California: South Africa resources, June 16

South African research is the program focus at the next meeting of Los Altos Hills branch of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS).

Southern Africa Special Interest Group (SA-SIG) vice president Roy Ogus will speak at 7pm, Monday, June 16, at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills.

South Africa’s Jewish community is large and important. Although we may not know it, many of us have South African connections because our ancestors’ siblings or cousins emigrated there. During the great wave of emigration from Eastern Europe (1881-1930s), many Jews, especially Lithuanians, left for the economic opportunity and freedom of South Africa. Following the recent emigration of many South African Jews during periods of political unrest in the country, the end of apartheid in 1994 has revitalized our cousins’ homeland.

The program is a summary of key sources of documentation and genealogically valuable information of genealogical value that can be found in South Africa, and how to access them. It will also provide an overview of South African history for the discussion of Jewish migration.

For more information, click here.