Making the Most of FamilySearch for Jewish Research

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Program

ORLANDO, FL, November 26, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) for a program featuring FamilySearch and Jewish genealogy expert, Todd Knowles, “Making the Most of FamilySearch for Jewish Research”.

FamilySearch.org is the largest website in the world for genealogical information. FamilySearch has more than 6.8 billion historic records on microfilm that are being digitized and eventually indexed. These records contain an estimated 20.6 billion names. FamilySearch has over 200 digital record preservation camera teams in 45 countries who produce more than 100 million new digital images for free online publication each year. You can find U.S. census records, birth, marriage, and death records, and many registers from overseas through FamilySearch. You are also likely to find records from your ancestors’ shtetls. Todd Knowles will demonstrate the tools that can make searching for your Jewish ancestors a more successful experience. Whether looking through the catalog, or trying to access the digital images from hundreds of free online databases, this program will be a great help to everyone. Todd will be speaking to the group from Salt Lake City, headquarters of FamilySearch and the Family History Library.

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. 

W. Todd Knowles is a member of the reference staff at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. He specializes in Jewish and English research. He began searching for his great great grandfather, a Polish Jew over 35 years ago. That search and the records found began what today is known as the Knowles Collection, six databases containing the genealogical records of the Jewish people. Today those databases contain the records of almost 700k people. Todd has lectured around the world and his papers have been widely published. He has a blog, knowlescollection.blogspot.com, discussing his database. 

DATE: Tuesday, December 3, 2013

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 $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.

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Contact Information: 

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

“The Knowles Collection - What Is It and How Do I Use It?”

 “The Knowles Collection - What Is It and How Do I Use It?”

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Program

ORLANDO, FL, October 17, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO)  for a program featuring FamilySearch and Jewish genealogy expert, Todd Knowles, “The Knowles Collection – What Is It and How Do I Use It?”.

The Knowles Collection contains the genealogical records of Jewish people throughout the world. The people listed in the records are linked as families, and are compiled from over 1200 different sources. The collection has six databases, Jews of North America, Jews of South America and the Caribbean, Jews of Europe, Jews of the British Isles, Jews of Africa and the Orient, and the Jews of the South Pacific. As of 1 Jan 2013 the collection held the records of almost 700,000 people. Todd will show how to use this free research tool and how to make the most of it. The collection also has its own blog at knowlescollection.blogspot.com . Todd will be speaking to the group from Salt Lake City, headquarters of FamilySearch and the Family History Library.

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. 

                                       

W. Todd Knowles is a member of the reference staff at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. He specializes in Jewish and English research. He began searching for his great great grandfather, a Polish Jew over 35 years ago. That search and the records found began what today is known as the Knowles Collection, six databases containing the genealogical records of the Jewish people. Today those databases contain the records of almost 700k people. Todd has lectured around the world and his papers have been widely published. He has a blog, knowlescollection.blogspot.com, discussing his database. 

DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 2013

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

“Smarter Searching on Ancestry.com”

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Program

ORLANDO, FL, June 13, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) for a program featuring Ancestry.com’s expert, Crista Cowan, “Smarter Searching on Ancestry.com”.

Shaky leaf hints. Global searches. Database specific. Fuzzy. Exact. These are just a few of the ways to locate records on Ancestry.com. You can search by person or location.  You can use the Card Catalog to discover what is online before you begin your search.  You can change your collection priority to focus on records specific to your Jewish ancestry and utilize the Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex. Join Crista Cowan as she shares her best search tips and tricks to help you find all of the information available on Ancestry.com about your ancestors. Crista will be speaking over the Internet from Ancestry.com’s headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Crista Cowan has been employed at Ancestry.com, the company that sponsors the popular TV series, “Who Do You Think You Are?” and is the leader in the market for online family history research with more than 2.5 million subscribers, since 2004. Her interest in family history, however, reaches all the way back to childhood.  She is a popular genealogy teacher.  You can watch her live internet show – The Barefoot Genealogist – every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 pm (Eastern) on http://livestream.com/ancestry.

Ancestry.com has partnered with JewishGen®, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the American Jewish Historical Society and The Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation, Inc. to create the world’s largest online collection of Jewish historical records.

Crista’s lectures are always amongst the most popular lectures at the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS). Crista will be a guest lecturer at this year’s IAJGS conference in Boston, August 4-9, 2013. To learn more about the 250+ lectures and workshops on Jewish genealogy at IAJGS Boston 2013, visit www.iajgs2013.org.

DATE: Sunday, June 23, 2013

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 and “like” us at www.facebook.com/jgsgreaterorlando .

“The Changing Borders of Eastern Europe”

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Program

ORLANDO, FL, May 6, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) for a program featuring world renowned expert, Hal Bookbinder, “The Changing Borders of Eastern Europe”.

Few Jews lived in Eastern Europe 1,000 years ago. Yet, it was to become the home of 80% of the world’s Jews. As Russia expanded westward, more and more Jews came within the Russian Empire. This talk examines Russia’s efforts to limit the Jews in its midst and the Eastern European borders changes which frequently resulted in ancestral towns coming under the rule of several countries over time. Recognizing which governments were in control at various times can help in understanding the environment in which ancestors lived, events that stimulated migration, languages in which records were kept and likely locations where these records might be found.

Hal Bookbinder has served as president of the JGS Los Angeles (JGSLA) and the International Association of JGS’s (IAJGS) as well as a founding member of the JGS of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County (JGSCV).  He currently serves on the JewishGen Board of Governors, chairing its Strategic Planning Committee. He has chaired or served in a leadership role for eight IAJGS conferences, is advisor to the 2013 Conference in Boston and is co-chairing the 2014 conference in Salt Lake City. Hal has published numerous articles on research techniques, Jewish history, border changes and safe computing and has lectured at most recent annual conferences. In 2010, he was honored with the IAJGS Lifetime Achievement Award.

Hal has identified over 3,500 relatives in eight lines, taking two of these back into the mid-18th century. His family roots are primarily from the area currently within the Ukraine and adjacent areas of Moldova, Belarus, Russia and Poland.

Hal’s lecture on “The Changing Borders of Eastern Europe” is fundamental to those researching their Jewish Eastern European family history.

DATE: Sunday, May 19, 2013

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 and “like” us at www.facebook.com/jgsgreaterorlando .

"Jewish Genealogy Brick Wall Roundtable"

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Program

ORLANDO, FL, March 25, 2013 — Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) for a roundtable discussion featuring genealogy brick wall problems and solutions.

Many genealogist encounter one or more brick walls when researching their family history. The paper trail seems to vanish. Your ancestors may have changed their names. All sources seem to have been exhausted. The trail has run dry. You may have run out of ideas on where to look next.

Bring your brick wall genealogy problem to the JGSGO’s mavens. In advance of the April 30^th meeting, submit a research problem statement, description, and background for your Jewish genealogy brick wall problem to jgsgo.maven@gmail.com. We ask that you be in attendance at the Brick Wall Roundtable meeting in order to hear what our mavens have discovered. Our mavens will share their findings and their research methods. The earlier you submit your brick wall problem, the more time our mavens will have to research it. This is a great opportunity to make a new discovery in your family history.

Even if you do not have a brick wall problem to submit at this time, the JGSGO Brick Wall Roundtable provides a great opportunity to learn Jewish genealogy research methods.

DATE: Tuesday, April 30, 2013

TIME: 7:00 P.M. – 8:45 P.M.

LOCATION: Maitland Public Library, 501 South Maitland Avenue, Maitland, FL 32751.

ADMISSION: Open to the public. Free.

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 and “like” us at www.facebook.com/jgsgreaterorlando .