Past Programs

Past Programs - 2012

The following programs and workshops were held in 2012; they are shown here so that you may view the range of activities of JGSGW.

January	Sunday, January 8, 2012
Program:	Writing the Family History: Creative Concepts for a Lasting Legacy
Location:	Adas Israel, Washington, D.C.
Time:	1:00 PM - Schmooze 1:30 PM - Short Business Meeting, Announcements, and Program
Speaker:	Sandra MacLean Clunies, CG (click here for bio)
	Many researchers and family historians can assemble charts, documents, photos, artifacts – but are not yet comfortable with writing the narrative family history. The personal stories of both ancestors and the present generation – i.e., what are we doing to leave a record of our lives for the future, as well as sharing stories from the past? This presentation outlines 20 simple elements to consider, and engages the audience is some participation as well. It was generated after an article of Sandra's was published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly: "Writing the Family History: Creative Concepts for a Lasting Legacy" by Sandra MacLean Clunies, CG, who is a past winner of the NGS Family History Writing Contest (Putting Family History into Context: A Special Issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly NGSQ vol. 88, December 2000. Many who hear this presentation come up afterwards and say they have now lost their fears and are now inspired to go home and start writing down the stories! With the December talk showing how to produce a final book, this could then add the important dimension of unique, personal, and very meaningful content to such a project. It follows my grandmother’s adage that “you can eat an elephant if you cut it into small enough pieces”! This presentation demonstrates the “small pieces” that anyone can start to write. This program will reflect a natural progression from the December program presented by Marlis Humphrey.

February	Sunday, February 12, 2012
Program:	Your Jewish Roots in Poland: JRI-Poland, the Records and More …
Location:	B'nai Israel, Rockville, MD
Time:	1:00 PM - Schmooze 1:30 PM - Short Business Meeting, Announcements, and Program
Speaker:	Mark Halpern (click here for bio)
	This presentation from Jewish Records Indexing-Poland www.jri-poland.org will cover Jewish records and research from the various parts of Poland – Congress Poland, Russian Pale of Settlement (Bialystok area), Austrian Galicia, and Prussian Poland records. The presentation will demonstrate what kind of information can be found in each sort of record and how to find out what records are available for one's town. Sample searches will show ways to utilize the JRI-Poland database in order to get the most out of your research. Click here for a list of links to key Polish research sites.

March	Sunday, March 11, 2012
Program:	“The Jews of the Sudan”
Location:	Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Alexandria, VA
Time:	1:00 PM - Schmooze 1:30 PM - Short Business Meeting, Announcements, and Program
Speaker:	Jeffrey Malka, M.D. (click here for bio)
	Learn about the little-known history of the intrepid Jews who in the late nineteenth century settled in the uncharted lands at the junction of the Blue and White Niles, prospered, established the only B'nai B'rith lodge in the heart of Africa, and whose members later had an significant impacts on Israel and world Jewry in present times. Dr. Malka speaks on this subject with in-depth personal knowledge, as his grandfather Shlomo Malka was the Chief Rabbi of the Sudan from 1904 to 1949. Dr. Malka was born in the Sudan and lived there until he was 10, with several later visits up to 1956.

Workshop:	Beginner's Workshop
Time:	3:00 PM
	This workshop will be led by JGSGW Past Presidents, Arline Sachs and Faith Klein. After finding out what the people are doing or know now, we will talk briefly about writing down what you already know or think you know and then interviewing as these are the first steps. There will be a discussion about the handout. Faith will lead the group to the Jack Klein Memorial Library and Faith will explain the genealogy materials there. Jack Klein was the second President of JGSGW. Attendees will receive a copy of 7th edition of “Jump-Start Your Jewish Genealogy Research: A Beginner’s Guide.” The workshop is open to JGSGW members only. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Email registration requests to

April	Sunday, April 15, 2012
Program:	“The Chosen Folks: Writing about the Jews of Texas”
Location:	B'nai Israel, Rockville, MD
Time:	1:00 PM - Schmooze 1:30 PM - Short Business Meeting, Announcements, and Program
Speaker:	Dr. Bryan Edward Stone (click here for bio)
	Dr. Stone’s talk will focus on the themes of his recent book, “The Chosen Folks: Jews on the Frontiers of Texas.” By addressing specific topics such as the transient sixteenth-century Sephardim who may have been the first Jews in the state, the establishment of permanent Jewish communities in Texas, and later immigrations such as the Galveston Movement, Stone explains the intricacies of Texas-Jewish identity. The ways that Texas Jews defined themselves in opposition to others with whom they shared their state — and in opposition to Jews elsewhere — provide insights into how Jews construct and maintain their distinctive identity in places where they are an extreme minority. As such, the historical insights of The Chosen Folks are relevant to Jewish communities across the United States.

May	Sunday, May 6, 2012
Program:	Finding Living People on the Internet
Location:	Congregation Har Shalom, Potomac, MD
Time:	1:00 PM - Schmooze 1:30 PM - Short Business Meeting, Announcements, and Program
Speaker:	Ron Arons (click here for bio)
	Why search for living people? You might find cousins you never knew before. You might find people who might know more about your family than can be found in genealogical documents. This talk provides scores of websites to find almost any living person whether you know their surname or not (yes, you read correctly). Ron will provide numerous real-life examples of how these websites can be used individually and together.