrals and work on our behalf! We will be to Los Angeles in 1921 or ‘22. Ralph was able to use this information to help complete always active in Carpenters' Union activities, the "picture" of my beloved grandfather. so I assume this was the beginnings of that B'shalom , Elly Cohen participation. I look forward to hearing from you with SINGERMAN any information you may have. Thank you so much, From: Gerald Erenberg Elly Cohen
The Kol 14 Autumn 2013 Bits ‘n’ pieces -- with some connection to genealogy
There has been much attention paid The New York Times (27 Oct by the genealogical community to the 2013, p. 19) had a story about the fight between the Food and Drug Ad- StoryCorps project turning ten years ministration and the genetic-testing old. We wrote about this before when company 23andMe. The privacy of bio- StoryCorps stopped in Cleveland to re- logical data is in question. If you want to cord oral histories of everyday people. read more, just enter 23andMe and FDA The project now has 50,000 stories re- into your search engine. One article, corded, has published four books of “DNA information is a powerful force for stories, and has been covered by NPR good – and evil” by Barbara Shelly of and PBS. the Kansas City Star appeared in The Plain Dealer (13 Dec 2013, p. E5).
Froma Harrop of the Provi- The New York Facebook and dence Journal had a piece in The Times (17 Nov Twitter are making it Plain Dealer (4 Dec 2013, p. E5) 2013, p. 2TR) ran easier for distant about whether the United States an article “ Heritage - relatives to connect. textile industry will ever be able to Seeking Trips Take Also, “...tourism of- make a comeback. At one time Travelers Back to fices and govern- Cleveland had 10,000 people work- Roots: Vacation ments have caught ing in the needle trades, and a lot planners and genea- on to the interest in of the workers and owners were logical websites help heritage-seeking Jewish. families research an- travel.” Both Ireland cestors” by Caren Scotland are doing New 2014 Revised Education Syl- Osten Gerszberg. special promotions. labus on JewishGen Gerszberg wrote of “Megan Smolenyak, The following classes will be taught on how shows such as a genealogist who, a rotating schedule: Basic 1 -- Search "Who Do You Think in conjunction with Strategies; Basic 2 -- Exploring JewishGen; Basic 3 -- Getting Organized; Basic 4 -- Cite You Are?" and Hagers Journeys your Sources. They are...available at no "Genealogy Road- (Hagers jouneys. charge to those ...having donated $100 to show” have spurred com), will research the JewishGen General Fund within the pre- people to travel back and create ancestry ceding 12 months. We will continue to teach to their ancestral vil- adventures.” Every Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced inter- active courses with Forums where students lages. She also year Howard Margol can get personal assistance from their in- mentioned that leads a research trip structors; we also feature Mark Heckman's FamilySearch.org to Lithuania for Jew- annual KehilaLinks class. and Ancestry.com ish researchers, and See our Course Listings (www.Jewish are making it easier free days are in- Gen.org/education) for details about the courses, the instructors, the dates and the to find what villages cluded for trips to the requirements. ancestors came family’s origins. Phyllis Kramer, VP, Education from. www.JewishGen.org/education [email protected]
The Kol 15 Autumn 2013 United States
Regional dialects Pahk the cah. May 7, 2013, Dick Eastman’s Online born there, and whose dia- Genealogy Newsletter ran “North Ameri- lect clearly represents that can English Dialects, Based on Pronun- place). Did your ancestors ciation Patterns speak like this? “Rick Aschmann ..says…’I collect dia- “... it also has serious lects.’ uses for historians, genealo- “The web site contains hundreds of gists, and others. You can view Rick audio and video samples of speech all Aschmann's North American English Dia- over North America. In each case, Rick lects site at http://aschmann.net/AmEng/. has captured the accent of a native (more ...(You click on an area, and are directed specifically, someone who was raised in a to a native speaker in a YouTube clip.)” particular location, though not necessarily
Jan Meisels Allen awarded The President's Citation by NGS
We have often quoted Jan’s postings, either on Jewish genealogy or news from the Records Preservation and Ac- cess Committee. She received the award from the National Genealogical Society for outstanding, continuing, or unusual contributions to the field of genealogy or the society.
Genealogy is big business group." Well, not everything if one wants copies of We find Eastman’s Online Genealogy News- original documents, and we heard lately that cop- letter so informative. Dick wrote, “Genealogists ies of Social Security applications will cost more. Spend a LOT of Money”, quoting an article by Jill Computer equipment and programs cost money, Krasny, published on Mashable.com: and attendance at conferences is not free. "People curious about family history spent a In a related article in August 2013, Eastman whopping $2 .3 billion on genealogy products and wrote, “The BizBuySell web site lists an ‘Internet services last year, according to a study by market Genealogy Service’ (for sale) in Utah. The ask- research firm Global Industry Analysts. They took ing price is not listed but gross income (before ex- most of their work to sites like Ancestry.com, which penses) is listed as $4,950,000 and the annual charge between $22.95 and $34.59 per month for cash flow (net profit before taxes) is stated as access to billions of pertinent records. One-on-one $715,000. consultations set them back $2,000 to $5,000 per “The unnamed company is described, ‘This session, depending on the length and complexity very profitable genealogical service is a subscrip- of the project, a spokesperson told Mashable. tion based process that allows clients to combine “Despite those sites' popularity, 'it’s perfectly knowledge and data to build one comprehensive possible to do everything without spending a dime,' shared family tree.’ “ says Terry Koch-Bostic, a Mineola, N.Y.-based The listing was at www.bizbuysell.com/ director of the National Genealogy Society, a non- Business-Opportunity/Internet-Genealogy- profit education, training and records-preservation Service/719624/.
The Kol 16 Autumn 2013 United States
A death certificate may have an inaccurate cause of death
We have written before about the for statistical purposes, and if it doesn't fit odd-sounding causes of death listed on into certain categories, the Department old death certificates. Now a new prob- of Health will require it to be redone. So lem has arisen concerning the cause the doctor wants to get it done and might listed on a modern death certificate. just list a standard cause so as not to Now it is common for one to die in a have to re-do the form. hospital or nursing home or other medi- A recent study cited by The Centers cal facility. So the certificate is filled in by for Disease Control and Prevention emergency room or staff doctors who did says, "The system should be improved not have any contact with the deceased to allow reporting of more causes, and before death. Also, the doctor might fill residents should receive better training in the form in a rush. The cause of death on completing death certificates." as stated on death certificates is mainly
FamilySearch.org adds more online
These have been added or modified: U.S., Illinois, Northern District Petitions for Naturalization, 1906–1991 U.S., Louisiana, First Registration Draft Cards, 1940–1945 U.S., Maine, Vital Records, 1670–1907 U.S., Missouri, Cole County Circuit Court Case Files, 1820–1926 U.S., Missouri, County Marriage Records, 1802–1969 U.S., New England, Petitions for Naturalization, 1787–1931 U.S., New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909–1957 U.S., New York, Passenger Lists, 1820–1891 U.S., Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848–1948 United States Index to Service Records, War with Spain, 1898
Technology
DNA testing of the deceased? Maybe creepy...maybe not
DNA Memorial in Ontario, Canada, This might sound creepy, let alone far- www.dnamemorial.com/ works with fu- fetched. However, if there is any question neral homes to store the DNA of the de- in the future, the DNA could be used to ceased. The company has experience in prove the relationship of possible rela- DNA collection. As of now, the DNA is tives, or for showing a history of family preserved in powder form and sent to rela- health issues. tives as a keepsake. Supposedly the pow- der can be tested in the future if desired.
The Kol 17 Autumn 2013 United States
Images of Ellis Island
Photographs of Ellis Island can be found on the New York (City) Public Library website.
Another view of the Ellis Island myth Marian L. Smith of the USCIS, in her one's first job or apartment, going to essay “American Names: Declaring Inde- school, and adjusting one's name to a new pendence”, wrote another interpretation of spelling or pronunciation. All these experi- the Ellis Island myth could have occurred ences, for the first few years, were the when, “...an immigrant is remembering his ‘Ellis Island experience’. When recalling initial confrontation with American culture. their immigration decades before, many Ellis Island was not only immigrant proc- immigrants referred to the entire experi- essing, it was finding one's way around ence as ‘Ellis Island’. the city, learning to speak English, getting
Ancestry.com cooperates with the Associated Press
In November Ances- AP stories from 1937 to 1985 try.com said it would use the will be available. The stories Associated Press archives to will be indexed by name, and add access to historical news also be searched by subject articles. More than one million and date.
Genealogy expert in the New York Times
Elizabeth Shown Mills, perhaps best and answered questions from readers. known for her book Evidence Explained, The links to the articles were and who is a past president of the Ameri- http://goo.gl/CcW4JM and can Society of Genealogists and the http://tinyurl.com/o652bwk . Board for Certification of Genealogists We do not know if those links will be was featured in the NYT in November. available for long in the future. She gave advice on doing research
The Kol 18 Autumn 2013 International and one U. S.
Additions to JewishGen.org
As part of their ongoing campaign to get (Bacau, Botosani, Burdujeni, Falticenti, Harlau, cash donations from users, JewishGen sent Herta, Iasi, Piatra Neamt, Roman, Lespezi, Pis- this message: cani, Podu Iloaiei, Bicaz, Mijocul, Montele, Targu “Here is a partial snapshot of some pro- Neamt). jects that we have initiated or completed “Ukraine SIG Acquired ... pages of material from the Central Archives of the History of the since the summer. Jewish People, including: Balta District, Revision “Hungarian SIG ... vital records from Hun- Lists, 1875; Felshtin, Marriages, 1856-1857; falu, Iglo, Kesmark, Ofalu, and Szepesolaszi Kamenets Podolskiy, List of Residents, 1859; have been transcribed. Work continues on ... Kherson District Documents; Kiyev Archival Lists; places in Szatmar megye now in Satu Mare, Ro- Kremenets District Vital Records (from Beloz- mania. In addition to these, we have also ob- erka, Berezhets, Oleksinets, Pochayev and tained ... pages from Avas Felsofalu, that was Rokhmanov); Kremenets: Tarbut School List; previously in Szatmar megye and is now in Mara- Letichev-Zinkov, Revision Lists, 1875; Litin- mures county, Romania. Maramaros. In test Mezhirov, Revision Lists, 1875; Mogilev Podol- mode: ... records from Maramaros skiy, Vital Records, 1844; (Maramarossziget, Konyha, Jood, Felso Viso, Olgopol-Bershad, Revision Lists, 1875; Prosku- Ruszkova, Leordina, Jood, and a number of rov, Satanov etc. Vital Records, 1848; Rashkov, small towns north of Sziget that are now in Revision Lists, 1875; Ternopil: Lists of materials Ukrtaine). In progress: The transcription of all of in Archives (GATO) + Taxpayer Lists; Vinnitsa the civil records for Jewish residents of Marama- Archive: Zaslav, Typed Vital Records Lists. Con- ros for the years 1895 to 1906; Tolerance Tax, tinued to scan microfilms from the Family History 1815 (675 records) and Tolerance Tax, 1826; Center. To date, we have more than 15,000 im- and Maramaros, List of Jews Who Immigrated to ages of vital records. Completed the translations Hungary from Poland, 1820-21. Volunteers are of ... photos of gravestones from the Zhytomyr transcribing inscriptions from ... tombstones in cemetery. the Miskolc Cemetery. Transcription of lists of “Sub-Carpathian SIG In progress: 82 new Hungarian women sent to do slave labor at satel- KehilaLink pages for Jewish towns in Sub- lite camps at Gelsenberg and Muhlenberg. These Carpathia. lists may include the women’s birth places and “KehilaLinks In addition to the Sub- their fate. 13,700 Buda birth records indexed un- Carpathian town pages in progress, 20 Czech der the auspices of JewishGen’s first partnership Republic Gemeinde (Kehila) pages were added. project with Family Search. “Burial Registry (JOWBR) & Memorial “Bessarabia SIG Completed: Bessarabia Plaques To be completed by Dec. 31: More than U. S. Revision Lists from FHS microfilm; 100,000 new burial records and 2,500 memorial Translation of ALL 35 entries for towns in Bes- sarabia/Republic of Moldova listed in the Ency- plaques . (See below) clopedia of Jewish Communities in Romania; “Holocaust Database To be completed by Initiated: Translation of the Kishinev Yizkor Book, Dec. 31: New German Town dataset with ap- Indexing and photographing of cemeteries in proximately 11,500 records.” Chimishliya, Tiraspol, New section of Bessarabia SIG website – Archives, Libraries, Museums; (Note: Our JGS library has a book of plaques Ongoing: Translations of Bessarabia Revision from the old Orthodox Home. When the move Lists; Bessarabia Geographical Dictionary; Travel was made to Menorah Park, the plaques articles; Tiraspol Zionists project; List of Jews in could not be removed from the wall, so pho- Bessarabia who held Public office. tographs were taken. If you are interested in “Romania SIG Ongoing translation, tran- entering these into the Memorial Plaque data- scription and indexing of Birth, Marriage, and base, contact Helen Wolf.) Death records from: Bucovina Region (Campulung Moldovenese, Gura Humorului, Radauti, Solca, Suceava); Moldavia Region
The Kol 19 Autumn 2013 International
KehilaLinks Project - November 2013 Susana Leistner Bloch [email protected] posted a list of new and updated webpages. To access one, type in http://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/ name of kehilla or shtetl /
Ukraine Zavydovo (Davidfalva) Zhnyatyno (Izsnyete, Znatina) Balazher (Balazser, Balazser) Bat'ovo (Batyu, Bat'ovo) Czech Republic Bedevlya (Bedohaza, Bedevl'a) Bene Doudleby nad Orlici (Daudleb Benedykivtsi (Benedike, Benedikovce) Horní Cerekev Berehove (Beregszasz, Berehovo) Volyne (Wolin) Berehujfalu (Beregujfalu, Nove Selo) Poland Bushtyno (Bustyahaza, Bustino) Bystryt
sya (Repede, Rjapity) Lublin Chertezh (Ungcsertesz)
Dovhe (Dolha, Dovhe) China Dyida (Deda) Fanchykovo (Fancsika,
Fancikovo) Shanghai Hat (Gath, Hat')
Holiatyn (Tarfalu, Hol'atin) Lithuania Huklyvyy (Hukliva, Huklivy)
Il'nytsia (Iloncza, Ilnice) Uzventis (Uzhvent) Irshava (Ilosva, Irsava)
Khust (Chust, Huszt) United States Kolochava (Alsokalocsa, Kolocava)
Koshel'ovo (Keselymezo, Koselovo) Monessen, Pennsylvania Koson (Mezokaszony, Kosino)
Lypcha (Lipcse, Lipca) South Africa Mala Kopanya (Alsoveresmart, Mala
Kopana) Muizenberg Nankove (Husztkoz, Nankovo)
Onok (Ilonokujfalu, Onyk) Germany Popovo (Csonkapapi, Conkapapi)
Pryborzhavs'ke (Zadnya, Zadne) Schmieheim Pryslip (Pereszlo, Prislop) Repynnye (Repenye, Repinne) Svalyava (Szolyva, Svalava) The following webpages are "orphaned" Uzhhorod (Ungvar) and are available for adoption: Verkhnye Vodyane (Felsoapsa, Vysna
Apsa) Craiova, Romania Vil'khivka (Olyvos, Vlahovo) Kamiensk (Kaminska), Poland Vil'khivtsy (Irhocz, Vulchovce) Kolomea (Kolomyja) Voronkov (Voron'kiv)
The Kol 20 Autumn 2013 Holocaust
A request for assistance with a research project
The request below was just posted on to the United States or Canada after December 10, and is verbatim: spending some time in the DP camps. This is an area of survivors postwar ex- From: Amy Smith [email protected] perience that has rarely been studied, and My name is Amy Smith, and I am the yet it is an important piece of the history of Ben and Zelda Cohen Fellow at the United the Holocaust States Holocaust Memorial Museum. I am aftermath. also a Ph.D. candidate at Yale University. If you are a survivor who fits these cri- I am currently conducting research on teria, or the child of survivors who fit these the lives of Holocaust survivors, and criteria, and are willing to help me, I would would appreciate your assistance. love to hear from you. I can be contacted I am particularly interested in studying at [email protected] or at 202-308- the experiences of survivors who created 4023. families after the war, and who immigrated
Shoah DNA project
We were contacted by the project co- even if the family believes no one sur- ordinated by Syd Mandelbaum to provide vived. About 150 people came to the JCC volunteers to help with the DNA collection to be tested at no charge. Adelle Gloger, in Cleveland in September. The hope is to Helen Wolf, and Debbie Levine Herman connect survivors or relatives of victims helped.
Index President’s message 2, 4 International research: Russian military Calendar 3 documents 1, 10-1; Israel, Poland, September: The Geography of Eastern UK, Russia 22; city maps, CJH, Po Europe - Dr. Sean Martin 7 land 23; Jewish naming practices 25 October: How to Organize and Edit Your JewishGen: New records 19; KehilaLinks Photos Using Picasa - Marilyn Baskin Project 20 8 Hebrew calendar 11 November: Myth and Counter-Myth: The Holocaust: Research request, DNA , 20 Shtetl - Prof. Steven Zipperstein 1 Research techniques 23 December: IAJGS 2013 Conference 9 Technology: DNA 17, 23; mapping, stuck Our library 5 photographs 24; paper preservation Local research 5, 6, 11 25 Queries 12-4 Member News 26 Genealogy news 15-6 Tante Jennie: 1920’s arrivals, Ancestry.com U.S. research: Dialects 16, death certifi- 27 cates 17, Ellis Island, Associated Society information 4, 6, 28 Press 18
The Kol 21 Autumn 2013 International
Israel -- Montefiore Census Project
Billie Stein [email protected] sults are possible in both English and He- from the Montefiore Census Project Steer- brew. Using the advanced search option, ing Committee sent a message, “With the searches can be done by a single or multi- uploading of the 1875 census of the Jewish ple fields, including Surname, Given name, population of Eretz Israel , the 6 year pro- Place of Residence, Kolel, Country of Birth, ject of digitizing and translating the 5 cen- Occupation, and Economic Status suses of the Eretz Israel and the one-time “While there are some surnames for census of the Jews of Alexandria (Egypt), Ashkenazim, most are listed only by given has come to completion. ... names. …” “The census charts were compiled by “The censuses can be searched on the the community or Kolel heads, and is di- Montefiore Endowment website at no vided accordingly. The data requested (but charge, and with no need to register, at not always provided) includes name, age http://www.montefioreendowment.org.uk/. and place of birth of the head of household, Please take a moment to read the FAQ his financial status and occupation, his page and also the credits on the ‘About’ wife's name, names and ages of his chil- page in order to acknowledge the volun- dren, and various comments. teers who made this project possible.” “... Searches of the censuses and re-
Poland New indices were added to the JRI- Jagielnica, Kozlow, Lwow, Mielnica, Prze- Poland Online Database in a multi-year myslany, Stary Sambor, Tarnopol, Zolkiew agreement with the Polish State Archives. (Zhovka) and more. You can find a com- Below is a list of the towns with the new plete list of available records that JRI- material: Poland plans to index at www.jri-poland. Jagielnica; Jaworow; Mielnica; Monas- org/agad/2012transfers.htm. terzyska; Nadworna; Podkamien; Skalat; Mark Halpern wrote, “If you are inter- and Tarnopol. ested in seeing records for your town in- In April 2013 they were still working on dexed, please contact me privately. records from Chodorow, Drohobycz, [email protected] “
United Kingdom There is an excellent series of de- which sailed from Hamburg. The port of scriptions about Jewish migration to the Hull was one port of arrival in England and United Kingdom at the 'Moving Here' web- many seem to have stayed in Englad and site at http://tinyurl.com/c5t3msc did not continue on to the United States. Some came from Lithuania on ships
If you can read Russian, try www.fgurgia.ru/start.do or http://bit.ly/ZmNZXe to find some digitized Imperial Russian documents.
The Kol 22 Autumn 2013 International
Historic city maps can be found at http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/search_a_z.html
DNA testing companies
The website www.isogg.org/wiki/List_of_DNA_testing_companies maintained by the International Society of Genetic Genealogy has a long list of companies with the specialties of each company. The ISOGG list in- cludes links to the web sites of each company listed. Their main page is at www.isogg.org/.
The Center for Jewish History
From a solicitation for a member- roots, we provide on-site reference as- ship from The Center for Jewish History sistance and a genealogy reference li- (15 West 16th Street, New York, NY brary in the Ackman & Ziff Family Gene- 10011, Tel. 212-294-8346, www.cjh.org): alogy Institute, the only Jewish genea- Our five partner organizations are logical center in the United States. the American Jewish Historical Society, And for those who are unable to American Sephardi Federation, Leo visit us in New York , the Center's Online Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Mu- Public Access Catalog enables anyone seum and YIVO Institute for Jewish Re- to search the collections from their home search. Your membership allows you ac- or office drawing more than one million cess to this unique institution. visitors from over 150 countries in the If you want to trace your family's past three years.
Polish cemeteries Some tombstones in cemeteries in Poland are shown at https://tinyurl.com/k6ty3gp
NOT EVERYTHING IS ON THE INTERNET ! ! ! We hope that the misconception in the on Jewishgen, I couldn't find them. I didn't message below is something that our see any records from XXX for anybody, readers would never entertain. Below is and very few records for YYY. the paraphrased message that was “They were both born in *** in the posted on the UkraineSIG. The sender is 1880s and 1890s, were married in YYY, not identified to protect the unaware. then immigrated to the US around 1910. “I've been on Jewishgen for a while “If I can't find their birth and marriage searching for the XXX side of my family, records on Jewishgen, does that mean now I'm searching for the YYY side. they don't exist? Would I be able to find “My grandfather is from XXX and them if I travelled to YYY? Does YYY grandmother is from YYY. But when I have archives of old vital records or are looked for their birth and marriage records they lost forever?”
The Kol 23 Autumn 2013 Technology -- mapping
In response to a question about us- from dozens of different icons for your ing colors in mapping to indicate move- placemark, or upload one of your own ment over time, Ron Arons (who has design. I usually use a single color to lectured about mapping several times at represent one branch of my family tree, IAJGS conferences) replied that Google then name the placemark with Maps “provides 91 different 'default' date_familygroup", so that I can easily icons. To use these icons, you must log determine who was where and when. into your Google account. Even more You can then export the map data as icons can be found here: mapi- a .KML file and import it into Google cons.nicolasmollet.com/ . Earth. “Additionally, Google Maps, allows “Once in Google Earth, you can sup- you to use other icons of our choice, so plement the map with additional media, long as there is a URL (in the cloud) such as photos, old maps, documents, which Google can use to locate that icon. and video. Creating a ‘tour’ allows you to To explain it a different way, Google animate everything, so that you can view Maps will not be able to access an icon progression over time.” on your hard drive.” David Oseas Ron Arons Oakland, CA [email protected] [email protected] com.com The moderator noted that Lisa David Oseas also wrote, “ I find that Louise Cooke's free webinar, "Google the combination of Google Maps and Earth for Genealogy" may be accessed Google Earth is perfect for this task. at the shortened URL http:// “Google Maps allows you to select goo.gl/6dHeS .
“Stuck” photographs There was a discussion on the JewishGen list Contact a museum with a large photographic of how to get glued-down photos out of an album. collection and talk one of the staff archivists. -- Bob Here are some of the suggestions. (DISCLAIMER: An expert in photo preservation at a recent We have not tried any of these suggestions.) meeting of the JGS of Greater Philadelphia (From) the London Metropolitan Archives (JGSGP) could probably answer your question. Go for ...unsticking glue without damage: make a thick to the JGSGP website www.jgsgp.org/ where you paste with flour and water and spread over the will be able to click on a brochure and handout. -- glued-down area. Leave overnight. This softens Shelda the glue enough to peel the paper off gently. -- On photos that don't have ink on the back, it is Eva ok to simply soak them. When we print photos in a I suggest you go to an art supply store and home darkroom, we wash them as long as 40 min- ask for something that gets off glue and or rubber utes for double thickness paper. Sounds scary, but cement. -- Diane try soaking a photo without ink but be careful not to To unstick envelopes flaps freeze them in the scratch the emulsion which will soften when wet. freezer. It might work on your family photos, but Also, since the album paper is black, you want to check with Google first. -- Joan test a scrap by soaking first to make sure it doesn't You could get better advice from a big geneal- "bleed." -- Alberta ogy library; they have published articles on preser- Google "It's Like Magic Removing Self- vation: The Allen County Public Library, contact Adhesive Stamps from Paper". [email protected] .
The Kol 24 Autumn 2013
Back to Basics: Paper Preservation
“Genealogy Gems: News from the Fort advisory and administrative, some have ex- Wayne Library”, No. 117, November 30, panded their mission and conduct work- 2013 carried this article by Dawne Slater- shops on paper conservation. Putt, CG(sm): “Locally-owned (not chain store) station- “The Genealogy Center gets calls on a ers might know of other “paper people” and regular basis from people who are interested be able to give you some leads. in preserving – or conserving might be a bet- “Scrapbooking or paper arts stores of- ter term – their paper memorabilia. This ten know a great deal about working with might include old family bibles, cookbooks, acid-free and photo-safe materials and might military discharge pa- be able to give you the pers and countless other names of companies treasures. It’s all well that sell tissue, file fold- and good to extract the ers, storage boxes and information in these clear sleeves designed documents into a gene- for keeping documents alogy program, and even from deteriorating fur- to scan them and create ther. a digital copy that can “Check out the sec- guard against loss of the tion on Cyndi’s List of information if the original Genealogical Sites on deteriorates further. But the Internet that is de- how can one try to preserve the original pa- voted to preservation of paper and books: per document or book? http://cyndislist.com/preservation/paper/. “Some suggestions are: Cyndi has thirty-one links to articles and in- “Contact an antique dealer, preferably formation on the Internet about paper con- one who handles old paper items if that can servation. Many of them have tips for things be determined, and ask for advice. you can do at home to preserve your docu- “Contact used book dealers in your area ments. and ask if they use or know of a paper resto- “Keep in mind that all of the above sug- ration/conservation specialist locally. gestions might serve as middlemen.’ They “Historical societies and museums also might not be able to help you directly or give might be a source of information. you an answer to your specific question. But “The State Historical Records Advisory any one of them might provide a lead to Board (SHRAB) could be an important re- someone who can provide the paper preser- source. Contact information for each state vation/conservation services or advice you can be found here: www.statearchivists.org/ need.” shrabs.htm. While these boards are largely
International Jewish naming practices
"A Kusel by Any Other Name" by Calvin Trillin in The New York Times Maga- zine (17 Nov 2013) is available online at http://tinyurl.com/qj5yyks . Trillin wrote about problems when people used the everyday Yiddish familiar name instead of the real Hebrew name to name children. Kusel -- kSEEL to Calvin - - turned out to be Yekusiel / Yekutiel.
The Kol 25 Autumn 2013 Member News
In Memoriam His wife was the late Ida S. (née Dr. Herman Weinberg Ashkenazi ). Dr. Herman had four chil- (1912 - 2013 , age 101) dren, ten living grandchildren, and 14 was such a dedicated great-grandchildren. We published a member of our group photo of his 100th birthday celebration and so interested in his with his great-grandchildren surrounding family history that he him. gave memberships in He was buried at Bet Olam Ceme- our JGS to his children tery. Friends who wish may contribute to and grandchildren. In the Ida S. and Dr. Herman C. Weinberg recent years he was unable to attend Memorial Fund, c/o the Park Synagogue meetings, but he kept in touch by e-mail or the Ida and Herman Weinberg Holiday and often sent comments to chapter Fund, c/o Menorah Park. - See more at: news. http://tinyurl.com/mtavqnn .
Bea Immerman , an early member, also passed away in October.
Condolences to Judith Aplis , on the death of her brother-in-law, Kenneth Aplis, and to Phyllis Bravo on the death of her aunt, Goldie Wiederhorn.
Fritz Nussbaum wrote from his home in Boca Raton, Florida, about his memory of meeting Arlene Rich when she was just beginning our JGS.
After we published info about mem- in my age group. Also my partners and I ber Ruth Miller Gove ’s participation in won the Silver medals in mixed doubles the 2013 Senior Olympics in Cleveland, and women's doubles. we received this message from Ruth: “And kudos to Cleveland for spon- “A long-time dream came true this soring the most organized Nationals I've past July. and I couldn't have been hap- been to.” pier for it to have happened in Cleveland. Ruth is from Euclid, Ohio, so she I won the Gold in the table tennis singles knows Cleveland.
Jerry Kliot and Cynthia This year they concentrated on Spikell again taught sessions on internet sites that the students beginning Jewish genealogy to the could use. Parents attended the fifth grade Sunday School classes classes, also. of The Temple – Tifereth Israel.
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Ask Tante Jennie™, the genealogy maven (or at least she thinks so)
1920’s arrivals from Ukraine, and Ancestry.com
Dear Tante Jennie ™, that sailed around the I think my greatgrandfather came from Mediterranean. If you look at the passen- Ukraine to the U.S. in the 1920’s. I found ger list for your ggfather’s voyage, you will him on the 1930 federal census. There is see that it went from port to port picking no one in my family to ask when he came up passengers before heading for the U. or at what port. Is this a hopeless search? S. Can you help me, Tante Jennie? Tante Jennie Algee ™ Serge N. Bach Dear Tante Jennie ™, Dear Serge, What’s the big deal with Ancestry. Tante Jennie was able to find your com? I see their TV ads a lot, and so ggfather’s naturalization record. His name many times I see recommendations to use was very convoluted from the name you that company to find info on my family. gave her, but you confirmed that it was Luke Thurley your ggfather. Since the naturalization was in the 1920’s, it gave information Dear Luke, about his date and port of arrival. He ar- Yes, you might be put off by the rived at Providence, Rhode Island. notion of a giant company that seems to That jogged Tante Jennie’s memory: monopolize information. Well, it is like the If you can't find early 1920's entries from elephant in the room: You can’t ignore it; Ukraine/Russia, check the Providence, you have to learn to live with it. Rhode Island, arrival records. Why? The company has more than 200,000 Friends Central Relief, run by the record sets (birth, census, death, immigra- Quakers, in Bucharest, Romania, helped tion, military, photos, and DNA informa- Jews escaping from the turmoil in Soviet tion). They store 10 petabytes of informa- Russia. Ships from the port of Constanta, tion. Romania (on the western coast of the Tante Jennie had to look up Black Sea), arrived at Providence. Sure “petabyte”. She thought she had a lot of enough, on his passenger arrival sheet he genealogy information squirreled away, listed the Friends shelter as his previous but she found that one petabyte is address. 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes or The ship your ggfather sailed on, the 1,000,000,000 megabytes! Oy vey! SS Canada was owned by Fabre Line / So now you see why it is the elephant Compagnie Francaise de Navigation à in the room. Vapeur Cyprien Fabre & Compagnie, be- ™ gun in 1881. They owned small steamers Tante Jennie Algee
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2013 Officers Affiliated with the International President -- Helen Wolf Association of 1st Vice President – Programming Jewish Sheldon Baskin Genealogical 2nd Vice President – Membership Societies Phyllis Bravo Secretary -- Peter Fredrix Treasurer -- Charles Lissauer Membership is by calendar year. Immediate Past-president -- Annual Single Membership is $25; Kenneth Bravo annual Family Membership is $35. (Past presidents are board Membership form is on our website. members) (See below.) Send 2014 dues check to: Board of Trustees (Three-year term) JGS of Cleveland Ending December, 2013 -- c/o Peter Fredrix Jerry Kliot 4291 Morley Drive Ending December, 2014 -- Reminderville, OH 44202 Richard Spector Ending December, 2015 -- To contact the President or to Sylvia Abrams send a query, e-mail [email protected] Editor of The Kol (Appointed) -- or send snail mail to: Cynthia Spikell Jewish Genealogy Society of Cleveland c/o Menorah Park 27100 Cedar Rd. The Kol is published at least three Beachwood OH 44122 times a year and is sent electroni- cally to members, other JGS To contact other officers , go to our groups, and libraries. Paper copies website and click on their e-mail ad- are kept in our library. dresses.
For research help, databases, and our current calendar, visit us at www.clevelandjgs.org/
Content not copyrighted by the author is copyrighted by the Jewish Genealogy Society of Cleveland © 2013
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