"Researching Your Ukrainian Ancestry"

 Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Proudly Presents

Internationally Renowned Expert Ron Doctor

ORLANDO, FL, May 3, 2012 — The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) proudly presents internationally renowned and highly regarded expert, Ron Doctor, as Speaker of the Month. He will present "Researching Your Ukrainian Ancestry".

Ron Doctor will discuss his efforts to make the JewishGen Ukraine Special Interest Group (SIG) more relevant to researchers. He'll describe the SIG's new town-centered organization and the projects the SIG is developing which improve Jewish Ukrainian research. He'll discuss how you can learn the names of your ancestral towns and find old country data that may help you research your ancestors. You will see examples of some of the records that are available, including vital records and revision lists (censuses). Records like these have enabled Ron to extend his direct ancestral lines back to the early 1700s.

Dr. Ron Doctor is Coordinator of the JewishGen Ukraine SIG and President of the Kremenets District Research Group. Ron coordinated a project that translated 15,500 vital records of Kremenets. He currently is managing projects that are translating 2,600 pages of Yizkor Books from Kremenets and Vishnevets and 16,000 pages of Russian Revision List records from the Krements District, Ukraine. He also is coordinating the Kremenets and Vishnevets Jewish Cemetery Projects (about 4,200 gravestones). Ron is Past President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon and serves on JGSO’s Board. He is a frequent guest speaker and authored a monthly Jewish genealogy column for the Oregon Jewish Review. He began working on his family history in 1992. He earned a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles as well as a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Washington.

A JGSGO Maven’s Corner will be available starting at 1:30 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 .

Ron will present to the group from Oregon live via the Internet. Whether beginner or expert in researching your Jewish family history, this is the meeting for you. Don’t miss out!

DATE: Tuesday, May 15, 2012

TIME: 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 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 .

"Resources for Genealogists at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and How to Use Them"

Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando Proudly Presents

USHMM Expert Megan Lewis

ORLANDO, FL, April 10, 2012 — The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando (JGSGO) proudly presents internationally renowned and highly regarded expert, Megan Lewis, as Speaker of the Month. She will present "Resources for Genealogists at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and How to Use Them".

Ever wonder what exactly the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), in Washington, D.C., has (and what they don’t have?)  This talk will present an overview of the broad variety of sources available to Jewish genealogists at the Museum, such as books, archival collections, oral histories and the International Tracing Services records and show how they relate to one another.  The talk will then demonstrate how to find sources relevant to your own research using Museum databases.  Finally, the talk will discuss how to do research either at the Museum, in Washington, D.C., or remotely.

Megan Lewis, MLS, has worked at the USHMM since 1998.  Currently a reference librarian in the Museum’s Library and Archives reading room, she previously spent 12 years working for the Museum’s Holocaust Survivors and Victims Resource Center, the division of the Museum that specialized in researching the fates of specific individuals. Megan has talked about the Museum and its resources to genealogical conferences, gatherings of Holocaust survivors and the American Library Association.   She currently works on a private research project about genealogists’ use of testimonial sources which she presented at the Future of Holocaust Testimonies II conference in March 2012.

A JGSGO Maven’s Corner will be available starting at 6:30 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 .

Megan will present to the group from the USHMM in Washington, D.C. live via the Internet. Whether beginner or expert in researching your Jewish family history, this is the meeting for you. Don’t miss out!

DATE: Tuesday, April 24, 2012

TIME: 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 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 .

1940 Census - Just 11 Days Away

The 1940 Census will be released on April 2, 2012 at 9:00am EST.

The name index to the 1940 census records is being created by volunteers. You can volunteer to be an indexer. In the meantime, 1940 census records can be searched by enumeration district. Steve Morse has provided several one-step 1940 census tools to help. There is a wealth of information about the 1940 census at the National Archives website .

Check out this 3 minute video to get started.