The Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
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The Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society Volume XXIV, Number 1 February 2004 CALENDAR OF GENEALOGICAL EVENTS Meetings of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society Please note: Unless otherwise indicated, the meeting schedule is as follows: San Francisco: Sunday, Doors open 12:30 p.m. Program begins at 1 p.m. Jewish Community High School, 1835 Ellis Street. Jewish Community Library open on second floor. Free parking: enter parking area from Pierce Street. Los Altos Hills: Monday, Library opens at 7 p.m. Program begins at 7:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road Berkeley: Sunday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Berkeley-Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut Street, North Berkeley. Sun. February 15, Berkeley: The Jews of Singapore. Joan Beider, Senior Lecturer in Journalism at U.C. Berkeley. Don’t know of any family that lived in or came through Singapore? Intriguingly, there is a Lithuanian Jewish connection to Singapore as well as a fascinating surprise which Joan uncovered during the course of her research. Join us for this truly fascinating presentation. Mon. February 23, Los Altos Hills: New York City Genealogy: 19th and 20th Century Sources. Steve Harris, Ph.D, has spent his genealogical career tracking down relatives in New York City, both on site and online. He will share some of his lesser-known sources as well as new ways to use traditional approaches. Original source material will be available for use after the presentation. Sun. March 21, San Francisco: Program to be determined. Sun. April 18, Berkeley: Program to be determined. Mon. April 19, Los Altos Hills: Using Wills and Probate Records for Genealogical Research. Attorney Marc Seidenfeld will explain how these often overlooked documents can hold information and clues for genealogical research. Sun. May 16, San Francisco: Program to be determined. For the latest program information visit www.jewishgen.org/sfbajgs More Genealogy Events of Interest on Page 4 ZichronNote Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society President’s Message ZichronNote Perspectives on Past and Future Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area by Jeremy Frankel, SFBAJGS President Jewish Genealogical Society Another year has rolled by and there have been 2003 San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society events here and abroad that no one could have ZichronNote is published four times per year, in February, predicted — the war in Iraq, the election in California May, August and November. The deadline for contributions of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Governor, increased is the first of the month preceding publication. The editor internal security — just to name a few of the reserves the right to edit all submittals. Submissions may "biggies." As we shake our heads and wonder how be made by hard copy, 3-1/2 inch floppy disks or e-mail to this could be and how we are supposed to live in these [email protected]. challenging times, perhaps we forget that our Reprinting of material in ZichronNote is hereby granted ancestors lived in equally difficult times, if not worse. for non-profit use when there is no explicit limitation Wars were a common occurrence. Puppet leaders or and credit is given to the SFBAJGS and to the author(s). governments were often installed, and as for internal All other reproduction, including electronic publication, security, just think about ghettos and the Pale of without prior permission of the editor, is prohibited. Settlement. People Finder queries are free to Society members. Non- On the other hand I am pleased to report that the members may place queries for $5 each, limited to 25 words not including searcher’s name, address, telephone Society, unlike the State of California, is in good, if number and e-mail address. not great, shape. We are in the black. The board of directors is constantly aware of its responsibilities to Back Issues are available for $5 per issue. Requests the membership, and we continue to look at how we should be addressed to the SFBAJGS at the address can improve our services. We are now planning below. another interesting series of meetings for the year. Display Advertising is accepted at the discretion of the including our annual workshop at Congregation Beth editor. Rates per issue: business card-sized (3-1/2 x 2 inch)- Am in Los Altos Hills this fall. I would like to see us $10, quarter-page - $20, half-page - $35, full-page - $60. appearing (again) at both of this year's premier events Ads must be camera-ready and relate to Jewish genealogy. for Bay Area Jewry: Israel in the Ball Park and the Membership is open to anyone interested in Jewish Palo Alto Street Fair. Yes, this year the San Francisco genealogy. Dues are $23 per calendar year. The Society is tax- event that celebrates Israel Independence Day has exempt pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. Make outgrown Yerba Buena Gardens and is slated to take your check payable to “SFBAJGS” and send to: SFBAJGS, over SBC (formerly Pac Bell) Park! Membership, P.O. Box 471616, San Francisco, CA 94147. I should also remind members that the 2004 Society Address: International Conference on Jewish Genealogy will SFBAJGS, P.O. Box 471616, San Francisco, CA 94147 be held in Jerusalem. I know a number of them President: Jeremy Frankel, (510) 655-6669, intend to be there. [email protected] Looking further ahead, we have been invited by Vice President: Rosanne Leeson, [email protected] Recording Secretary: James Koenig, Congregation Beth Am to teach a series of classes in the spring of 2005. This will be similar to the [email protected] series we taught at Congregation Emanu-El in San Treasurer: Dana Kurtz, [email protected] Francisco a couple of years ago. This event will be Membership: Larry Burgheimer, (415) 566-5168, co-sponsored by the SFBAJGS and Beth Am. [email protected] Publicity: Jerry Jacobson, [email protected] Finally, some sad news. It's one thing that we spend Cemetery Project Chair: Sita Likuski, [email protected] hours researching the birth, marriage or death of Founder: Martha Wise long-ago ancestors; it's quite another matter when a member of the Society passes away. The SFBAJGS ZichronNote: is sad to report the passing of Jerome "Jerry" Editor: Beth Galleto, [email protected] Hamerman, of Menlo Park, who passed away on Proofreader: Naidia Woolf, [email protected] Christmas Eve. Jerry was a regular attendee at our South Bay meetings, and always had a point of SFBAJGS Web Site: www.jewishgen.org/sfbajgs interest to contribute at the meetings. We owe him more than a debt of gratitude. When Rosanne Leeson, our vice-president, announced in the spring of 2003 Continued on page 12 February 2004 Page 2 Volume XXIV, Number 1 ZichronNote Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society Welcome, New Members Frankel Re-elected to Head Richard [email protected] SFBAJGS Board; Walter Monasch............ [email protected] Revised By-laws Approved Russ Singer.............. [email protected] Jeremy Frankel was re-elected president of the Leonard and Marjorie [email protected] San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Nate and Melanie Einbund ......................unknown Society in the society’s recent election of officers. Rebekah [email protected] Rosanne Leeson was re-elected as vice president, Marsha Rivkind [email protected] James Koenig was re-elected as recording secretary, and Dana Kurtz as treasurer. Avram Miller................. [email protected] The revised By-laws submitted to the membership in the mail were also approved and E-mail Address Updates the mail vote ratified by a majority vote of members Louis [email protected] attending the January 18 meeting in San Francisco. Carole Dorshkind......... [email protected] Any member who wants a copy of the revised Hubert and Laurel Dubb......... [email protected] By-laws should contact Dana Kurtz at Jane Emanuel................ [email protected] [email protected]. Marcia [email protected] Louise [email protected] Martin Lefkovits.............. [email protected] Bounced E-mails Margot Strauss Parke..... [email protected] If your name is on the following list, messages Eva J. Ruben..................... [email protected] sent to your email address as listed in the Society Ernest Schneider ............ [email protected] roster bounced. Please send your new email Edward Schwartz.. [email protected] address to Beth Galleto at [email protected] so you can continue to receive notices from the Jane Schwartz............ [email protected] SFBAJGS. Gail Todd........................... [email protected] Fred Loewy, Martha Greene, Shirley Hausafus, Peter [email protected] Gerald Wagger, Irene Lowe, Les Shipnuck Are Your SFBAJGS Jewish Genealogy Month Dues Overdue? For the fifth consecutive year, the Jewish Membership dues for 2004 were payable on Genealogical periodical Avotaynu is sponsoring January 31, 2004. If you have not yet sent in your Jewish Genealogy Month. This year it is March renewal, please do so as soon as possible. 23-April 21, 2004, which corresponds to the Hebrew month of Nisan 5764—the Passover A yellow stripe across the mailing label of this issue season. In association with this event, Avotaynu means we have not yet received your payment. The has created a poster. This year’s theme is “This May issue of ZichronNote will be sent only to Year in Jerusalem,” which commemorates the members in good standing. return to Jerusalem of the International Please send your check for $23, made payable to Conference on Jewish Genealogy. “SFBAJGS,” to: The 2004 poster, as well as all its predecessors, SFBAJGS - Membership can be viewed at www.avotaynu.com/ P.O.