Using SIGs to Find Your Ancestors

ORLANDO, FL, May 31, 2014 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) for a program featuring IAJGS President, Marlis Humphrey, “Using SIGs to Find Your Ancestors”.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are an invaluable resource to finding your ancestors. SIGs are a group of people whose common interest is a geographic region of ancestral origin or a special topic. There are more than a couple dozen various Jewish genealogy SIGs – e.g. German-Jewish SIG, Latvia SIG, GRI- Poland SIG, Rabbinic Genealogy SIG, etc. Most have unique and very useful information available to those researching their family history on a website. Many also have an email based discussion group where members can get help and share information. Many SIGs are also instrumental in sponsoring translation projects to index records from their region of interest. These records might only otherwise be available by visiting an in-country archive. Many SIGs have an annual meeting coincident with the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies annual conference www.iajgs2014.org. Learn about the myriad of resources available through the various Jewish genealogy SIGs, how to access them, and how to utilize this resource to discover your ancestry.
Prior to the program, starting at 6:30pm, there will be time for newcomers to network and to receive free consulting assistance or mentoring from a Jewish genealogy maven.

Marlis Glaser Humphrey is President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), Vice President of Programs and Publicity for the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO), and Vice President and Technology Outreach Committee Chairs for the Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS). Marlis recently received the FSGS 2014 Distinguished Service award. She has successfully discovered all her ancestral shtetls. Marlis is founder of myAncestories, a company that helps genealogists create family histories to treasure. Marlis holds a B.A. in Russian and an M.S. in Management of Technology.
DATE: Tuesday, June 3, 2014
TIME: 7:00pm - 9:00pm (6:30pm for networking and mavens)
ADMISSION: Open to the public. Free admission.
LOCATION: Maitland Public Library, 501 S. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751.
About the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando
The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) is a not for profit organization dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with anyone interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Anyone may join JGSGO. Annual dues are $35 for an individual and $40 for a family. For more information visit our blog at www.jgsgo.blogspot.com , “like” us at www.facebook.com/jgsgreaterorlando or call us at 407-494-4230.
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Contact Information: Marlis Humphrey JGSGO VP Programs & Publicity jgsgo.programs@gmail.com

How to Search Online to Break Down Genealogy Brick Walls

ORLANDO, FL, January 23, 2014 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) for a program featuring local Jewish genealogy mavens, Laurence “Larry” Morrell and Dave Rowitt, “How to Search Online to Break Down Genealogical Brick Walls ”.

Dave and Larry will walk through the techniques they used to assist members

r requests for help with breaking down their genealogical brick wall. They will provide friendly advice on searching Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and JewishGen.org. They will show attendees how a non-professional can use these sources in their searches. They will then hold an open Q&A session. 

Prior to the program, starting at 6:30pm, there will be time for newcomers to network and to receive free consulting assistance or mentoring from a Jewish genealogy maven. 

Laurence Morrell, an Orlando native of 71 years, has been engaged in genealogy research for 12 years. He has travelled to Poland and Hungary to see the places his ancestors lived, see the same rivers they saw, walk the same streets they walked, and see many of the same buildings they saw. He has over 1,000 names attached to his family tree and it continues to grow. An active member of the JGSGO, Larry served past president. He has attended two International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) annual conferences. Larry has taught a beginners genealogy class at the Jewish Academy of Orlando and will teach  it again this Spring. Larry is a strong advocate of writing Ethical Wills and has spoken to groups about the importance of that topic.

Dave Rowitt has been researching his family for over ten years. It all started with a phone call from a second cousin who wanted to know more about their family. One question led to many and before he knew it, he was hooked on genealogy. Dave has discovered and located the vast majority of his family that resided in the U.S. Dave’s background as an Information Technology and Business Analyst for over 30 years has given him the skills to deeply probe the area of genealogy with proven results. He, along with his cousin, have identified nearly 3,000 members of their family -  leading to some intriguing family reunions.

DATE: Tuesday, February 4, 2014
TIME: 7:00pm - 9:00pm (6:30pm for networking and mavens)

ADMISSION: Open to the public. $5.00 for non-members. Free for members.

LOCATION: Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando – Roth JCC – Maitland Campus, Senior Lounge, 851 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751.

About the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) is a not for profit organization dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with anyone interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Anyone may join JGSGO. Annual dues are $25 for an individual and $30 for a family. For more information visit our blog at www.jgsgo.blogspot.com , “like” us at www.facebook.com/jgsgreaterorlando  or call us at 407-494-4230.

# # # 

Contact Information: 

Marlis Humphrey
JGSGO VP Programs & Publicity
jgsgo.programs@gmail.com

“Who Do You Think You Are, Bubala?”

"Who Do You Think You Are, Bubala?"
An Introduction to Jewish Genealogy Webinar

ORLANDO, FL, September 20, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) in celebration of International Jewish Genealogy Month, for a free webinar that is certain to kick-start your family tree research.

Have you heard,

"They never talked about it"

"What kind of a name is Tauntie Saucie (i.e. Aunt Sosia)?", or

"All the records were destroyed"?

With some know how and persistence, you can find your Jewish ancestors! Join us for an “Introduction to Jewish Genealogy” webinar.  We will cover:

• 4 steps to getting started
• Records you might find & where to find them
• Available resources, tools, and help

We will show you key documents to help put that family tree together and go further into the past: census; birth, death, and marriage certificates; city directories, cemetery records and obituaries, social security records, draft and military records, naturalization papers, ships passenger lists, tax records, pages of testimony, liberation records and more. 

Nothing is more exciting than discovering a new cousin, an unknown ancestor, or the real name of the shtetl where they once lived. Learn how to begin that journey of discovery with Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando experts.

Webinar presenter, Marlis Glaser Humphrey, is Vice President of Programs and Publicity for the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO), Publications and Technology Outreach Committee Chairs for the Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS), President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), Co-Chair for the IAJGS Boston 2013 Conference, and a member of the IAJGS Membership Development Committee responsible for the Southeastern U.S. Region. She has successfully discovered all her ancestral shtetls. Marlis holds a B.A. in Russian and an M.S. in Management of Technology. You can reach Marlis at jgsgo.programs@gmail.com.

DATE: Tuesday, October 22, 2013

TIME: 7:00pm - 8:30pm

COST: There is no cost to attend. You must pre-register. Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar Seat Now:   https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/966295286

RSVP:      We highly suggest you pre-register by October 7th. After this date we will open up attendance to a wider audience. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP by pre-registering as soon as possible. 

About the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) is a not for profit organization dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with anyone interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Anyone may join JGSGO. Annual dues are $25 for an individual and $30 for a family. For more information visit our blog at www.jgsgo.blogspot.com , “like” us at www.facebook.com/jgsgreaterorlando  or call us at 407-494-4230.

“Beginning Jewish Genealogy - 4 Week Workshop”

Sponsored by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando & the

Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando

ORLANDO, FL, January 16, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) and the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater Orlando for a 4 week workshop, “Beginning Jewish Genealogy”.

Have you heard, "They never talked about it" or "What kind of a name is Tauntie Saucie (i.e. Aunt Sosia)?", or "All the records were destroyed"? With some know how and persistence, you can find your Jewish ancestors! We will cover:

                        Week 1 - Starting the Search

                        Week 2 - U.S. Census & Other Directories

                        Week 3 - U.S. Vital Records & More

                        Week 4 - Bridging to the Old Country

This 4 week class will cover all the essentials to get you started on Jewish family history research. Each week will include a 90 minute lecture, a small homework assignment to get you started, and a set of handouts to add to your workbook.

The class will be offered during the morning and repeated in the evening. Sign up for the morning 4 week sessions or the evening 4 week sessions. Please register no later than February 5, 2013. Register by calling the JCC at 407-645-5933.

DATE:              Tuesdays, February 12, 19, 26, and March 5

TIME:               10:30a.m. or 6:30p.m.

LOCATION:      Roth JCC Greater Orlando, Maitland Campus, 851 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751

COST:              Free to JCC and JGSGO members. Non-members $10 fee per week for handouts.

About the Instructors

Lawrence “Larry” Morrell is Past President of the JGSGO and Adult Education Director at Temple Israel. Larry is a successful researcher of his own ancestry and has been a maven to many students of Jewish genealogy. Passionate about capturing family history before it is lost and engaging our descendants in the process, Larry is an experienced lecturer and class instructor on Jewish genealogy topics.

Marlis Glaser Humphrey is Vice President of Programs and Publicity for the JGSGO, a member of the Board of Directors of the Ukraine-SIG and the Florida State Genealogical Society. She is co-chair for the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Boston 2013 conference and Membership Development Committee responsible for the Southeastern U.S. Region. Marlis holds a B.A. in Russian and an M.S. in Management of Technology. Marlis is a frequent lecturer on Jewish genealogy topics.

About the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) is a not for profit organization dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with anyone interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Anyone may join JGSGO. Annual dues are $25 for an individual and $30 for a family. For more information visit our blog at www.jgsgo.blogspot.com or "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/JGSGreaterOrlando .

“Build a Translation Toolkit for Genealogists”

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Celebrates

International Jewish Genealogy Month

ORLANDO, FL, October 10, 2012 — Join the JGSGO as it celebrates International Jewish Genealogy Month. The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) proudly presents internationally renowned and highly regarded expert, Marlis Humphrey, as Speaker of the Month. She will present "Build a Translation Toolkit for Genealogists".

It's International Jewish Genealogy Month, celebrated since 1999 during the Hebrew month of Cheshvan (October 17 to November 14 in 2012).  This is a great time to focus on the international aspect of genealogy and break down the foreign language wall.

You do not need to know how to speak a foreign language to do genealogy research. You can search foreign language websites for genealogy information and translate the web pages to English language with a click of a button using simple browser based tools. You can transcribe foreign language vital records and more with some easy to use aids. You can learn to translate Hebrew headstones. Examples will be given for translating Russian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Hebrew. Join us and learn how to build your translation toolkit. Mavens will be available after the program to discuss your genealogy research questions. Whether beginner or expert in researching your Jewish family history, this is the meeting for you.

Marlis Humphrey is the founder of myAncestories, International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) Boston 2013 Conference co-chair, Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS) board member, Ukraine SIG board member, and JGSGO board member. She recently lectured at the National Genealogical Societies 2012 Conference in Cincinnati, the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2012 Conference in Birmingham, and the IAJGS 2012 Conference in Paris. She will present an “Introduction to Jewish Genealogy Research” at the upcoming FSGS conference in Deerfield Beach.

DATE: Tuesday, October 16, 2012

TIME: 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.

LOCATION: Congregation of Reform Judaism, Mini Sanctuary, 928 Malone Drive, Orlando, FL 32810

ADMISSION: Open to the public. $5.00 for non-members. Free for members.

About the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) is a not for profit organization dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with anyone interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Anyone may join JGSGO. Annual dues are $25 for an individual and $30 for a family. For more information visit our blog at www.jgsgo.blogspot.com .

"Getting the Most Out of JewishGen"

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Proudly Presents

Internationally Renowned Expert Marlis Humphrey

ORLANDO, FL, May 18, 2012 — The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) proudly presents internationally renowned and highly regarded expert, Marlis Humphrey, as Speaker of the Month. She will present "Getting the Most Out of JewishGen".

JewishGen is the preeminent resource for researching Jewish ancestry. This free website provides many tools for finding both deceased ancestors as well as living family members. The JewishGen databases are extensive, with more than 20 million searchable records and more than 700 volunteers adding to the collection daily. More than just searchable databases, JewishGen provides a myriad of research tools including, family trees, a family finder, access to special interest groups, information files, as well as training in Jewish genealogy.

This is “must have” knowledge for anyone starting Jewish ancestry research. For more experienced researchers, this presentation will be a great refresher course and update. As part of the presentation, Marlis will accept research queries from the audience and will perform live on-demand searches via JewishGen. Learn to take advantage of all that JewishGen has to offer and kick-start your next breakthrough.

Marlis Glaser Humphrey is the industry’s foremost expert on next generation family history publishing and a successful researcher. Marlis recently presented at the National Genealogical Society’s annual conference in Cincinnati and is presenting at the upcoming Federation of Genealogical Societies’ conference in Birmingham and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies’ conference in Paris. Marlis holds a B.A. in Russian and an M.S. in Management of Technology.

A JGSGO Maven’s Corner will be available starting at 12:30 P.M., prior to the scheduled program, by reservation only. Those interested in meeting with a maven to discuss a genealogy problem should bring a concise description of their genealogical question and relevant background data. Please email your question and background information and to reserve an appointment to jgsgo.maven@gmail.com .

DATE: Sunday, June 10, 2012

TIME: 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.

LOCATION: Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation, Social Hall, 11200 South Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32836

ADMISSION: Open to the public. $5.00 for non-members. Free for members.

About the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) is a not for profit organization dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with anyone interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Anyone may join JGSGO. Annual dues are $25 for an individual and $30 for a family. For more information visit our blog at www.jgsgo.blogspot.com .