The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) has announced through its JCR-UK SIG discussion list that it has been negotiating with the U.K. Federation of Synagogues for the release of burial records covering two of London's major cemeteries: Edmonton (opened in 1889) and Rainham (from February 1938), totalling more than 70,000 graves.
The JGSGB has received 27,000 records, although only a small portion currently fall within specific dates covered by the agreement. However, other records will be added when they are transcribed from ledgers into the database.
According to JGSGB council member Louise Messik, the agreement states that access to these records is only for JGSGB members, through the Members' Corner section of its Web site.
If your research requires Jewish cemetery records in London, contact membership@jgsgb.org.uk and ask for information.
27 December 2006
Salt Lake City: input wanted for film festival at IAJGS conference
The 27th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy will also showcase the second Conference Jewish Film Festival.
The 2006 festival, coordinated by Pamela Weisberger, offered some 30 films and opportunities to meet filmmakers and directors. She is also organizing the 2007 festival, and plans to offer educational, entertaining and enlightening films.
Among them: documentaries with genealogical and historical themes, personal stories, fiction films reflecting historical events or the Jewish experience in a historical or sociological context, television specials focusing on genealogical research, classic, restored films, testimonies, and videos focusing on one particular town or region, including those made in commemoration or dedicating of Holocaust memorials, and films reflecting the Yiddish theatre experience.
Weisberger is asking the international Jewish genealogy community for their input.
"If you have a film to recommend or know of new documentaries recently
completed, please contact me," she says. Contact her at pamela@slc2007.org.
Because this area of genealogy is growing and so many people are working on projects, recommendations are welcomed from researchers who may know of interesting films. Says Weisberger, short trailers (8-10 minutes) may be appropriate if complete films are not ready.
The 27th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy will be held from July 15 - July 20, in Salt Lake City. The program will include international experts and archivists, lectures, panels, classes, workshops, the film festival and an opportunity to utilize the extensive resources of the Family History Library.
For all event details, online registration and breaking news, visit the frequently updated conference website.
The 2006 festival, coordinated by Pamela Weisberger, offered some 30 films and opportunities to meet filmmakers and directors. She is also organizing the 2007 festival, and plans to offer educational, entertaining and enlightening films.
Among them: documentaries with genealogical and historical themes, personal stories, fiction films reflecting historical events or the Jewish experience in a historical or sociological context, television specials focusing on genealogical research, classic, restored films, testimonies, and videos focusing on one particular town or region, including those made in commemoration or dedicating of Holocaust memorials, and films reflecting the Yiddish theatre experience.
Weisberger is asking the international Jewish genealogy community for their input.
"If you have a film to recommend or know of new documentaries recently
completed, please contact me," she says. Contact her at pamela@slc2007.org.
Because this area of genealogy is growing and so many people are working on projects, recommendations are welcomed from researchers who may know of interesting films. Says Weisberger, short trailers (8-10 minutes) may be appropriate if complete films are not ready.
The 27th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy will be held from July 15 - July 20, in Salt Lake City. The program will include international experts and archivists, lectures, panels, classes, workshops, the film festival and an opportunity to utilize the extensive resources of the Family History Library.
For all event details, online registration and breaking news, visit the frequently updated conference website.
An inside look at a DNA lab
The University of Arizona's Biological Sciences West Building is home to the lab that does the testing for Family Tree DNA and for the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project.
At November's annual Family Tree DNA conference in Houston, Texas, I had the great pleasure to meet Matt Kaplan, project leader for the NGS.
At the conference, Matt explained that his real focus is lizards and that he never thought he'd be interested in human origins.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
The lab, part of the UA Arizona Research Laboratories' Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory, has already processed more than 211,000 DNA samples for people who want to know whence they came. It's a gene research factory, a "high-throughput genomics operation," in genetic jargon.
At November's annual Family Tree DNA conference in Houston, Texas, I had the great pleasure to meet Matt Kaplan, project leader for the NGS.
Looked at another way, "It's basically, a dating service for genealogists," says Kaplan. He's quick to point out that genealogy researchers only get access to data from participants who agree to release their information.
But, he says, many people do because it opens them up to getting even more information about their pasts as genealogists often connect their genetic information with others and create a more complete past.
Better yet, the "resolution" - the detail - of DNA-derived histories is increasing all the time as more people put their information into genealogical databases, says Kaplan.
Technological advances also make the information more telling. Kaplan says developments in genomics outstrip nearly every other branch of science.
At the conference, Matt explained that his real focus is lizards and that he never thought he'd be interested in human origins.
"I didn't think I'd care at all," says Kaplan. Not so. Since working on the Genographic Project, Kaplan says he has looked into his own past, finding that he came from Eastern European Jewish roots and routes.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
A Jewish longevity gene?
While searching out interesting items for Tracing the Tribe, I came across this new study by Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. It was published in the December 26, 2006 issue of Neurology.
Einstein's Institute for Aging Research director Dr. Nir Barzilai examined 158 people of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish descent; all age 95 or older. Those who possessed a particular gene variant were twice as likely to have good brain function based on a standard test of cognitive function. In short, the gene variant linked to living a long life - 90 and older - helps very old people think clearly and retain memories.
Centenarians were three times more likely to have this gene variant, known as CEPT VV, compared with a control group. According to the article, the gene affects the size of "good" HDL and "bad" LDL cholesterol.
The article goes on to suggest the process of how the gene protects the brain and helps people to resist disease.
However, I do wonder why Sephardic centenarians were not tested. Many such studies include very few or no individuals of Sephardic descent.
While this article seems to say this is an Ashkenazi gene variant, Sephardim were not included. Centenarians in that community likely possess the same variant, and such a study would show that the variant was a Jewish trait in general, not merely an Ashkenazi gene, as identified in this limited study.
Food for thought.
Einstein's Institute for Aging Research director Dr. Nir Barzilai examined 158 people of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish descent; all age 95 or older. Those who possessed a particular gene variant were twice as likely to have good brain function based on a standard test of cognitive function. In short, the gene variant linked to living a long life - 90 and older - helps very old people think clearly and retain memories.
Centenarians were three times more likely to have this gene variant, known as CEPT VV, compared with a control group. According to the article, the gene affects the size of "good" HDL and "bad" LDL cholesterol.
The article goes on to suggest the process of how the gene protects the brain and helps people to resist disease.
However, I do wonder why Sephardic centenarians were not tested. Many such studies include very few or no individuals of Sephardic descent.
While this article seems to say this is an Ashkenazi gene variant, Sephardim were not included. Centenarians in that community likely possess the same variant, and such a study would show that the variant was a Jewish trait in general, not merely an Ashkenazi gene, as identified in this limited study.
Food for thought.
26 December 2006
Center for Jewish History: Online catalog
The online catalog of the Center for Jewish History is now available via a link from the CJH's home page.
Included are the combined library and archives collections of the American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the Center for Jewish History Genealogy Institute.
For a basic search, click on "Search the CJH Catalog" at the lower left corner of the home page. From that page's top banner, choose Advanced Search, Browse, Search History; researchers can print, save or e-mail selected items.
From basic search, look through the entire catalog or choose one repository. In Advanced mode, search by language, year, format (such as archives, manuscripts, books, journals).
From the results list, click a left-hand column item number to see the full record. From the same list, click on a repository link, for a screen to place a hold request. Before placing a hold, readers must complete an online library card registration form.
In the collection are links to online finding aids and searchable databases previously available only at the CJH, such as Industrial Removal Office records.
Among extensive digital images are hundreds from the Leo Baeck Institute's Albert Einstein Collection. The bottom of each screen shows a "CJH Resources" link for more resources.
The catalog reflects years of work in the United States and Israel by teams at libraries, archives, museums and information technology experts, funded by a major grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Readers are encouraged to provide feedback about the catalog through the Comments link at the bottom of each screen.
Happy hunting!
Included are the combined library and archives collections of the American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the Center for Jewish History Genealogy Institute.
For a basic search, click on "Search the CJH Catalog" at the lower left corner of the home page. From that page's top banner, choose Advanced Search, Browse, Search History; researchers can print, save or e-mail selected items.
From basic search, look through the entire catalog or choose one repository. In Advanced mode, search by language, year, format (such as archives, manuscripts, books, journals).
From the results list, click a left-hand column item number to see the full record. From the same list, click on a repository link, for a screen to place a hold request. Before placing a hold, readers must complete an online library card registration form.
In the collection are links to online finding aids and searchable databases previously available only at the CJH, such as Industrial Removal Office records.
Among extensive digital images are hundreds from the Leo Baeck Institute's Albert Einstein Collection. The bottom of each screen shows a "CJH Resources" link for more resources.
The catalog reflects years of work in the United States and Israel by teams at libraries, archives, museums and information technology experts, funded by a major grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Readers are encouraged to provide feedback about the catalog through the Comments link at the bottom of each screen.
Happy hunting!
BBC offers U.K. family history info
If you are in the U.K. or searching ancestors who lived there, the BBC Web site has a 'Family History' section with very useful information.
It is a general site, but it provides much information on U.K. records. There is a video, a 'getting started' section, a message board, timelines, photo information, links to various topics and resources.
It is a general site, but it provides much information on U.K. records. There is a video, a 'getting started' section, a message board, timelines, photo information, links to various topics and resources.
Practical Archivist: Great tips from a new blog
Sally Jacobs of Madison, Wisconsin, describes her new blog as "Archiving tips and geeky tidbits for genealogists, history buffs, and keepers of the family photo album. Written by an archivist who never met an antique photograph she didn't like."
Her latest posting offers information on the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara, which includes 6,000 digitized wax-cylinder recordings dating back to 1895. The collection includes Tin Pan Alley music, vaudeville performances and advertisements.
According to UCSB, the goal was to make the collection available to researchers and the public. Access is completely free and you can download a copy for personal use for no charge.
Jacobs includes other information and links to Web sites offering information on obsolete technologies. This may be helpful, since an important piece of your family history may have been recorded in a medium not commonly available today.
She also offers great hints on working with family photographs, video tips on interviewing senior family members looking through photo albums and more.
The Practical Archivist blog should be on all of our must-read lists.
Her latest posting offers information on the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara, which includes 6,000 digitized wax-cylinder recordings dating back to 1895. The collection includes Tin Pan Alley music, vaudeville performances and advertisements.
According to UCSB, the goal was to make the collection available to researchers and the public. Access is completely free and you can download a copy for personal use for no charge.
Jacobs includes other information and links to Web sites offering information on obsolete technologies. This may be helpful, since an important piece of your family history may have been recorded in a medium not commonly available today.
She also offers great hints on working with family photographs, video tips on interviewing senior family members looking through photo albums and more.
The Practical Archivist blog should be on all of our must-read lists.
At age 100: Resting is rusting
What will you be doing when you've reached the century mark?
For some inspiration, read this story about Yiddish translator Eva Zeitlin Dobkin, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
Among other projects, she began working in 1984 on the English translation of the Yiddish historical novel Burning Earth (Brenendike Erd), written in 1934. She's now editing the final version.
Her accomplishments include translations of several books, many articles, letters and personal items, as well as the 1999 Profiles of a Lost World: Memoirs of East European Jewish Life before World War II by Hirsz Abramowicz.
Her success, she believes, is due to her parents' focus on education and free schooling, and she says her longevity is due to genetics.
There are 18 additional centenarians at the Jewish Home for the Aging in Southern California where she lives.
For some inspiration, read this story about Yiddish translator Eva Zeitlin Dobkin, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
Among other projects, she began working in 1984 on the English translation of the Yiddish historical novel Burning Earth (Brenendike Erd), written in 1934. She's now editing the final version.
Her accomplishments include translations of several books, many articles, letters and personal items, as well as the 1999 Profiles of a Lost World: Memoirs of East European Jewish Life before World War II by Hirsz Abramowicz.
Her success, she believes, is due to her parents' focus on education and free schooling, and she says her longevity is due to genetics.
"Pick the right parents and grandparents," she advised, wryly. She won't commit to a future translating project but is considering writing a family history.
There are 18 additional centenarians at the Jewish Home for the Aging in Southern California where she lives.
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