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Sunday, April 30
No, You Don’t Really Have 7,900 Fourth Cousins: How to Make Sense of Your Jewish DNA Results (Society Meetings)
1:30 pm By Zoom, or in person at B'nai Israel Congregation, 6301 Montrose Road, Rockville MD
DNA has the potential to be an essential and exciting genealogical tool. But many Eastern European Jewish testers find their DNA results completely overwhelming and unnavigable. In this talk, Jennifer Mendelsohn will help those with Ashkenazi heritage learn how to make sense of their DNA results. She’ll cover the basics of DNA testing, including why our match lists are so large, (hello, endogamy!) why all our matches seem to match each other (endogamy, again!), and how to spot the meaningful matches and separate them from the faux ones. Using real-life examples of DNA success, you’ll learn techniques that will help you work effectively with DNA to expand your Ashkenazi family tree.
Speaker: Jennifer Mendelsohn is a sought-after genealogist who specializes in helping Eastern European Jewish families shattered by the Holocaust reclaim their history. She has worked on scores of cases, solving complex family mysteries using a blend of traditional and genetic genealogy. Her sleuthing was featured in the 2019 bestseller Inheritance by Dani Shapiro. In 2022, she co-founded the DNA Reunion Project at the Center for Jewish History, which seeks to promote DNA testing as a tool for helping Holocaust survivors find family.
Mendelsohn is also known for the innovative use of genealogy as a tool for activism. She created the viral hashtag #resistancegenealogy, which uses genealogical and historical records to fight disinformation and honor America’s immigrant past. |
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Sunday, May 21
The Jewish Community of Northern Virginia (Society Meetings)
1:30 pm Zoom meeting, free for members of JGSGW. Nonmembers may register to attend for a fee of $5.
The authors of the recent book The Jewish Community of Northern Virginia will discuss topics from the book. This book uses photographs to tell the story of the rich history, continued growth, and broad range of Jewish life in Northern Virginia. They depict Jewish-owned stores and businesses, religious and social institutions, and events that have shaped the community from the late 19th Century to the present. It includes collection of rarely seen photographs selected from local historical archives, Jewish religious and social institutions, and residents with deep family roots in the area.
Speakers: Susan and Shawn Dilles have been active members of the Northern Virginia Jewish Community for almost 40 years, including at Congregation Olam Tikvah, Congregation Beth Emeth, and the Pozez Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia. Susan supports activities of several Jewish charities in the area. Shawn is a volunteer with JewishGen and has coordinated the translation of Yizkor (Remembrance) books on the Jewish history of Zinkov, Ukraine and Hrubieszow, Poland. |
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Sunday, June 25
Researching Jewish Families in America: Synagogue Records as a Genealogical Resource (Society Meetings)
1:30 pm Zoom meeting, free for members of JGSGW. Nonmembers may register to attend for a fee of $5.
Join us for a primer on how to find synagogue records and what genealogical material they include. See examples and hear about JewishGen's new Shul Records America: the first-of-its-kind inventory of American synagogue records.
Finding synagogue records can be problematic and time consuming as there are errors in catalogs and a variety of ways materials are described. To make it easier, and in one place, JewishGen starts the search for you with Shul Records America. This new finding aid points to the location of American synagogue records. Launched in fall 2022 with over 500 collections held at 50 repositories or websites, about 20% include URLS for digitized materials. Not only a historical resource but important as modern-day synagogues merge or close, Shul Records America also encourages congregations to preserve records with genealogical value. See https://www.jewishgen.org/sra/
This one-hour program, conducted over Zoom, is free for members. This is one of the many activities that is a benefit of JGSGW membership. Instructions for joining the online meeting will be placed under Meeting Info & Links in the Members Only Files. (These files become visible on this website after members sign in.) Nonmembers may register to attend for a fee of $5.
Speaker: Ellen Kowitt is Director of JewishGen's USA Research Division and National Vice Chair of the DAR Jewish Specialty Research Team. She is past president of Jewish Genealogical Societies in Colorado and Greater Washington, DC, and she served for three years on the IAJGS board of directors. Ellen has published articles in Family Tree Magazine and Avotaynu: The International Journal on Jewish Genealogy. She has completed the ProGen Study Group, attends genealogy institute programs, and is a member of the Colorado Chapter Association of Professional Genealogists. For upcoming lecture dates or more information, visit www.EllenKowitt.com. |
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