Family Photos: Playing games

Several years ago, I interviewed several major Jewish genealogy personalities for a Jerusalem Post article on how to get children interested in genealogy.

Judith told me that since her grandchildren were toddlers, she would spread out the family photos and go over their names. They soon recognized their ancestors and relatives.

Marlene Bishow of the JGS of Greater Washington (DC), hosting this year's 31st IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, shared that her grandmother went over index cards with family information with Marlene.

These were grass-roots, personal efforts, and now there's an even easier way to encourage children and involve adults in learning who's who in your family - a true multi-generational effort in the form of a family memory game created by MyHeritage.com for its members.

MyHeritage.com has just created a family memory game - a set of family photo cards personalized for your own family - and that can be played like other matching picture games. Anyone can match the two chickens or two shapes, but can you match the cards for Great-Aunt Rose or Great-Grandfather Aaron?

It can be played for free online or card sets may be ordered to use at home - and they'd make great gifts.

Tracing the Tribe thinks this new game and the card sets will be a great hit with genealogists who are always looking for ways to get their families involved in their quest.

According to the press release,

The game, one of the first ever online family tree games, automatically generates beautiful personalized picture cards of close relatives and ancestors - based on each user’s family tree. Following the same rules as a typical memory card game, users can play online against other family members, or solo against the clock. With a webcam option, players can even include a live picture of themselves in one pair of the cards – providing added entertainment particularly for younger players. 

The game, one of the first ever online family tree games, automatically generates beautiful personalized picture cards of close relatives and ancestors - based on each user’s family tree. Following the same rules as a typical memory card game, users can play online against other family members, or solo against the clock. With a webcam option, players can even include a live picture of themselves in one pair of the cards – providing added entertainment particularly for younger players. 

The game is recommended for all users with a family tree that features photos of relatives. Click here to view an image of the game.

If you are already a member and enjoy the online version, order the printed cards, compiled from information already in your family tree, from MyHeritage.com to play at home, to take along on vacations or to family reunions. The card sets are available through the company's new partnership with AncestryGames.com.

Each deck of  60 handmade personalized cards features up to 30 relatives of the user's choice and includes birth/death dates and locations as listed in the family tree. Each deck (up to three sets) ordered costs $20 each (plus shipping; US $7, international $16). That shipping charge covers up to three decks.

For more information, see the press release link above or go the MyHeritage blog post.

Where does the money go?

JTA's The Fundermentalist blog has an interesting post detailing where prominent Jews are directing their contributions. Education, museums, federations and the like seem to garner the most funds.

Jacob Berkman mentioned these names: Michael Bloomberg, Eli and Edythe Broad, Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg, Larry Ellison, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, George Kaiser, Lorry Lokey, Bernie and Millie Marcus, Bernard and Barbro Osher, David M. Rubenstein, Herb and Marion Sandler, Jeff Skoll, Shelby White (Leon Levy was her late husband), and Sanford and Joan Weill.

I saw only White connected to a possible genealogical purpose in the form of donations to the Center of Jewish History and a separate donation to one of its archival projects.

With all this money - and such prominent names - isn't there a way for Jewish genealogy projects and organizations to benefit for the good of all researchers? It's a question to ponder as the High Holydays creep closer!

Read the complete blog post at the link above.

Mother's Day history has some surprises

Tracing the Tribe apologizes for this day-after post, but we were out celebrating!

The history of Mother's Day holds some interesting twists.

A story by Connie Wieck in the Terra Haute TribStar mentions the earliest Mother's Day celebrations of ancient Greece as well as Mothering Sunday (England, 1600s).

In the US, it dates to 1872. The lyricist for the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," Julia Ward Howe, began organizing a day for peace in Boston.

In 1907, schoolteacher Anna Jarvis began encouraging the establishment of a national holiday and asked her mother's church to celebrate it on her mother's death anniversary, which was the second Sunday in May.

Jarvis and her supporters wrote to all sorts of leaders including clergymen, politicians and businessmen to gather support for the idea. By 1911, nearly every US state celebrated the new holiday, and it was declared a national holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914.

Other countries celebrate on the same date, including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia and Belgium.

Although the holiday caught on, so did its commercialism - why is that a surprise? - and Jarvis became bitter and disillusioned. So disillusioned, in fact, that she and her sister spent their family fortune trying to cancel the holiday. She died unmarried, childless and penniless.

As she put it: “A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother — and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment!”

Today, the holiday is a great commercial success. Wieck's statistics, from IBIS World, show Americans spend $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 on pampering gifts (spa treatments, etc.), $68 million on greeting cards. Oh yes, how could we forget that in 2008, jewelry for Mother's Day accounted for 7.8% of the jewelry industry's annual revenue.

Are you angry or upset when your family buys you flowers, gifts, jewelry or treats you to brunch on this day? Do the commercial aspects of the day worry or annoy you?

Read Wieck's complete story at the link above.

Keep spinning: A diamond dreidel

Looking for the ultimate Chanukah gift? How about a diamond-studded dreidel for $1,800?

Now, that's a nice heirloom to pass down through the generations. Of course, you'll have to frisk your dreidel players after each game.

You could always just have it painted into a family portrait and let your descendants spend a lot of time looking for it each Chanukah. Tracing the Tribe believes in establishing your own holiday traditions!

If you really want one, the Platinum Micro-Pave Diamond Dreidel, with .96 carats of handset diamonds is available from Mervis Diamond Importers.

This is not the kind of dreidel you stuff chocolate coins in. This one requires real gold (not foil) coins.

Tracing the Tribe would like to say we received one of these limited edition items in return for writing about it, but ours must be lost in the mail!

Read about it here. (NOTE: Here is the Mervis Diamond page for more info and the phone number for ordering. For those who have asked, the stones are handset in gold and platinum.)

Gifts for your favorite genealogist?

The holidays are just around the corner. Perplexed about what to get for your favorite genealogist? Here are suggestions to consider. For some of them, the deadline is November 30 - so take advantage of the possibilities

Why not an initial subscription or a renewal to a major data site?

Choose from Footnote.com, NewspaperArchive.com (see the special offer of 60% off the regular price for page reproductions!) GenealogyBank.com, WorldVitalRecords.com or, for those with major UK roots, FindMyPast.com.

What about magazine or journal subscriptions or renewals?

Family Tree Magazine, Family Chronicle and others. For researchers of Jewish families, Avotaynu: The International Journal of Jewish Genealogy, is a must. Avotaynu is now offering a 50% sale on subscriptions along with 10% and 20% on books (November 30 is the deadline for this!).

For the more scientific-minded, why not gift a Y-DNA, mtDNA or combination test at FamilyTreeDNA?

The company is offering major promotional prices for the holidays. Tests must be ordered and paid for by December 31, 2009. On January 1, 2010, prices go up, so why not do it now? That's the company to go to because it has the largest comparative databases in the industry. For researchers of Jewish families, that's even more important as the largest Jewish DNA comparative database is within the larger one.

What about memberships in national or local genealogy societies?

Major societies, including some Jewish genealogical societies, often have members' sections on their websites that only paid members can access. These may include many indexes and unusual databases. Some societies also include a monthly or quarterly journal hat comes with membership.

There's also the option to make it possible for a friend or relative to attend a major annual conference of great interest.

Who wouldn't want to receive a gift of registration for a conference like the 2010 IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, (Los Angeles, July 11-16), or the Southern California Genealogy Society Jamboree 2010 (Burbank, June 11-13)?

Some sites are offering holiday sales now, like Avotaynu and also the Family Tree Shop at Family Tree Magazine.

Family Tree Magazine is discounting many items in its Family Tree Shop. Even better, register to win your very own "wish list" of items (up to $150). Learn more and register here. Four lucky winners will be announced on December 3, so put this on your to-do list.

The magazine is offering sale prices on items covering various topics and research areas, including CDs. A good buy is the Family Tree Magazine 2008 CD with all the 2008 issues, containing 480 pages. Articles are searchable, printable and portable. Click directly to all featured websites from the CD. After a 21% discount, the sale price is $18.99. Click here and browse for items of interest.

We all know how expensive genealogy books can be, but here's a chance - from Avotaynu - to stock up on resources genealogical at a discount through November 30.

If you're already a subscriber to Avotaynu - and you should be if Jewish genealogy is important to you - receive discounts on useful reference books. If you're not yet a subscriber, now's the time to get a 50% discount to the journal - and the other discounts.

Current subscribers must click here for the discounts, which include a 20% discount on Avotaynu on CD-Rom, a 15% discount on some excellent genealogical reference works, and a 10% discount on all other books. Shipping charges added. Read the information at the site for all the important details.

Avotaynu on CD-Rom contains all issues for the first 24 years (1985–2008) with 93 issues and 5,700 pages, fully searchable (Windows/Vista only). The sale price is $79.60. If you already have it, the upgrade's sale price is $31.95. Tracing the Tribe thinks this full set would be a great gift for a beginning genealogist of any age.

Have fun checking out gifts for others and adding to your own wish list!

NewspaperArchive: Reproductions 60% off until Nov. 30

Two days left to cash in on a fantastic gift idea for a birthday, anniversary or other gift occasion, offered by NewspaperArchive through Monday, November 30.

Genealogists can find pages related to an ancestor's arrival in the US, or a birth, engagement or wedding announcement. The possibilities are endless.

NewspaperArchive is offering a 60% off sale on any page reproduction from its collection. The sale price is $11.95 (regularly $29.95 each)

The unframed pages (22"x30") are printed on 100% cotton, acid-free paper, with archival-quality ink.

You can search for any print in the archives, although the site has some pre-selected collections focusing on sports, famous people, history or film.

Order by December 11 to ensure domestic holiday delivery.

Tablet: Toys NOT to buy for the holiday

Titled "Toy Vey," enjoy Tablet Magazine's list of things NOT to get for young people at holiday time.

Here are just the names of the toys.

See the complete article by Marjorie Ingall for more, much more, definitely more than you really wanted to know about each toy, including where not to buy them.

Writes Ingall, "Peruse them all, then buy your child a book." Tracing the Tribe tends to agree.

-- Plush Mohel Scissors (Talk about traumatic!)

-- Ten Plagues Finger Puppets (Tracing the Tribe kind of like these, but please save them for your seder!)

-- Star of David 3D Glasses

-- Samson Action Figure (Ah, the things you can do to plastic!)

-- Harvey Nagila Dancing Doll (Read the true story on this one!)

-- Techno Draydel with Lights and Sound Effects (Some people have dreidel collections, but not of these!)

-- Kosherland

-- Hanukkah Harry ( a 7 1/2-foot-tall lawn ornament!)

-- Talking Queen Esther Doll

Enjoy!

Illuminated Leaves: Medieval manuscripts

Facsimile Editions (UK) offers 450 different illuminated leaves available from the facsimile editions of the Kennicott Bible, Rothschild Miscellany, Barcelona Haggadah and a few from the North French Miscellany.

While the company also offers leaves from additional Hebrew manuscripts that are suitable for bat/bar mitzvah, brit milah, festivals, traveller's prayers, weddings, anniversaries, as well as gifts by name and more, the entire site should be of interest to all those who find medieval illustration fascinating. The notes for each page (just float your mouse over the page name to see the detailed notes) are also interesting.

From the Rothschild Miscellany, find exquisitely illuminated pages for Adon Olam, Shir HaKavod, Mah Tovu, Nishmat, Kiddush, Pirkei Avot, Piyuttim, Sheva Berachot, music pages, Eshet Chayil, and items appropriate for such events as weddings, anniversaries or holidays. From the Barcelona Haggadah, find Sheheheyanu and Next Year in Jerusalem.

Click here to see the outstanding decorated individual leaves. Even pages that are mostly black text include imaginative drawings. One page has a pink-spotted dragon with golden claws, Parashot Behar (folio 73) has a bear dipping into a honey jar. Find lions, centaurs, the red heifer (Parashah Chukkat, folio 88), human figures and design elements.

There are special pages that separated sections, called carpet pages, such as this one (right, folio 122).

The facsimile editions were printed on special parchment paper in up to 9-12 colors (depending on manuscript) with hand-applied gold leaf.

The major collections include:

THE ROTHSCHILD MISCELLANY (Israel Museum, Jerusalem).

The most elegantly and lavishly executed Hebrew manuscript of the 15th century. It was planned as a sumptuous work to encompass, in minute detail, almost every custom of religious and secular Jewish life. More a library than a book, the manuscript comprises 37 religious and secular works including, Psalms, Job, Siddur, Mahzor, Haggadah, Pirkei Avot and Meshal Haqadmoni.

THE ROTHSCHILD HAGGADAH (Israel Museum, Jerusalem)

It is exceptional for its elegant and elaborate illustrations of the Passover story. The illuminated and illustrated Haggadah demonstrates the Ashkenazi Passover seder as we know it. In the margins is Maimonides' Hilkhot Hamez Umatsah, 'Laws Concerning Leavened and Unleavened Bread'. In addition, the piyyutim are exquisitely illuminated with fine miniatures.

THE BARCELONA HAGGADAH (British Library)

Written about 1340 when Barcelona was the center of a thriving center of manuscript illumination, this manuscript is outstanding for rich decorative illuminations scattered throughout the text. Its fanciful figures, medieval musical instruments and pictorial scenes provide fascinating insights into Jewish life in medieval Spain.

THE KENNICOTT BIBLE (Bodleian Library, Oxford)

One of the most exquisite medieval Spanish manuscripts extant. It includes the Tanakh and Rabbi David Kimchi's grammatical treatise Sefer Mikhlol. Moses ibn Zabara was the scribe, Joseph Ibn Hayim the illuminator. In 1476, they created this piece for Isaac, the son of Don Solomon di Braga in La Coruña, Spain. The manuscript includes burnished gold and silver leaf.

And - because genealogy concerns names, dates and people - readers should note that medieval manuscripts often include information on both scribe and illuminator.

On folio page 438, is the page for the scribe, Moshe ibn Zabara (right) indicating for whom and when it was created, while a separate page (folio 447) offers information on the artist Joseph ibn Hayim (left).

Leaves run from £55 each to £130 for a set of leaves.

For more information, click here.

Moment Magazine: A great gift idea!

Tracing the Tribe loves Moment Magazine.

Each issue has excellent interesting articles, many of which are noted in this blog. See what's in the current issue.

It is the world's largest independent Jewish magazine. Founded by Elie Wiesel and Leonard Fein in 1975, and then relaunched in 2004 and recently has improved even more with a great mix of writers and topics.

Moment is offering a great Chanukah offer - an offer you simply shouldn't refuse! Enjoy it yourself or gift it with this special offer available only through November 30.

A one-year subscription is only $8, and if you decide to gift eight (or even more) of your nearest and dearest friends and family, the price drops to only $5 per annual subscription. Give the gift that keeps giving with each new issue.

Hop over here and add names and addresses for gift cards.

See the Moment website and its blog to get an idea of what you and others can find in each issue.

To see articles that Tracing the Tribe has really enjoyed, enter "Moment Magazine" in the blog search box (right side bar, scroll down).

Happy gifting!

Planning ahead: Gifts for genealogists

JMK offers gifts carrying quirky sayings that only a genealogist could love.

If you're looking for something to hit your genealogy spot and funny bone at the same time, take a look.

The latest T-shirt, mug, tote bag, note cards, mousepad or whatever features "Dating Tips for Genealogists." Socially-challenged family historians might appreciate these hints.

- The cemetery is not a normal rendezvous point for a first date.

- Making the observation that your date’s soundex code is K564 is unlikely to impress them.

- If your date likes you enough to reveal their date of birth, do not ask for an independent source of proof.

- When driving your date home after dinner, do not take a "romantic detour" via the local history center.

- Resist the temptation to wear a t-shirt that says "I love dead folks" or "I feel happiest in graveyards."

- To aid recognition on a blind date, wear a bright flower or carry a copy of a well known newspaper. Do not carry a copy of "Olafson's illustrated guide to the Swedish cemeteries of Illinois."

And, there's always the old favorite: "Genealogists party like 'twas 1799."

Check out JMK's blog and its archives for many other ideas.

Gift ideas for genealogists

Holiday time is here and your favorite genealogist must have a wish list. Perhaps you're the researcher working on hints to family and friends about what you'd like for a birthday, anniversary or holiday?

Here are some suggestions:

1. Technology rules: This category offers everything from low-cost flashdrives to digital cameras (and extra storage cards), printer-scanners, hand-held scanners to packs of photo paper, printer cartridges, a box of blank CD/DVDs and thin "jewel" cases (color-coded sets are especially good!) to put them in.

2. Feeling generous: Your researcher will definitely appreciate a new smaller lightweight travel laptop computer. I'm hoping my favorite gift-giver reads this one!

3. Daily essentials: A mundane but bulky, heavy case of printer paper is a great help for folks who might be a bit older or live in snowy climates. Everyone needs archival quality file folders and other storage materials for photographs, documents, artifacts; poly sheet protectors are good to have. Google a search for "archival materials" or go direct to Light Impressions Direct.

4. Read it, write it: Jewish genealogists will appreciate a subscription to Avotaynu: The International Jewish Genealogy Journal, or any of the major reference books published by Avotaynu. There are many genealogy magazines in print or online; subscriptions are welcome. New babies in the family? Give the parents a baby book, and specialized journals for each set of grandparents to record their own lives for their new grandchild.

As our unique family histories also focus on our gastronomic traditions, ethnic cookbooks are always high on my list. Just one example is Poopa Dweck's Aromas of Aleppo: The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews, which arrived recently. Just published, this is a big, lavishly photographed volume packed with unusual recipes and a holiday and life-cycle guide to Aleppo's unique customs. Watch for a stand-alone posting on this book.

5. New Genes: Start a surname or geographic DNA group at Family Tree DNA, and kick it off by sending selected relatives a test kit. This is definitely the gift that gives back in family information.

6. Join in: There are several database websites that can cost a pretty penny. Subscriptions to such fee-based sites as Ancestry , Footnote, World Vital Records would be very welcome. If your researcher already has a subscription, you could add a year or two to it. What about the membership fee to a local Jewish genealogical society? Or the registration fee for the annual international Jewish genealogy conference?

7. Starting out: If your researcher is just beginning or considering making the switch from paper to computer, consider a software package such as Family Tree Maker, Master Genealogist or Legacy Family Tree.

8. Make it personal: Scan in and record on disk your family photographs to share with relatives. Update your tree and send it out to the relatives so it reflects your latest discoveries.

9. Go for nostalgia: Gather the family and start planning a group roots trip back to the old country.

My favorite buy last year was a small digital recorder (no cassettes to fool around with or lose) and a battery recharger for its AAA batteries. Two years ago, I entered the 21st century with a digital camera. Both are now essential tools.

These are just some possibilities. What are your suggestions?

What's the best gift you've received that helped with your research?

Gifts for genealogists - Update

Chanukah's right around the corner, and the genealogists in your family would be happy to receive these eight presents - or even just one of them. They may not taste as good as latkes, but they are definitely lower in calories than delicious sufganiot (doughnuts).

What does your favorite genealogist really, really want?

Practical ideas include:

1. A digital camera - I've just joined the digital revolution, and don't know why it took so long!

2. A portable scanner. Always useful for those doing onsite research.

3. Paying the annual dues for your family genealogist's favorite Jewish genealogical society, or the registration fee for the upcoming 27th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy this summer in Salt Lake City.

4. Take a look at some of the light-hearted gen items listed on fun Web sites for genealogists, such as Fun Stuff for Genealogists or JMK Genealogy.

5. For big spenders, who want to give the gift that keeps on giving, how about a subscription for unlimited access to the Ancestry collection, which can get rather pricey.

6. What about a family gift of a group trip back to someone's roots, whether in Rhodes, Spain, Poland or elsewhere?

7. For your intrepid older researcher, who may not be so mobile in cold winter climates, send along a box of writable CDs or even something as mundane as a carton of printer paper. These things are heavy to shlep ... and in the snow and ice, a real problem.

8. There are an increasing number of Jewish genealogy books out there. Go to Avotaynu and choose one for your favorite researcher.

9. Make the gift of genes with genetic genealogy tests for members of your own tribe at Family Tree DNA.

10. How about gifting an online genealogy class run by a group of experienced online instructors? Basic Jewish Genealogy will be offered in February, followed by Jewish Internet Research. More general classes include organizing your research, writing your family history, finding lost friends and family, adoption investigation and various ethnic specialties (Scottish, Native American, etc.). The four-week classes offer a detailed curriculum, online class meetings and much more, taught by instructors who were all formerly with MyFamily.com.

Readers are invited to chime in with their own wish lists, so please add your comments to this post.