The Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society Volume XVI, Number 2 May 1996 LOCAL GENEALOGICAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS Meetings of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Sun May 19 San Francisco: Organizing your Genealogical Papers. Strategies for filing, storing and coordinating all those notes, documents, maps and other papers. Mon Jun 17 Palo Alto: Displaying Your Family Tree Data. (TentativeProgram) Sun Jul2 8 San Francisco (Note Date Change ): Highlights of the 15th International Summer Seminar on Jewish Genealogy. What's new, what's happening, and what are the latest developments in Jewish genealogy. Come hear the latest! Mon Aug 19 Palo Alto: RegularMeeting Sun Sep 8 San Francisco: RegnlarMeeting. (Note Date Change ) Mou Oct 21 Palo Alto: RegularMeeting Sun Nov 17 San Francisco: RegularMeeting. Mon Dee 16 Palo Alto: Regular Meeting Other Bay Area Genealogical Society Meetings May 8 East Bay GS: Resources at the CGS Library ,Jocelyn Moss, CGS Librarian, 10:OOAM Mormon Center, Oakland, Call EBGS at 51@6559047 May 11 California GS: CGS Library, 300 Brannan Suite 409, S.F. 11:WAM MELVYL , UC's on-line card catalog. CGS Computer Interest Group 1:30 PM A Closer Look at Sutro State Library, Bette Kot. May 28 JGS of Sacramento:Problem Solving Workshop ,Albert Einstein Residence Ctr. 7:W PM Arts & Crafts Room,1935 Wright St., Sacramento. Call 916-633-9557 June 1 San Mateo County GS: Photo Day. Copy your genealogical photos for $2.50/frame, Noo~-~:OOPM $25.00/roll. Call Cath at 415-3665059for appointment and information. (Continued on page 4) ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society ZichronNote Jonrnal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society Zchronhfe is published four times per year at the begnning This issue of Ztchrorflole was pro- of February, May, August, and November. Deadline for con- duced with the assistance of the SFBA tributions is the 15th of the month preceding publication. The JGS Editorial Board that studied your Editor reserves the right to ed~tall submittals. Contributions Survey responses and interpreted them in may be submitted on 3-112-inch floppy disks in either DOS or terms of content and format. please con- Macintosh format or e-mailed to [email protected] tact us with your comments, both positive Re~rintingofmaterial in ZichronNote is permitted when and negative to guide us in future issues. there is no explicit limitation and source athiburion is made. Our feature article, although not Famllv Finder queries are free to Society members. Non- ~M~tlygenealogy, should strike a reSpOn- members may place queries for $5.00 each limited to 25 words sive chord in the hearts of Jewish geneal- not including searcher's name, address and phone. ogists. It comprises abstracts from an ad- Corres~ondencerelating to publication items or requests dress by Israeli President Ezer Wdzman to for back issues, should be addressed to the Editor. the German Parliament and is rich with Production Note: This issue of ZichronNote was com- references to our German history and cul- posed on an Apple@Macintoshm LC 111, ClarisWorks '""V4.0 ture. software, and printed on an Appl&Stylewriter I1 printer. This issue also features a pair of arti- Advertising: Display advertising is accepted. The rate for a cles by Dan Leeson resulting from a trip 2-column-inch (3-112 x 2 inch, business card sized) insertion to Aisace that he and Rosanne recently will be $10.00 per issue, quarter-page ad $20.00, half-page ad In One Dan takes us On $35.00, full-page ad $KI.W.A~S must be camera-ready, relate a tour of Alsatian cemeteries, and in the to Jewish genealogy, and be in good taste. other he reviews a number of new sources Membershle in the SFBA JGS is open to anyone interest- for Alsatian research. ed in Jewish genealogy. Dues are $20.00 per calendar year. Not to neglect our East European The Society is 64exempt,,per section SOI(C)(~)the IRS readers. we recap a recent meeting talk code. Make check out to "SFBA JGS" and send to: Sherrill Ed Nute, of BLITZ Russian Baltic Infor- Laszlo, Treasurer, 34 Craig Ave., Piedmont, CA 9461 1. mation Center, and present a list of case Societv Address: files for Russian-Jewish immigrants en- SFBA JGS, PO ~0x471616,San Francisco, CA 94147 tering the U. s. through San Francisco. President: Dana L. Kurtz The flles were located in the National Ar- 415-921-6761, [email protected] chives PaclRc Sierra Branch in San Bruno Vice-president: Gayle Leyton and are now being cataloged. And we re- 415-397-01 10, [email protected] print an InfoFiIe by Stanley Diamond on Secretary: Marian Rubin Polish metrical registers. 415-668-3404, [email protected] Local resources are discussed by Ro- Treasurer: Shemll Laszlo sanne Leeson, the other half of that dyna- 510-655-6789, [email protected] mic duo. Rosanne describes public library Membership Chair: Sita Likuski resources and the value of the American 510-538-4249, [email protected] Jewish Yearbook to genealogists. Steve Program Chair:Gayle Leyon Stems & Barry Klezmer tell us how to get 415-397-0110, [email protected] Librarian: Judith Baston, 415-285-4616 age information from the Census Bureau. Founder/Historlan: Martha Wise, 415-564-9927 Continuing our interest in Jewish ge- ZichronNote Edltor: Robert Weiss neal0gy on the Internet, we recap a recent 4154%-1622, [email protected] demonstration of the kinds of material Meetin@ Odd-numbend months- 3rd Sunday of each available by member Bill Firestone. Please month, i:(X) PM at Fort Mason Center (Marina at Buchanan), share the address of your favorite Internet San Francisco. Even-numbered months- 3rd Monday of sites to [email protected] each month, 730 PM at Congregation Kol Emeth, 4175 Ma- publication in ZichronNote*and On our nuela Avenue (near Atastradero & Fmthill), Palo Alto. Web site. SFBA-JGS Web Site: http:llwww.jewishgen.orglsfbajgs Robert Weiss h4ay 19% Page 2 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society company on a trip to the Archives? Invite your neighbor. Please double-check your k*(i -...... ,.-?, k",. :," . : &'-, &'-, ...... "&,&&. intry in'ihe roster, and let us know-if . ^ ^ ,- <: ,.-. ., < ' .'",... . . ,- . . . .: ., wc've madc a mistake, or omitted infor- 01996 Dana L. ~uriz mation. Recently, you received our Surname/ Many thanks to Sita Likuski and Sher- Place Index and Membership Roster. The rill Stem Laszlo for their efforts in coor- Society has many new members, and it dinating this useful and great looking has been two years since our last listing publication. was published. With over 1,000 surname As always, please do not hesitate to entries, and many more town listings, contact me by e-mail, phone, or mail. take the time to give the Index a good look. Welcome New Members Read the surname listing with an We welcome the following new members open mind. Consider spelling variations who joined our society since February. and the obstacles inherent in translating We hope to see you at our meetings and from Polish, Yiddish, etc. into English. work-shops and that you wUl enjoy the For example, the Russian "G" often many benefits of membership. Please feel translated as an English "H". Thus, free to communicate your feelings, com- "Gersh..." may have become "Hirsch...". ments, suggestions and needs to our of- Be flexible with suffixes which may reflect flcers, in person, by telephone, mail or e- only regional differences: chuklczyk. mail. vitch/wicz/witz, etc. Similarly, "Zimmer" may have been "Cyrner". Karen & Gerald Apell Alameda Holly Cartier Fremont As we get more involved with re- searching our ancestral towns, it is easy Lois Clauson Oakland to neglect the nearby communities that Erica Duddy San Francisco made up the region, Often, our families Jim Hannum San Rafael were quite mobile for reasons of work, Vivian Kahn Oakland marriage, etc. Therefore, we cannot over- Ava Mack San Rafael look the geography of the area: With con- Howard & Eleanor Miller San Francisco sideration given to the density of the re- Teri Pettit Menlo Park Harold Raphael Aptos gion, learn the names of shtetls within Rochelle Schwartz San Mateo perhaps, a 30 mile radius of your town. Know the names of the sizable cities Melanie Spiegelman Foster City within the guberniya (province], and know Jayson Wechter San Francisco the guberniya! Have a feel for your place Charles Weinstein San Mateo on the map. With the help of Where Once E-Mail Address Updates We Walked and the Where Once We Dan Goodman: Dan [email protected] Walked Companion, this is a fairly easy David Lui: [email protected] task. Contrary to what many of us were Received told, most of our ancestral towns do ex- Book Donations ist, albeit without most likely, their Jew- Two copies of an excellent book have ish populations. Check a present-day recently been donated to our library. map. Be prepared to recognize neighboring Atlas of the Holocaust by Martin Gilbert towns when they are mentioned. contains text and 3 16 annotated maps Next year we hope to be able to in- outlining the phases of W.W. I1 in Europe clude a listing by town. If you have sug- and its impact on many Eastern Euro- gestions for a concise format, please let pean shtetls. us know. Our thanks to Walter Mrestone for the hardbound copy, and to new members The Membership Roster is valuable too. and Need a ride to a JGS meeting or want Karen Rae Gerald ApeU for the soft- cover volume.
May 19% Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Donations Received for JGS Special Conferences and Seminars Projects (Since February) *May 8-11: National Genealogical So- Larry Tesler supporting ciety, 1996 Conference in the States. Jim Hannum Contributing Nashville, TN with special attention to Rebekah Sachs Contributing Tennessee and eight surrounding states. Write NGS Nashville '96 Conference, 4527 Donations Made by the SFBA JGS 17th Street N., Arlington, VA 22027-2399, The SFBA JGS recently sent contribu- or call 703-525-0050. tions totaling $310 to several institu- Jun 9-12: International Conven- tions which serve as important resources tion on East and Central European Ce- for our members' research . The Holo- nealogy, Federation of East European caust Center of Northern California re- Genealogical Societies (FEEFHS). Thun- ceived a donation to be used for the pur- derbird Hotel and Convention Center, chase of either the Gedenkbuch or the Minneapolis, MN. For information send new edition of the Gathering of Holocaust SASE to FEEFHS Conference, P. 0. Box Survivors. The National Archives, San 624, South St. Paul, MN 55075-0624 Bruno, received a donation for the pur- .July 14-19: Boston: Beacon of Her- chase of passenger arrival lists. Other or- itage 15th Annual International Summer ganizations receiving contributions are Seminar on Jewish Genealogy, Park Plaza the Western Jewish History Center of the Hotel, Boston. This is the place to go, Judah L. Magnes Museum, the Friends of learn, and network. Details may be found the Jewish Community Library and Jew- in the February 1996 issue of ZichronNote. ishGen- the Internet site for Jewish Ge- Registration for the Summer Seminar is nealogy. SFBA JGS has received warm $1 15 if received before May 14, and $150 acknowledgments from the recipients. thereafter. The Registration Form was printed in the Fall 1995 issue of Bay Area Meetings "Avotaynu",and in other JGS publica- (continued from page 1) tions. To receive a copy of the registration -Sat June 1: Genealogical and His- form, write to Carol Baker, 7 Wiswall Cir- torical Council of Sacramento Valley cle, Wellesley, MA 02 181. Phone (617) :TOOLSto Build your Family History , 237-6369, FAX (617)237-1039, or e-mail Sacramento City College Cafeteria, 3835 73663.1637@kompuse~e.com Freeport Blvd., Sacramento. AU-day Ses- For more information, contact the sion from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Call Iris Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Carter Jones at 916-428-2245 for infor- Boston, P.O. Box 610366, Newton High- mation and reservations. lands. MA 02161. or call (617) 283-8003. *Wed Jun 12: East Bay GS, NEHCS For the most up-to-date info on the Sum- and What those Letters Mean to You , mer Seminar, visit World Wide Web Jane Knowles Lindsey. Trustee of the New htt~:/ /www.tewish~en.or~/seminar.html England HGS, 10:OO AM at the Mormon .Aug 14-17: In Your Ancestors' Zm- Center, Oakland, EBGS Tel510-655-9047 age Federation of Genealogical Societies' .Sat Jun 29: The Old City Cemetery 1996 National Conference in Rochester. Committee of the Sacramento County HS NY. Write to FGS Conference, P. 0.Box presents Fcunily History Day , 10:OO AM 830220, Richardson, TX 75083-0220, or to 3:00 PM at the Cemetery. Broadway at call 2 14-907-9727. 10th Street, Sacramento. Call 916-448-0811 Jewish Genealogical Tours *SunJul 7: California Special Inter- Oct 17-23: Jewish Genealogical Re- est Group of the CGS wIll meet at 1:30 search Trip to Salt Lake City with Gary PM at the CGS Library, 300 Brannan Mokotoff and Eileen Polakoff. Write SLC Street. Suite 409. San Francisco. Genealogy Trip, 155 N. Washington Ave- nue, Bergenfleld. NJ 0762 1 or call 20 1- 387-38 18 for information.
May 19% Page 4 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote- Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
I The {ullwtng now wem Liken br WbWtrs~du~~~ig the mM?llng, and hupplcmenl brtx!hm i~itum&tuun abut 31JTZ 1 P ~uh!ishhdAY DUY 01 (hC mrctine unounmmcnc 'm mae 6 our Februur~I'M &rh
BLITZ field representatives operate tain stigmas associated with Jewish- primarily out of the Russian State Histor- owned businesses. Mr. Nute was not fa- ic Archives in St. Petersburg, Russia. The miliar with "revision lists". Archive is the largest pre-revolutionary Documenhy materials concerning (pre-19 17) repository of Russian Empire the Baltics and the towns of the Russian documents. It includes a computerized Empire shed light on the Jewish history of register with an annotated listing of the those areas. Maps and plot records of 7 million record groups. Records found small towns identify the location and ow- generally span the period of the early nership of houses in the town. Newspa- 1880's to 1917.BLITZ publishes a series pers document events in the lives of our of lists of the contents of the Archive ancestors that flll out the bare skeletons which are filed by branch of the Czarist of our genealogical names and dates, eg: administration. accounts of fires or brawls in a tavern BLITZ pretty much restricts its activi- that may have been owned by a Jew. ties to the St. Petersburg Archive and gen- Military records are being published, erally has minimal contact with other ar- starting with Russian Navy personnel list- chives (except Kirovohrad, where they ings and Army records obtained from Mos- have a contact). cow. BLITZ can search these records for BLITZ does not depend upon the Ar- living relatives. An excellent handout was chives for doing its genealogical research, given summarizing Jewish genealogical re- but hires archivists on a free-lance basis. search sources in Russia. These specialists on Polish, Russian and Negative reports listing sources con- Jewish records produce copies of docu- sulted are provided in those cases where ments and do research and write reports no information is found. The per-record for their clients. Within the last few years cost is $3.50 for St. Petersburg records. greater familiarity with Jewish sources The last partof Ed Nute's presenta- and language enables researchers to per- tion concerned (with some help from John form research for Jewish clients. Movius) LDS Aiming of Russian and Uk- Ed Nute discussed the types of records rainian records. The FEEFHS Web page found to be useful in Jewish research. has an excellent paper by Kahlile Mehr of Jewish records are found that document the LDS FHL on Russian records. Refer- Jewish communities, societies, trade ences were made to the paper by Thomas unions, schools, Rabbinic commissions, Edlund on the status of LDS fllming in cultural museums, literature, art, histori- Eastern Europe (Vol. 3, No. 3 FEEFHS cal societies, synagogues and charitable Newsletter on the Web). Filming is cur- societies Other records concerning work- rently being done in L'viv, Minsk and St. ers' movements, martyrs lists, and religi- Petersburg, but not in Moscow. ous conversion support Jewish research. BLITZ has a Web page on the In "palace towns" Jews had to register FEEFHS server, and can be accessed at: with the police, and police records are a httw I1 valuable source of family information dcn.davis.ca.us1 -FEEFHS 1frcblitz.html even when primary metrical records may To obtain further information, contact not be available. Business registers are BLITZ at 907 Mission Avenue, San Rafael, normally a good source of genealogical in- CA 94901.E-mail [email protected] formation, except that Jews often regis- Tel: 415-453-3579.FAX: 415-453-0343. tered in a non-Jew's name to avoid cer-
May 19% Page 5 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
A great list of Internet sites can be gogue as it is today! In preparing for a trip found at: [email protected] (' ) to Lithuania, I found a narrative describ- or genie/[email protected]/URLs.htmlwith ing an interminable wait to cross the Pol- links to all of them. If you have difficulty ish border, a suggestion to drink Lithua- accessing a site, it may be busy, have nian beer rather than water, and a refer- moved, be down for maintenance etc. Try ence to the modem publication Yerusha- again later. For an excellent "introductory layirn de Lita. course" about the Internet, try: Phonebooks/Directoriea /Reference www.brandonu .ca/ -ennsnr/ Resources / Ro There are two general types of directo- ad ma^/ welcome.html ries on-line today; e-mail addresses, and Deflnitione telephone numbers. The e-mail listings URL: Universal Resource Locator-an In- are a good way to find people with a com- ternet address. mon surname, or flnd out if someone Link: a word / phrase/ icon, usually under- you've lost track of has e-mail. These list- lined and in a different color, that will ing are largely incomplete: Most are miss- jump you to that Internet address (URL). ing corporate e-mail addresses, and AOL/ Download: Copying a fllelprogram from h-odigy type listings among others. the Internet to your computer. The "phonebooks" include numerous JewlehGen international white and yellow pages, but For the Jewish genealogist JewishGen often appear to be years out of date! But www.iewisheen.org- has unparalleled re- these are all great places to start! sources. But the genealogist utilizing the Don't forget the many U.S. govern- Internet should not overlook a wide varie- ment web pages, such as the post omce: ty of other available "tools". You can easily And zip codes and more. Search Engines Software A search engine creates an index for a Type "genealoe + software" into a large group of databases or Web pages. No search engine for a wide range of software two search engines "search" precisely the available to be downloaded, often from the same databases. Therefore, use more than manufacturer's Web site. The makers of one for each search you do. both Reunion and Family Tree Maker offer When using search engines Yahoo, demo programs (modified versions of their AltaVlsta, Web Crawler, etc., type in the retail product), while Brother's Keeper is a key word you wish to search on, for exarn- full-version shareware program. ple "Warsaw". When you click
May 19% Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Palo Alto Public Library (Main) . , , .,._I-, .,. ,.> ' ' '.i .,- &. .,. . ..., - . . ,..% San Francisco Public Library (Main) . . . , . .. .; .. : , . .. . Stanford University Libraries A Midden Gotf2miae- Stanford University Libraries American Jewish Yearbook UC Davis (Main) by Rosanne Leeson There is a treasure trove of information There is a not-too-well-known re- waiting for you in these volumes. Take a source for those of us laboring in the look! fields of Jewish genealogy that I would like to call to your attention. I am refer- Some Resources at the ring to the American JewkhYearbook, an Santa Clara County Public Library annual publication which first saw the by Rosanne Leeson light of day in September 1899, under the Here is a list of some useful genea- auspices of the Jewish Publication Society logical tools that can be found in the of America. Santa Clara County Library system. These As its name implies it is a review of items may be borrowed for three weeks. No the year's events relating to Jewish mat- renewals are allowed, but reserves may be ters in America and other countries. Each placed. volume contains important directory and *SocialSecurity Death Index. 1937- statistical information, as well as special 1993; available on CD-ROM (MacIPC) at articles, biographies, necrologies and bib- the following libraries: Los Altos, Cuper- liographies. Here are a few examples of tino, Saratoga, Milpitas, Gilroy the kinds of information one can flnd: *Phone Search - USA; currently on order -Jews in the U.S. Army and Navy for Milpitas, Gilroy (some World War I statistics) It is anticipated that a Wide-Area -Biographical sketches of Rabbis and Network (WAN) will be established from cantors omciating in the U.S. in 5664 the Headquarters in San Jose, and that a (85pp.I full four-disc phone list will then be avail- -A table of pogroms from 1903-6 able, as a Menu item, at every Public Ac- (55pp.) cess Catalog in the County Library! This -Directories of national and local or- is still in the planning stages however. ganizations Also, there are three Satellite Ofnces -Statistics of Jews (population, immi- of the County Recorder, at three of the gration to U.S. and Canada) County Libraries. When the Recorder is Articles are extensive and informa- present in the omce, one has access to tive, and obviously earlier editions con- the microfiche of California Death and tinue to have great reference value. Vo- marriage Indexes, 1960-These libraries, lume 40 includes a subject index to spe- and the days and hours that the Recorder cial articles in v. 1-40, and volume 83 a is at each, are as follows: similar index for v.5 1-82. Many syna- MILPITAS- Monday 12:OOpm - 9:OOpm gogues, JCC, religious schools and Public (Closed for lunch 3:30-4pm) Libraries contain volumes. Contact the LOS ALTOS - Thursday, 12:OOpm - one nearest to you! 8:OOpm (Closed for lunch 3:30-4pm) While checking a library database re- CAMPBELL - Friday, 10:OOam - cently, I became aware that there are a 5:30pm (Closed for lunch 1:30 - 2pm) number of libraries, right here in the Bay In addition to the above three libra- Area, that have the complete runs of this ries, the Cupertino Libraq also has the invaluable resource. For your convenience California Birth, Death and Maniage index- I list them here: es, 1960-. Ask at the Reference Desk. Berkeley Public Library (Main) These microfiche items are NOT North Bay Cooperative Library System available to be borrowed, but are only for (Solano) reference use at the individual libraries.
May 1996 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
The Census Bureau provides an "age search Mentallv incompetent persons - Information service to the public. They will search confi- regarding these persons may be obtained dential records from the Federal population upon the written request of the legal repre- censuses of 1910 to 1990 and issue an official sentative, supported by a copy of the court transcript of the results (for a congressional- order naming such legal representation. ly-mandated fee). Deceased persons - the application must Individuals can use these transcripts, be signed by (1) a blood relative in the imme- which may contain information on a per- diate family (parent, child, brother, sister, son's age, sex, race, State or country of birth, grandparent), (2) the surviving wife or and relationship to the householder, as evi- husband, (3) the administrator or executor dence to quallfy for social security and other of the estate, or (4) a beneficiary by will or in- retirement benefits, in making passport ap- surance. plications, to prove relationship in settling IN ALL CASES INVOLVING DECEASED estates, in genealogy research, etc., or to satis- PERSONS, a copy of the death certificate fy other situations where a birth or other MUST be provided and the relationship to certificate may be needed but is not available. the deceased MUST be stated on the applica- Information can be released to the named tion. Legal representatives MUST also furn- person, their heirs, or legal representatives. ish a copy of the court order naming such le- Details and/or application furnished gal representatives, and beneficiaries MUST upon request. Contact Mary Lee Eldridge at furnish legal evidence of such beneficiary mary [email protected]. evidence. *RESULTS: An official census transcript Age Search Fad Sheet will list the person's name, relationship to *FEE REQUIRED: $40 for a search of one household head, age at the time of the cen- census for one person only. Personal checks sus, and state of birth. Citizenship will be and money orders accepted. No credit cards. provided if the person was foreign born. *YEARS SEARCHED: 1910 through 1990. Single items of data such as occupation (for *ACCESS: Census records with individu- Black Lung cases) can be provided upon re- al names are not on computer. They are on quest. If a person is not found, a form will be microfilm, arranged according to address at sent with that information. the time of the census. Additional data on the same person (Full *REQUIRED: A completed Form BC-600 Schedule) - The Full Schedule is the com- "Application for Search of Census Records", plete one line entry of personal data recorded signed by the person for whom the search is for that individual ONLY. This will be fur- to be conducted. This person may authorize nished in addition to the regular transcript. the results to be sent to another person or There is an additional charge of $10.00 for agency by also completing item 3 of the ap- each Full Schedule. They are not available plication. for 1970,1980, and 1990. Minor children - Information regarding a *TIME INVOLVED: The normal process- child who has not yet reached the legal age ing time is 3 to 4 weeks. Cases are processed of 18 may be obtained by written request of on a first in, first out basis. Passport and oth- either parent or guardian. A guardian must er priority cases can be processed in a week or provide a copy of the court order naming less. To expedite, send by Next-Day Air and them as such. enclose a pre-paid Express return envelope. Applications can be faxed to you.
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SMOlIOj OyM Mal %U!~EI~W~MI2 UXt? 1 peq day1 J! se saalasurayl p.wBaz lsnur uog -umwal I YJ~M -e~auaBhraaa tq s~a[ne +ng.aI!xa 01 apxa 01 pue awoJ I ~J%Mm04 %oq uaaq peq I uroij 'hluno~03 hrlunoz- uro.xj salelB!ur O~M alayM pue papxa uaaq pey I aJuayM lCquno~ ~alBqlapm~ e xaBuo1 ou ure I .pmlauroy aq 'IaexsI jo pm? aq03 paqeB!ura pw '~es qayl paysgqqsaas pue 04 paurnla3 s~ai -1eM u! paI1aqaa 'eqmlqaxJ. U! pajexauwq ay~uayM 'e~a+ea~% sq o~q saue~odura~uo~ SPM I .nauysw u! K~pre~Kur is01 pue uam dw pm aur palangap leq ale3 se~$I,, ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society horrors of Kristallnacht; from the badge of protect our lives." shame to the yellow patch; from Martin "I speak not only of military prowess Luther's anti-Semitic missives to the Nur- and material assets. In the last century, since emberg Laws, from the commentaries of we returned to our country, we have built Rashi to the poems of Heinrich Heine; Rab- more than villages and towns, factories and beinu Gershom, the Light of the Exile; barns, shops and army bases. We have also Walther Rathenau; Martin Buber; Franz Ro- installed democratic governance and built a senzweig; Albert Einstein - these are only massive cultural and educational system: some of the names that this country has schools, research institutes, libraries, mu- known. Among the millions of my people's seums, conservatories, and universities. But children whom the Nazis led to their deaths, transcending all of these -- which exist in any there were other names that we might have civilized state -- we have wrought a unique uttered here today with the same degree of cultural miracle: the revival of our language, esteem and admiration. But we do not know the Hebrew language. It is the language in their names. How many unwritten books which I am speaking to you now, the lan- died with them? How many uncomposed guage which, more than anything else, sym- symphonies suffocated in their throats? bolizes and attests to our revival. How many scientific discoveries did not ma- We and our language are alive. We ture in their intellects? Every one of them who have arisen from the ashes, and the was killed twice: once as a child led by the language that waited in the shrouds of Torah Nazis to the camps, and again as the adult he scrolls and between the pages of the prayer- or she might have been. The Nazis stole books, are alive. The language that was them not only from their families and their whispered in prayer only, that was read only people, but from the whole of humankind. I, in synagogues, that was sung only in liturgy, as President of the State of Israel, can grieve that was shrieked in the gas chambers -- in for them and commemorate them, but I can- the prayer "Shma Yisrael" -- has been re- not forgive in their name. I can only de- vived. I know that German is richer than mand that you, members of the Bundestag Hebrew in many ways, but I do not lack the and Bundesrat, with full cognizance of the words to express my feelings, nor have Jews past, set your minds to the future. It is yours ever lacked words to express their faith, love, to discern any manifestation of racism, dreams, yearnings, and hopes. quash every expression of neo-Nazism, We have developed a suitable vocabu- know how to idenkfy these phenomena lary for our special needs. We await, we courageously, and expunge them from your yearn, we desire, we anticipate, we long for, midst, lest they grow and spread." we hope, we thirst, we crave, we imagine.... I "Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen: stop here in order to apologize to the inter- for more than a century of Zionist endeavor, preters in case they find it hard to select the we have hoped for this peace and struggled right words. to achieve it. We did not return to our bor- These two cadavers, revived after so ders in warships; we did not march home many years - the Jewish state and the He- waving spears. We returned in convoys of brew language -- are the very essence of our dreamers and in boats of oppressed refugees. lives in this century. In this of all centuries, We returned, and, like our forefather King which observed us devastated and dead, we David who purchased the Temple Mount, have risen again. And we now use this lan- and our patriarch Abraham who bought the guage, which in exile we used to speak to Cave of Makhpela, we bought land, we God only, to speak to each other. sowed fields, we planted vineyards, we built We still pray in Hebrew, but now we houses, and even before we achieved state- also use it to speak, to write, to work and stu- hood, we were already bearing weapons to dy, to argue, to court each other, and to sing.
May 19% Page 10 Volume XVI. Number 2 ZichronNote- Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
And the miracle is all the greater because if Malcolm H. Stem NARA Gift Fund Isaiah, Solomon, and Jesus were here today, by Gary Mokotoff they would understand what I am saying Feb 17,1996 just as I and my daughter and grandchildren There is a marvelous picture of the late understand their words., svokenL and written Rabbi Malcolm H. Stem on the Web at and preserved in the same language thou- htb:I/ genealom.org/- - ~af1wwwlnara. This is sands of vears ago. the Web site of the NARA Gift Fund. Last ~r.'~resid&t,Madam and Mr. Speaker, year, at my suggestion, the Genealogical Co- dignitaries: I thank you again for your hospi- ordinating Committee renamed the GCC- tality to my wife and myself and to our staff. NARA Gift Fund, the Malcolm H. Stem With your permission, I would like to end NARA Gift Fund. This fund, now managed with a Biblical verse of hope and peace. My by the Federation of Genealogical Societies, forebears described peace with a Hebrew ex- was created by Malcolm as a method for the pression that every farmer in the Middle genealogical community to make contribu- East has experienced first-hand: "every man tions to the U.S. National Archives and under his vine and under his fig tree." This Records Administration for creating finding is a handsome expression, but it is no longer aids and microfilming of valuable research sufficient to rest in the shade of one's vine materials of interest to genealogists. or under the branches of one's fig tree. Peace Some of the projects have included has to be dynamic, not quiescent. It must filmiig of the Canadian border crossings, propel us into the fifth millennium of our Galveston arrival records and street indexes history, into the twenty-first century, where to the 1910 census. Equally important, be- new cultural, educational, technological, sci- cause these projects are placed on microfilm, entific, and agricultural challenges await us. the LDS (Mormon) Family History Library Today's Israel, with its large influx of gets copies and makes them available at their immigrants, its economic momentum, the Family History Centers throughout the peace accords, should and can reclaim its po- world. sition as the predominant cultural center of the Jewish people. YIVO Information We have invested too much time, re- The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research sources, and physical and psychological ef- is the preeminent repository of library and fort in the battlefield. Now we have work to archival materials on the history and culture do in our schools, research institutes, work- of Eastern European Jewry and their de- shops, and laboratories. Our true aspirations scendants in the United States. Due to the reside there, not in the battlefield. Our very small size of our staff, we are not able to pro- essence is anchored in study and education. vide individual responses to the many ge- Jewish ethics has always preferred the pen to nealogical inquiries that we receive. Instead, the sword, and as a former soldier, believe we would like to pass along a few pointers, me, it is not easy for me to say such a thing. to assist you in your research. Ladies and gentlemen, we are a people YIVWs new (interim) address: 555 West of memory and prayer. We are a people of 57th St. (corner of llth Ave.), llth Floor, words and hope. We have neither estab- New York, NY 10019. Tel: 212-535-6700. lished empires nor built castles and palaces. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:30AM- We have only placed words on top of each 5:30PM. Portions of the collections will not other. We have fashioned ideas; we have be readily accessible until YIVO moves into built memorials. We have dreamed towers our new building at the end of 1996. Please of yearnings -- of Jerusalem rebuilt, of Jeru- call for an appointment. Closed Fridays, salem united, of a peace that will be swiftly weekends, Jewish and civil holidays. and speedily established in our days. Amen. (YIVO handout, 2/ 1996)
May 19% Page 11 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Russian-born Jewish. Immigrants to Maber. Haim 16363132-2 1889 Sari Francisco, 1915-1919 Markovich, Morduh 151 53139-8 1892 Mazarikavitz. Wilhelm 15354123-13 1906 Last. Flrst B Mddle Name Case# Birth Date Mazarikavitz. Wilheim 15354123-2 1906 Alanovlvh, Jasif 14662129-4 Mazarikavitz, Wilhelm 15354123-3 1906 Allik, Johann 17146/27-21 1880 Mazarikavitz, Wilhelrn 15354123-4 1906 Allik, Johann 17148\27-22 1880 Mazarikavitz, Wilhelm 15354123-1 1906 Aranberg, Frederick 16588112-1 1880 Melarsky, Davis 1565012-32 1875 Babrovski, Meyer Hirch Yankel 15153139-1 1894 Meshell. Menagh 14776121-10 1888 Bayefsky. Feiga 16778125-3 1901 Miller. Davis 1465012-23 1875 16778125-4 1901 Bayefsky, Feiga Mirsky, Josef 1530715-28 1892 Bayefsky Feiga 16778125-5 1901 Mordin, Israel 17072119-2 1902 Baudoin. Yonkel 16842/25-18 1915 Naber, Chairn 16363132-2 1889 Beloff, Leonty 14708117-3 1886 Naber. Kairn 16363132-2 1889 Bogdonas, Joseph 1694918-1 1901 Paratky, Ellis 1478215-22 1894 Brussilufsky, David Gerch 1530715-20 1894 Perry. E. 1478215-22 1894 Chaikin, Abram 15153/39-16 1898 Polikowsky, Nordoch 1483514-14 1894 Chorrim. Vendil 1483514-26 1887 Punchnik, Brucha 16723139-18 1893 Divanovsky, Mary 17417122-7 1868 Rather. Genesha 14776121-12 1890 Elterman, Elia 1678212-6 1863 Rausa. Joseph R. 1673515-1 1876 Mman. Elia 1678212-7 1863 Reiss, Ziska 1645114-8 1910 Enman. Elia 1678212-8 1863 Rose. Joseph R. 1673515-1 1876 Essin, Yakao 15153/39-30 1894 Schneeveis. Lebe 14708117-3 1886 Faingold, lsaak 1494912-17 1897 Selifonoff. Yefin 1692111-1 1883 Feldman. Joseph 17279119-4 1861 Shefrin. Soza 1645116-12 1902 Filliurln Robert 14975113-3 1912 Shefrin. Soza 1645116-13 1902 Friedman. Noah 16723139-19 1909 Shefum, Jacob 1478215-14 1894 Friiman, Noich 16723139-19 1909 Shineder, Zlota 16636131-16 1894 Gamiyky. Ber 14676121-2 1895 Shten, Samuel 14776121-4 1896 Gawilin. Mickail 1546012-9 1887 Sinelnifoff. Simon Yankell 15153140-1 1887 Gertsen, Boris 1478215-7 1896 Srebnik, Elia 15153139-9 1886 Giller, Motel 1467618-5 1892 Srebnik, Eller Srulalter 15153139-9 1886 Gondis, Clara 16243116-1 1871 Srebuick, Elia 15153139-9 1886 Granow, Heim 1483514-12 1880 Strenoffsky, Isak 1483514-26 1887 Graudin, Austm 16551/3-15 1899 Strupinsky, Sara 16269l7-17 1901 GreenfieM, Banick 1465017-12 1888 Strupinsky, Sara 1626917-18 1901 Greenstein, Klairn-ZNI Davidovick 15153/39-23 1889 Tokareff. Niakendra 1537512127 1902 Haitovich, Abram 1518914-9 1891 Urbanowitch, Dorninterlia 1673514-17 1874 Heyde, Magaretha 1570113-11 1905 Vodniak, lonia 16472118-3 1900 Hoslevsky, lzrail 14948118-11 1894 Vodniak, lonia 16472118-4 1900 Ivanoff. Andrew 17546123-1 1908 Winkler, Christian 1726715-26 1862 Ivanoff, Nicolas 17546Q3-1 1908 Yampolsky, Mordehai 1571011 1-1 1870 Kagan, Yankel Moses 15153/39-30 1894 Yampolsky, Mordehai 1571011 1-3 1870 Kanei. Fgeny 14782/5-12 1897 Yarnpolsky. Mordehai 1571011 1-2 1870 Kaplin, Samuel 14676121-2 1895 Yankel, Tandet 14948118-3 1898 Kauk. Olga 15643112-2 1910 Yogolevitch, Paul 16363127-2 1902 Knjajivsky, Asa 14725132-22 1B88 Yossiphovitch, Shermen 16842/28-30 1902 Lekin. Pinhus 14776117-4 1887 Yotkoff. Ludwig 1692111-2 1885 Leman. Anred 1683211-31 1879 Yuda, Kane 14725132-24 1896 Levitas. Leif 1530715-20 1894 Zalrnon, Zaliman 14776121-20 1891 Levitta, Nathan 14782/2-30 1892 Zeidei, Moisher 16742118-5 1901 Liberman, Moses 14776121123 1893 Zelmanovich. Leonty 14776117-3 1867 Lobatch. Natalia 15354123.6 1894 Zepurner, Wassilie 1684612-3 1906 Lurnelski. Moruh 15153139-8 1892 Luntsu, Zalirnan 14776121-20 1891 Copyright 1996 JewishGen, Inc.
May 19% Volume XVI, Number ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
A Visit to Alsatian Cemeteries by Dan Leeson, Los Altos. CA [email protected]> Thls 1s an abridged acccnrnt of the recent visit by members Dan and Rosanne heson to 43sace. Dan's observations on Jewish cemeteries in Alsace can probably be extended to dther European ( countries See also his "New Resources for Alsatian Research" in the Book Reviews sectlan. During my trip to Alsace, I visited 6 graves dating to the 1600s. cemeteries in France and 2 in Germany. Strangely, the stones that toppled The whole experience left me despondent. over (inscription side down) are the most The analogy of the physical locations of fortunate as their memorial and genealog- the cemeteries and the social situation of ical information is often preserved. This is the Jews is striking. As the Jewish com- not dissimilar to Jewish tombstones tak- munities were kept apart from their en by Nazis and used as paving stones for Christian neighbors, so were their ce- village streets and/or building material: meteries physically isolated. Invariably i.e., when placed face down, or used in a one must go to the edge or out of town to building interior, their longevity (thus the Jewish cemeteries, while the Chris- readability) is greatly extended. I don't tian cemeteries in Alsatian (and German) suggest that such use of Jewish tomb- villages of this area are literally in the stones is meritorious, only that an acci- center of town, invariably next to the dental benefit is the preservation of some church. They are well cared for, free of few, precious stones. weeds, never desecrated, easily found. The next cemetery visited was the simply visited, and well-documented. The small, relatively new one in Obernai. This, Jewish cemeteries are hard to find, dim- among all the cemeteries visited, is not cult or impossible to enter without prepa- isolated. Being newer, the site was chosen ration as they may be walled, locked, many years after restriction on where poorly cared for (with exceptions), des- Jews could bury their dead was in force. ecrated, and poorly or not documented. Entrance was restricted by a high wall On my first visit to the medium sized and locked front gate. We obtained the town of Selestat (Between Strasbourg and key from a person in the village, although Colmar) 15 years ago, I simply could not it is best to call the Mairle (or town hall) a find the large Jewlsh cemetery- it is off few days before your visit, to determine the main highway and quite invisible un- who has the key and to make arrange- ttl one is close. Today, as the government ments. has begun to post signs pointing to Jew- In Fegersheim, just outside of Stras- ish cemeteries, a road sign exists on NS3 bourg, the cemetery was in such awful (the main northfsouth highway) pointing shape that it was tenible to visit. There is to the "Cimitiere Israelite". Still in use. desecration (including swastikas on the since the late middle ages, it remains easy inside of a shed on cemetery property), to miss. The caretaker lives in a house and there has been considerable land ero- next door, and opens the cemetery daily sion. Some tombs have had water course except on shabbat and yom tovim. Perhaps under the stone slabs covering the graves, because I told him there would be many and a large hole perhaps a foot or more visitors in the next two weeks (due to a deep, is often present. That is not very far mini-reunion), the grass, in some places 2 from where the corpse (or what is left of feet high, was suddenly cut in many ar- it) remains. This cemetery is locked and eas. Andre Haenel of Selestat has a graves walled. A sign on the gate directs one to registration book which begins in the inquire at the "Fondation Elisa" for the mid-19th century, although there are key. There was no address or telephone
May 1996 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society number, but inquiries led us to a Jewish town. It was locked, and the key was said home for the aged about 1-2 miles north to be in the Rathaus of Nonnenweir. It of the cemetery. There, (the "Foundation was while looking at this old Jewish ce- Elisa"), we got the key in the kitchen. metery in the middle of a cornfield that I Nice place, beautifully managed, kosher, became most depressed at the thought of and very orthodox. Paradoxically, burials what we once had, and what happened to continue in that cemetery whfle the older it. While we did not visit the cemetery of portions continue to erode, and whfle the tiny town of Eichstetten this trip, we desecration levels many older stones. did communicate with the Jewish Com- The cemetery of Grussenheim, like munity of Karlsruhe and were told that most of the others, is isolated and located the long-lost graves registration document only by the signs that say "Stele" of the Jewish cemetery is in their posses- (monuments),which is confusing as there sion. Happy days! My depression went is also a French military cemetery in away. For those planning a visit to ce- town. There is the standard problem of meteries of this region, I strongly suggest getting in, as it is walled and locked. At a hat (there is no protection from the the city hall (Mairie of Grussenheim), we sun), shears to cut away brush, and a were told the key was in the possession of strong knowledge of how to photograph or Mme. Schweinmacher (that's right-and take rubbings of old and badly faded don't blame me), on the Rue du Doub, tombstones. A final point on tombstone opposite the site where the synagogue architecture. As one visits 6 or 8 cemeter- stood until destroyed by Nazis, and near ies of a region, the various styles that the Rue des Juifs (Jew's Street). Her very were in use in a large geography emerge. strong Alsatian accent made the call dim- and more important, one begins to under- cult, but she was very helpful, gave us the stand why certain styles and architectures key, and we completed the visit. The visit have been complete failures, at least in to two German cemeteries topped off our terms of memorializing the dead. The visit. The largest and oldest in the area, is greatest failure is that which placed the just out-side the village of Schmieheim, memorial information on relatively thin 1" which is cheek by jowl to Altdorf. about plaques (often black obsidian or white 15 miles north of Freiburg, just south of marble) and then afRxed the plaques to Kippenheim, which restored its synagogue "generic" tombstones. When new, they are in the last 10 years (where we had lunch quite beautiful, and the writing will re- at a Greek restaurant). The cemetery is main clear for centuries. However, the the center of considerable activity because plaques will not stay afRxed for very long, all of the stones have been photographed perhaps a centuxy, rarely longer, due to and a book, in German and Hebrew, is the weather. Water gets behind the being prepared by NaftaU bar-Giora Bam- plaques, freezes and causes an impercep- berger. It may also be due to a letter I tible bulging of the plaque. The next year, wrote to the German government on my this cavity is filled with water which last visit 3 years ago to complain bitterly freezes, and the process accelerates. With- about the continual desecration, which in a short perlod of time, the plaque has resulted in a good deal of work being bursts and grave after grave can be seen done. We had previously obtained the key with shards lying at its feet. Then the from the Rathaus of the village, although memorial information gets kicked around. this day there was no one there. If you ex- buried under earth and eventually lost. All pect to go, it may take a little planning on this while the generic tombstone stands your part. in silent homage bearing no memorial in- Finally, in Nonnenweir, we visited the formation of any kind. One no longer most isolated cemetery of all, in the mid- knows who is buried there and the memo- dle of a cornfield, on the very outskirts of ry of that person can no longer be revived.
May 19% Page 14 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Metrical Registers for to the district archives. For example, the Seven Districts in Poland (1882-1943) registers for Zambrow are in the Lomza By Stanley Diamond District Archives.
May 19% Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Of particular interest was the data -. .:. .,+..+ ....*.. ..& orcanlzed to indicate the villages that
by Dan Leeson, Los Altos, CA the villages of Drachenbronn, Lembach, [email protected]%da.edu Niederseebach, and Riedseltz are all in the Rabbinate of Wissembourg. I had never 1784 Census seen this valuable information before. There are two important, late 18th- The data for each city are sorted in early 19th century sources for the Jews of three formats: 1)The name of the Party Alsace. First is a census of all Alsatian prior to the name-taking followed by the Jews taken in 1784. Published in book new name. The name may be the same, form in 1785 it is easily researched. An have minor changes, or be radically differ- index is available on microfiche from Avo- ent. In the village of Bischheim: Isaac taynu, Inc. An article on the history of Kuppenheim retains his name: Mindel the census is found in Amtaynu, Vol. VIII, Levy becomes Minette Levy; Madel Moses No.3, Fall, 1992. becomes Madeline Traub. 2) The name- changes are listed by sex, then by family 1808 Name-Chooaing List name (though not necessarily by family). Of Or greater importance is a In Bouxwiller the (possibly)new family list of 1808 family name-choosings. A Na- of VA~~~~~belongs to g males and poleonic decree that year imposed the 12 females, though there is no assurance taking of family names on the Jews of that they are all related. 3) The name France. (See "Jewish Names in the Light changes are listed by name and family of Napoleon's Decree of July ZO+ l8O8" by groupings. The 2 1 Aarons in (2)are shown Edward David Luft and "Jewish Genealog- as 6 separate faues. ic Research in Alsace" by Pierre Katz, Am Wives are listed with maiden names taynu, Vol. X, No.2, Summer 1994.) which, I am advised, they had a right to In manuscript the list has select during name-choosing formalities- order to it. Consisting of about 40,000 an interesting choice given to early 18th acts, each may Or may have changed century women. This is particularly valu- the name the person Research able and enables the possible connection was required, in both Strasbourg and Col- of marnarcha] family lines. mar where the acts of Bas Rhin and Volume 1 includes an index by village Haut-Rhin were examine each then by particular family name. Thus, in a ten incomprehensible, handwritten act. search for "Aaron", one is directed to thanks ICatz and the Basemberg, Mommenheim, Ottrott, and 7 Cercle de G6n6a10gie Juive Of France, the other villages. Problems with the volumes material for Bas Rhin (roughly the north- include: 1)Typographical errors and a lack em region of Alsace centered around of consistency in capitalization. 2) Arbi- Strasbourg), is available in four well or- trary name re-spelling-a serious flaw. ganized and thoughtfully prepared Faced with a family name spelled 4-5 dif- volumes. Although not without problems, ferent ways, Katz has in most cases, arbi- it is a remarkable accomplishment, for trarily selected a single variant spelling. In which both Katz and the Cercle be my case, he grouped the names Heimer- very proud. dinger. Hemmendinger, Heimertinger, etc. The work is arranged ci@/dage: into the single form "Hemmerdtnger" Volume 1 covers Balbronn-Haegen, Val. 2. which complicates research and lumps ge- Haguenau-Mutzig*Vol. 39 Neuwillers-les- nealogical lines together that should be Saverne- Schirrhoffen, Vol. 4, Schwen- kept separate. heim-Zinwiller. Data are shown for 113 The 4-volume set costs approximately information for Others may be $70. Send check or International Money permanently lost or someday rediscovered.
May 19% Page 16 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society
Order to: Cercle de GCnCalogie Juive, BP social circumstances of the couple at the 707,75162 Paris Cedex 04. Request sur- time of marriage. My wife has a contract face mail delivery as air mail is much noting the bride "brings a silver chain to more expensive. These are indispensable the marriage", while the groom was volumes if your genealogy takes you to "presented with a suit of clothes suitable Eastern France. to his station in life and 113 the books of Katz is at work on a similar effort for his father's library". Details include the the Haut-Rhin region. This, the Bas Rhin division of property in the event of a volumes and flche of the 1784 census spouse's death. This is more akin to a be- blow a hole in the wall separating geneal- trothal agreement than a marriage con- ogists from identification of their ances- tract. The contracts themselves will not be tral lines. Also in progress is an index of part of Mrs. Fraenckel's publication. One name-choosings for all Jews of 1808 must go to the Strasbourg archives to get France including territories no longer part them. (I do not know if they are available of that country such as the Rhine Pala- by mail.) tinate. Manv marriage contracts in the ar- chives a& partly Gr completely in the Ju- Jewish Marriage Contracts Listing deo-Alsatian language. The contract for In preparation for at least 20 years, a my wife's family was a puzzle for years; book listing 7,000 Jewish Marriage Con- while it appeared to be in Hebrew, it used tracts of Bas Rhin deposited in the de- the Hebrew alphabet to write in this part- partmental archives of Strasbourg is ready ly Hebrew, partly Alsatian language. The for publication following the death of au- book will be printed when the publisher thor Andre-Aaron Fraenckel. In my visit feels there are enough subscribers to as- with his widow. Mme. Fraenckel indicated sure this is not a money-losing effort. her intent to publish the list with each Please write to Micheline Guttman, Pres- item showing names and dates for the ident, Cercle de GenCalogie Juive, BP 707, people listed, and additional information 75162 Paris Cedex 04, indicating your in- about witnesses, gifts, dowries, etc. if terest. available. An example (in rough translation): [The followins! 3 books are available from: "Feb.9, 1780, Adar 11 5540 Made in Os- me. R. Frae"ncke1, Libaraie du Cedrat, 19 thoffen Isaac "Eislk" son of Azriel (Isaac rue du Marechal Foch. 67000 Strasbours!. Seligman) of Bischheim with the widow France. As Mme. Fraenckel does not spe& Miryam (Marianne)Dreyfuss, daughter of English, 1 suggest your letter be in Meyer resident of Odratzheim during his French. Costs are approximate, add $5 per lifetime. Assisted by his step-father. book (estimate) for surface shipping.] Freyem Wefl of Osthoffen, the bridegroom has committed himself to care for Leib, Synagogues of Aleace child of his wife, and to engage a teacher Alsace had 20,000-30,000Jews at its until the aforesaid Leib arrives at the level apex, and 109 synagogues, although some of study of the law. The bridegroom de- were abandoned before others built. Many clares to have no claim on the property still exlst, some in current use; others that his wife brings to the marriage. The were destroyed by Nazis, abandoned, sold, dowry is 300 florins. The cost for the ke- or are used for storage, flre houses, or in tubah is 450 florins." one case, as a sauerkraut making facility. Not covered in the publication are Les Synagogues D'Alsace et leur Hlstolre by other specifics of the contracts, which Michel Rothe and Max Warschawski, is may offer far more than the traditional published by Chalom Bisamrne, PO Box boiler plate of Hebrew marriage contracts. 7151, Jerusalem. Cost: $85. No eye wiU Along with considerable genealogical in- remain dry after perusing the pages of this formation, they allow a window into the wonderful book. Several valuable intro-
May 19% Page 17 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society ductory sections on Jewish life in Alsace cited in a 1349 charter of Emperor Cha- are followed by photos of every still- rles N; later, a tax was imposed for each standing building that is or was a syna- Jew interred there. The book focuses on gogue in Bas Rhin or Haut-Rhin. If no about 150 stones of important personag- bullding exists, an old photo or painting es, with inscriptions in French, German has been used. A brief history of each and Hebrew. Among those whose tombs synagogue is given. are shown are: Rabbi Isaac Sintzheim (d. Cemetery Art Catalog Sept. 20, 1767),son of Abraham Sintz- Artlstlc and Spiritual Riches of the heim, and Cerf Berr de Medelsheim (d. Jewish Cemeteries of Alsace is a 56-page, Dec. 7, 1793), one of the few Jews permit- French language, catalog of photographs ted to reside in Strasbourg, who acted as by Roger Lehni, Frantisek Zvardos, and leader and spokesperson for the entire Al- Mariusz Hermanovick, shawing examples satian Jewish community. of one of the only art forms permitted to Many biographies are included, as is Jews of the middle ages; cemetery art, in- an impo&nt iiibiiography, and a map of cluding tombstone styles, decorations, or- the cemetery showing the locations of the namentation, and shape. Tombstones de- stones highkghted gthe book. picted are readable, and were chosen from the 14 largest and most important me- Preservation of Jewish Monuments dieval Jewish cemeteries in Alsace. Endangered Heritage: An Ettendorf stone from 1597 reads: Jewish Cemeteries and Synagogues "Here lies a young man, son of a sage. The Ln Central and Eastern Europe young man named Elyokum, son of the honorable Rabbi Mardochee, may G-d The JGS of Rochester's April meeting guard him, of the family Rothenburg, who featured Dr. Samuel Gruber, Director of died on 2 Shevat in the year 5357...". the Jewish Heritage Council of the World Mardochee Rothenburg was the younger Monuments Fund, in an illustrated lec- brother of Todros Rothenburgs, a 12th ture on the Council's work to survey and generation descendant of Meir Rothen- inventory the remaining synagogues and burg, Rabbi of Hannau. In Selestat is the Jewish cemeteries in Poland. the Czech tomb of Rose Sara Lwow (d. 1746),wife of Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Ukraine. Rabbi Ellezer Leibmann (son of Moses Since 1988, the Jewish Heritage Leibmann, Prepose of Ribeauville in Council has been dedicated to document- 17561, daughter of Rabbi Hoshea Heschel ing, protecting, and preserving historic Lwow, and great-great aunt of Karl Marxl Jewish sites worldwide. They have pub- There is much more, and if very llshed a book on historic Jewish monu- lucky, one can 1) make a direct link to the ments in Poland, and another on the middle ages, and 2) flnd an existing stone Czech Republic. to visit and say kaddish. Cost: $40. According to Dr. Gruber: "The col- lapse of Communism in eastern Europe Rosenwiller Cemetery produced many remarkable side effects. PaMrnoine DIAlsace:Le cimltlere Jutf One has been the rediscovery of thou- de Rosenwiller by Robert Weyl, published sands of buildings, cemeteries, and other in 1988 by Editions Salde (ISBN# 2- sites that are the last physical remains of 903850-03-8)describes one of the most centuries-old Jewish communities that important Jewish cemeteries to have sur- were largely wiped out by Nazi Germany's vived the middle ages in Alsace. In the Final Solution. It has become clear that tiny village of Rosenwtller, 30 minutes the Nazis failed to obliterate all traces of from Strasbourg, section 3 of the cemetery Jewish civilization in these areas. Almost is in use to today, while section 1 is old every major city and countless small and largely inaccessible due to the un- towns and villages hold surviving vestiges checked growth of weeds. The cemetery is of the Jewish past, albeit ruined and often
May 19% Page 18 Volume XVI, Number 2 ZichronNote-Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society hard to flnd. Approximately 250 syna- MAGNETIC PHOTO ALBUMS - gogues remain within the modern-day Although convenient, these albums can be borders of Poland. Roughly 600 syna- very damaging to photos and documents. gogue buildings exist in the former Czech- This is due not to the peroxide in the pag- oslovakia. Some 150 synagogues, many by es, but in the chemicals in the pressure- prominent local architects, survive in sensitive adhesive. These chemicals Hungary. (particularly those known as plasticizers) For Jews, these sites open a dialogue cross-link with paper over time and form a with a collective past. For all humanity, brown stain in the paper they touch. This they serve as concrete evidence of a herit- staining compound is often difficult to re- age, and can break down the ghetto walls move, may require the use of solvents that of cultural division. Recognizing and re- could damage the inks on the item, and storing these sites can offer an antidote may require chemical bleaching that can to ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide. be very damaging to paper if not used cor- By recognizing and saving Jewish build- rectly. ings, even in places where there are no SHEET PROTECTORS - Polyvinyl longer any Jews, we can begin to demon- chloride (WC)free sheets (such as poly- strate the diversity of the past. In doing ester or polyethylene) are highly recom- so, perhaps we can also appreciate and mended for protection of photos and cherish variety in our culture today." documents. However, is it not WC that (from JGSR meeting announcement) is a damaging factor in other fllms. Some of the older plastic fflmshave a problem called "off-gassing". Vinyl films and some Corrections to February 1996 Issue acetate fllms give off an odor as they age - *In the February 1996 issue of Zfchron- and this odor is a gas that deteriorates Note, the review of Alsace Emigration the paper artifacts adjacent to it. If the Book was written by Rosanne Leeson, not clear fllm has an odor or is yellowing, it Dan Leeson. may well be dangerous. *Acknowledgementshould be given to FRAMING - Ultraviolet light, such as Steve Bvars for his assistance in writing sunlight, can quickly damage documents the JewishGen explanation in the and photos. Both Plexiglas and glass fflt- 1995/ 1996 Sunrey Summary. er a little of the ultraviolet light that is -Many thanks to member Karen most damaging to paper. A special type of m,of Zukor & Noenning Conservation Plexiglas is available that helps screen our for her insightful corrections and addi- the most damaging light in the spectrum. tions to the February 1996 article on pho- It is called "ultra violet filtering Plexiglas". to and document preservation. Her com- Another company provides a material ments appear here. called OP-3 that also filters ultra violet DEFINITIONS - A CONSERVATOR rays. Both will help to slow down fading will undertake treatment to stabilize and and overall deterioration, but neither will preserve artifacts. This may improve the completely solve the problem. appearance of the item, or it may leave it unchanged visually if improvement in ap- pearance puts the object at risk. A RESTORER technically addresses primarily the cosmetic aspect of a dam- We woukl lifeto make the eqx?rtfseof knowledge- abk members available. Send your questions to aged article's repair. Lfllian Wurzel, 2930 Roma Court, Santa Clam CA A CURATOR will tell you about the 95051 -6848, Tel408-984371 8. Please leave your significance of the piece, or shed light on questton on the answering rnachtne Lfthere Ls no an- its origins. Most curators are not trained swer. I wUl try to answer your questfonsor$nd to execute treatment. someone who can Answers wUl be publLshed Ln ZlchronNote.
May 1996 Page 19 Volume XVI, Number 2 The Journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society Volume XM, Number 2 May 1996 Major Articles SFBA JGS Meeting March 24,1996 in San Francisco Robert Weiss 5 Ed Nute of the Russian Baltic Information Center-BLITZ SFBA JGS Meeting April 15,1996 in Palo Alto Dana L. Kurtz 6 Jewish Genealogy on the Internet with Bill Firestone Census Bureau Age Search Service S. Sterns & B. Klezmer 8 Excerpts from an Address by Israeli President Ezer Weizman abstracted by R. Weiss 9 to the Bundestag and Bundesrat of the Federal Republic of Germany Old San Francisco Immigration Case Files Discovered Bert Oppenheim 12 Russian-Born Jewish Immigrants to San Francisco, 1915.1919 A Visit to Alsatian Cemeteries Dan Leeson 13 New Resources for Alsatian Research Dan Leeson 16 Departments Contributers to this Issue Calendar of Events 1 Jewish Heritage 9 Barry Klezmer, Dana L. Kurtz, Masthead 2 European Research 13 Daniel Leeson, Rosanne Leeson About This Issue 2 Book Reviews The Society Pages 3 Corrections to February Issue 19 Local Resources 7 AskLillian 19
Z~7chromNoEe 39 16 Louis Road Palo Rlto CR 94383-454 1