JEWISH GENEALOGY RESEARCH

1. JEWISH GENEALOGY RESEARCH Pete Tanner Suncoast Genealogy Services

2. About Me • Born & raised here in Clearwater • Bar Mitzvah & Confirmation right here at TBI • Married 3.5 years – met my wife here at TBI • One 2 year old daughter & baby on the way • Researching my genealogy on a regular basis since 2006 • Board Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay • Member – Association of Professional Genealogists • Bachelor’s Degree from UF and Master’s Degree from USF in Information Systems • Work as a Computer Programmer for the City of Clearwater

3. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

4. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

5. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

6. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

7. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

8. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

9. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

10. Do You Know Your Ancestors?

11. Do You Know Your Ancestors? Jankel Born around 1780 in NE Poland He was my 7x Great-Grandfather

12. What Is Genealogy? • Genealogy is the study of your unique family history. It is a personal record of your ancestors - when they were born and where they lived, who their children were and who they married, and where you belong in your extended family tree. • It’s not just about dead ancestors! • It’s also about your current living relatives

13. Jewish Genealogy • We are not just a religion, but also an ethnicity • Your “Jewishness” is passed to you from your mother (Matrilineal) • Determination of Kohanim or Leviim descent comes from your father (Patrilineal) • Proof of Jewish status to become an Israeli citizen

14. Jewish Genealogy Myths • Our last name was changed at Ellis Island

15. Jewish Genealogy Myths • Our last name was changed at Ellis Island • Ellis Island officials did not change names • Checked medical health (turned away if too sick) • Made sure immigrants could take care of themselves • However – Names were changed before and after arrival at Ellis Island

16. Jewish Genealogy Myths • All the records from Europe were destroyed in WWI and WWII

17. Jewish Genealogy Myths • All the records from Europe were destroyed in WWI and WWII • Some records may have been destroyed in bombings • However, most survived • Nazis wanted to preserve synagogue records so they could identify the Jews • Depending on where your relatives lived, there could be a large number of records available

18. Jewish Genealogy Myths • The towns that my family were originally from no longer exist

19. Jewish Genealogy Myths • The towns that my family were originally from no longer exist • The towns are probably still there • However, there may not be any Jews living there anymore • In many cases, the current residents of the town remember the Jews that once lived there

20. Jewish Genealogy Myths • No one in my family knows anything about our past

21. Jewish Genealogy Myths • No one in my family knows anything about our past • Have you asked anyone? • Many Jewish families don’t like to talk about the past, but they may know more than you think • Learning a small amount of information may be enough to get you started • Reach out to distant relatives if necessary

22. Where Did I Start? • 7th Grade Project – “My Family Tree” • Interview family members • Take good notes • Write a report about my family • Who Did I Interview? • Two parents • Four grandparents • One great-grandparent

23. What Did I Learn? • Family from England, Russia, Poland • Only learned one town name – “Stanslav” • Almost all settled in New York City • Lower East Side, Brooklyn, Bronx • One family settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania • Some family lines – no info at all

24. What Did I Learn? • Family Stories: • Great-Grandmother who died early – no one knew her name • 3x Great-Grandfather who went to Israel (Palestine) and died there • Paternal line suspected to be Cohanim

25. Fifteen Years Later (2006) • Found my report in the back of my closet • Decided to revisit my research • Discovered many, many more resources via the Internet • Started building my tree once again online • Have been addicted to it since

26. My Current Family Tree • Sixty-Five direct descendants • Eight generations • Exact town where each family line originated • Contains over 1,800 people • Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins • Includes anyone who shares a common ancestor with me • Hundreds of relatives alive today • Living relatives in England, South Africa, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil

27. How Do You Get Started? • Be a good detective • Learn how to search the various online resources • If a record you are seeking isn’t available online, see if you can find it offline • Talk to other people who are researching common surnames or towns • Don’t give up • Everyone will hit a brick wall – don’t let it discourage you • If a record isn’t available now, it may become available in the future

28. Ancestry.com • Most popular genealogy website • Contains the greatest amount of records • US & State Census Records • Immigration Records • Military Records • Birth, Marriage, and Death Records • Naturalization Records • Newspaper Articles • Message Boards • Other Users’ Family Trees

29. Census Records • US Federal Census – Taken every 10 years • 1940 is latest year currently available • State Censuses – Varies depending on state • Gives a snapshot of a family at that point in time • Most include name, address, age, place of birth, occupation • Some include years married, year of immigration, naturalization status • Example – Tannenbaum Family In 1920

30. Immigration Records • Information about the immigrant at the time of their arrival to the US • Information varies depending on year of arrival • Most include name, age, occupation, nationality, place of birth • May list family members from their last place of residence • May list who they are coming to live with in the US • Example – Sylvia Bloomberg Arrival

31. Naturalization Records • Usually consist of two separate forms • Declaration of Intention (First Papers) • Petition for Naturalization (After 5 year residency requirement) • Contain a wealth of genealogical data • Name, DOB, Place of Birth, Arrival Date, Port of Arrival, Spouse’s Name/Age/Birthplace, Children’s Names/Ages/Birthplaces, Current Residence, Witness Information • Example – Irving Schechtman Naturalization

32. JewishGen.org • Premier website serving the Jewish Genealogy community • Non-Profit – mostly staffed by volunteers • Relies on donations to operate • Full of resources, including tutorials for beginners • Offers online interactive courses on various Jewish Genealogy topics • Overview Video – This Is JewishGen

33. JewishGen.org • Country-specific databases • Ex: Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, UK, Latvia, Lithuania • Holocaust database • Family Finder – towns & surnames currently being researched by other site users • Town Finder – 6,000+ Jewish communities, mostly in Europe • ViewMate – Allows you to post photographs & documents online and request help from other users • Burial Registry (JOWBR) – contains around 2 million records of Jewish burials throughout the world

34. Tombstone Inscriptions • Tombstones are important to Genealogy, but even more important in Jewish Genealogy • Hebrew name listed – important when looking for records from Europe • Father’s name listed – may be your only reference to the father of an ancestor • Many Jewish cemeteries will photograph a tombstone for you (sometimes at a small cost)

35. Tombstone Inscriptions Fischel Son of Yitzchak Maite Daugher of Israel

36. Special Interest Groups • Websites and mailing lists centered on one specific area of interest • Most are centered on a geographic region • Users often communicate and help each other with research • Great resource to help with specific questions • Many SIGs raise money for projects • Obtaining records • Translating records • Photographing Jewish cemetery tombstones

37. Newspapers/Obituaries • Families often posted life events in the newspaper • Births, Marriages, Deaths, Anniversaries • Visits from out of town relatives • Articles written about relatives • Many websites provide newspaper archive access (most for a fee) • Many newspapers also available overseas

38. Newspapers/Obituaries My 3rd Great Grandmother – Leah Cohen (nee Rybicki) Obituary printed in the Jewish Chronicle of England Died on 10 Jul 1923 in Manchester England Prior to discovering this, I knew nothing of her seven other children

39. Newspapers/Obituaries My 2nd Great Grand Aunt – Fanny Cohen (nee Brown) Printed in the Auckland (NZ) Star in April of 1897

40. Newspapers/Obituaries • Obituary records can be a great source of current information about your relatives • Recent obituaries may list the name and city of residence of your living relatives • That information can then be used to track your relatives down • I often use Facebook to find relatives and make contact with them

41. Family Stories • Great-Grandmother who died early – no one knew her name • 3x Great-Grandfather who went to Israel (Palestine) and died there • Paternal line suspected to be Cohanim

42. Mystery Great Grandmother • First I found her in the 1930 Census • Learned her first name, age, date of arrival • Next I pulled their NYC Marriage Record • Learned her maiden name, parents names • Next I found her Naturalization Record • Learned her birth city and exact arrival date • Next I found her Immigration Record • Learned who she listed as family in the US • Finally I pulled her NYC Death Record • Learned death date, how she died, place of burial

43. Mystery Great Grandmother

44. 3x Great Grandfather Died In Israel Printed in the Jewish Chronicle of England on 7 Feb 1908

45. Paternal Line Cohanim • The Cohen line has been passed from father to son without interruption for 3,300 years • Until recently, there was no way to prove you were a Cohen • Now, scientists have identified a set of genetic markers that all are shared by all Cohanim • These markers are called the Cohen Modal Haplotype • Only men can be tested for the markers

46. Paternal Line Cohanim • In June of this year, I had my Y-DNA tested • A few weeks later, I received my results, which included the following • My grandfather was not just making things up! • My DNA says I am definitely a Cohen!

47. Genealogical DNA Testing • Besides providing Cohen matches, DNA testing has other uses for Jewish people • DNA Shoah Project – Collects genetic material from Holocaust survivors and their immediate descendants in hopes of reuniting relatives displaced during the Shaoah • DNA surname & geographical projects track the DNA of people with specific surnames or from specific areas in Europe

48. Genealogical DNA Testing • Three basic types of DNA tests for genealogy • Y-DNA: Passed from father to son • Looks at your direct paternal line • Can only be taken by males (only males have a Y) • mtDNA: Passed from mother to all her children • Looks at your direct maternal line • Can be taken by anyone • Autosomal DNA: Present in all of us • Looks at all your non-sex DNA (22 pairs) • Can estimate your ethnicity • Can match you with possible cousins who share DNA

49. Genealogical DNA Testing • I have taken a Y-DNA test and an Autosomal DNA test • Y-DNA test confirmed Cohen heritage and provided matches to other males with matching Y-DNA • Autosomal DNA test provided an ethnicity breakdown and matches to both male and female “cousins” who share my autosomal DNA • More About Autosomal DNA

50. My Ethnicity • My ethnicity breakdown: • European Jewish • Poland, Ukraine, Romania • Persian/Turkish/Caucasus • Iran, Turkey, Armenia • Central European • Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Czech Republic • Finnish/Volga-Ural • Russia, Finland • Uncertain • Alien (according to my wife)