Nebraska: Kids and genealogy

Most readers know that I am an advocate for family history programming for young people.

The Buffalo County Historical Society in Nebraska is doing something about "Getting Kids Involved in Genealogy."

The link provides some interesting ideas for projects - do read the complete article for more details.

- Many children come from non-traditional homes - drawing a family tree is more difficult. A family garden is an easier way to show the relationships kids' have with their siblings, parents, and grandparents.

- Making shadow boxes containing pictures of grandparents with stories and objects in the background. Each box was a different story, can be passed down and may become heirlooms. 

- Ancestry.com: Have young people view photocopies of ancestors' signatures, discuss the different in handwriting. Have them look through old family photos and redraw them to learn the stories.

- Digupyourroots.com: Have young people create a family newsletter and interview relatives for stories, make a calendar of family events, include family photos. Look for the Just for Kids link, bottom left of that page.

Read the complete article  for more details.

Nebraska: Jewish cemetery help request

Although JewishGen's Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR) has now passed the 1 million burial record milestone, there is a major omission, according to Terry Lasky of Colorado, who has taken on this responsibility.

On examination, he has found that no Nebraska Jewish cemetery records are currently represented in JOWBR.

Terry has been trying to coordinate the documentation of cemetery burial records for JOWBR from those states with a limited number of Jewish cemeteries. He has so far completed all the Jewish cemeteries in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and is working on Oklahoma.

He would like to do the Nebraska cemeteries next.

As he is unable to travel to Nebraska and requires some help to accomplish this goal, Lasky needs individuals or volunteer groups to "adopt" each cemetery and help with two fairly easy tasks:

1) Obtain a list of the burials in the cemetery (Jewish portion only) from either the synagogue or the cemetery, and

2) Take pictures of each gravestone.

He will do any required data entry, reformatting and translating of information on the gravestones. Additionally, JewishGen has volunteers to assist in the translation of Hebrew inscriptions on the matzevot.

The following cemeteries are on his list:

Omaha, Nebraska

Beth El Cemetery
Bnai Abraham & BHH (Fisher Farm) Cemeteries
Golden Hill Cemetery, Bnai Israel Section
Mt. Sinai Cemetery (Adas Jeshurun, Bnai Jacob)
Pleasant Hill Cemetery (Temple Israel, Bnai Jacob, Bnai Shalom)

Hastings, Nebraska

Parkview Cemetery, Mt. Sinai section

Lincoln, Nebraska

Mt. Carmel Cemetery (Bnai Jehuda section)
Wyuka Cemetery (Bnai Jeshurun section)
Mt. Lebanon Cemetery (Jewish section)

Nebraska City, Nebraska

Wyuka Cemetery (Jewish Section)
Tel Shalom Cemetery

Readers can search JOWBR's 1 million burial records here on JewishGen.

Do any of Tracing the Tribe's readers know of any additional Jewish cemeteries or Jewish cemetery sections that he may have overlooked?

Can Tracing the Tribe readers in Nebraska adopt any of the listed cemeteries?

If you can help, please email Terry Lasky at talasky(AT)comcast(DOT)net