Poland: Notary documents and JRI-Poland

A popular aspect of each annual International Conference on Jewish Genealogy is the networking of geographic special interest groups. This year, some 30 SIGs have scheduled programming and luncheons.

One of the largest and most active is JRI-Poland - Jewish Records Indexing-Poland. In addition to Tuesday afternoon programming, the group will host an opening day luncheon on Sunday, with JRI-P associate director Hadassah Lipsius of New York.

Lipsius will present "Polish Notary Documents and the Family Mysteries They Reveal," demonstrate examples as sources for genealogical and family history information and review typical contents of prenuptial agreements, posthumous possession inventories, testaments and private agreements (lease, hire, partnerships).

These documents often reveal genealogical details omitted in other records, helping researchers to break through roadblocks.

According to Roni Seibel Liebowitz of the JRI-Poland Board of Directors, Lipsius is still questioning her family to find out who inherited the pearl necklace and the three silver forks mentioned in her great-great-great-great-grandfather's posthumous inventory!

This is the fourth annual JRI-Poland Luncheon and is exclusively kosher under rabbinical supervision of Salt Lake City Chabad Rabbi Benny Zippel. There is a fee for the luncheon and it is always sold out - early reservations are advised. Registered conference-goers can sign up for this event at the conference Web site; go to Registration Update.

If you haven't yet registered for the 27th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, what are you waiting for?

The conference anticipates some 700 attendees - including international researchers, experts and archivists - for an intensive learning and networking experience running from Sunday, July 15 to Friday, July 20.

For all event details and online registration, go to the conference site. Early registration discounts end May 1.