JGSA 2010: New Sunday programs!

Opening day (Sunday, July 11) of the 30th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy is even more exciting with three new programs added to the lineup!

Are you trying to involve a friend or relative - perhaps a spouse who doesn't understand your passion - in family history? The many diverse activities planned for Sunday might be just the hook to pique their interest.

In addition to the toe-tapping klezmer music of Hot Pstromi (aka Yale Strom), in the afternoon and evening, there's another way to look at this ubiquitous food.

Were you born in the Year of the Pastrami? Tracing the Tribe previously wrote about comedian Seth Front's "Jewish Zodiac." Start your day with a good laugh as Seth speaks at 9.30am on “The Jewish Zodiac: A Culinary History of Jews in America (Based on the Astrological Signs of the Delicatessen)."

Join in for America's Jewish deli history, from its Lower East Side New York roots through adaptation of tastes, its assimilation into American culture and current survival challenges. He'll cover the foods Jews brought from Eastern Europe, the difference between a deli and an appetizing store, how famous entertainers popularized the deli, and how deli culture eased Jewish entry into American society.

Many Jewish genealogists claim to be descended from King David, so author Jonathan Kirsch will speak at 1pm Sunday at a special lunch and learn lecture.

Grab lunch at the kiosk and bring it along to the talk, as Kirsch deconstructs ”And a Branch Shall Grow Out of His Roots: What Can We Know About the Descendants of King David?” based on his biography of the single most crucial and controversial figure in the Hebrew Bible, King David: The Man Who Ruled Israel.

UCLA Professor Nahid Pirnazar will speak at 3.30pm Sunday on "The Intricate Tapestry of Iranian Jews,” as she discusses the paradoxical survival of the Jews of Persia through 27 centuries of obscure history to today.

Despite the mass emigration of Jews (1978-1979), Iran still holds the largest Jewish community among the region's Islamic countries. Learn about the Jewish community of Babylonia, those who stayed and didn't return to Jerusalem? What happened to those Jews who, over the centuries, greatly impacted the formation of Iranian culture and identity?

Sunday will be a great day for those new to genealogy, with so much going on. There's a full day of lectures, entertainment, classes, exhibits, films, the Market Square Fair, keynote by author Daniel Mendelsohn and a dessert reception.

The day pass for opening day is $105, for everything; an evening pass is available (from 6.30pm) for evening opening events.

Go to JGSLA2010.com for all the details.

See you in Los Angeles!