The 39th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy took place in Cleveland, Ohio, July 28th through August 2nd at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown hotel.
Join other JGSMI Members as they discuss their favorite seminars and their experiences at the conference. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.
The next conference will be August 9-14, 2020 in San Diego: www.iajgs2020.org
Thursday, June 27 at 6:30 PM Temple Beth El 7400 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills
$18 — Kosher dessert reception
History Distilled: Jewish Detroit During Prohibition
The era of prohibition was a time of tremendous growth and secrets in Detroit’s Jewish community. Join archivists Robbie Terman from the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives and Laura Williams from the Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives of Temple Beth El as they share stories of life during prohibition, from developments in the Jewish community to bootlegging and the Purple Gang. Then, take a stroll through a display of photographs and documents and put yourself in the shoes of a Jewish Detroiter during this infamous time.
If you do not wish to pay via Eventbrite and pay the Eventbrite fee, please email Adina Lipsitz and she will manually add you to the list and you can mail in a check (payable to JGS of Michigan) for $18 per attendee.
Mail to: JGS of Michigan P.O. Box 251693 West Bloomfield, MI 48325
Sunday, April 28 at 10:00 AM Holocaust Memorial Center – ABC rooms Light refreshments Free
Ken Bravo is a Past President of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Cleveland. As Co-Chair of the 39th International Conference on Jewish Genealogy in Cleveland, he will offer a preview of what to expect at this year’s conference.
In Hebrew, Limmud means “learning.” Limmud Michigan, an entirely independent 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, brings to our region a remarkable venture in Jewish learning. It emulates the phenomenally successful enterprise created in the U.K., echoed in 83 communities in 43 countries – each with its own unique flavor.
Limmud Michigan is an all-volunteer run festival and celebration of Jewish thought, culture, learning, teaching and fun! Dedicated to the Jewish experience and exploration in all its variety, Limmud is committed to harnessing the energy of people from across the Jewish community and across the region.
This year includes a wide and varied set of topics:
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? The Right to Privacy in Jewish Sources
Magical Moments: Passing on the stories, Jewish traditions and joys of life with your grandchild
Quantum Theology: Belief in an Age of Proven Uncertainty
The Right, Left, or In-Between: Understanding Anti-Semitism
The Old Neighborhood: Jewish Enclaves of Northwest Detroit
Jewish Views on Angels and Devils
Whatever Happened to Nice Jewish Boys? What Do Jewish Men Do After #MeToo?
A geographic, demographic, religiosity profile of Detroit Jewry, based on the 2018 community study
Encountering Israeli Poets and Poetry Through Music and Song
Jewish Theology for Atheists
In addition, our very own Jim Grey, Past President, will be speaking at the conference: Jim will be speaking – “The Genealogy Journey from Research to Reunion.” This program will covers how to get started in genealogy and family history to solve the “genealogy jigsaw puzzle,” encompassing research using vital records (birth, marriage, death); discussion with family members; research using Ancestry.com for census records, ship records, naturalization records, etc., and digitized newspapers, locally using the Detroit Jewish News Foundation, and hands-on discovery using old Detroit City Directories at the Burton Historical Collection. It briefly touches on DNA, and ends with the family reunion.
Sunday, March 24 at 10:00 AM Holocaust Memorial Center – ABC rooms Light refreshments will be served Free
Join us for a pre-recorded FamilyTree DNA webinar by Elise Friedman
Genealogists researching Ashkenazi ancestry often find a variety of challenges in our traditional research: young surnames, changed surnames, cousin marriages, short paper trails and more. These same situations can make understanding and analyzing our genetic genealogy results and matches challenging as well. This presentation discusses how these situations affect our genetic genealogy results, how to understand our results in light of these situations, and some best practices for getting around these challenges to make the most of our genetic genealogy experience.
Sunday, February 24 at 10:00 AM Holocaust Memorial Center – ABC rooms
Members of JGSMI and Friends of the Archives: Free
All other guests: $10
Memberships may be paid at the door
Light refreshments will be served
Census, ship manifests, birth certificates…these are just a few types of important records to genealogists. But what happens when you find them? What do they mean? And where do you go next? This session will focus on how to interpret common genealogy records.
Thursday, October 25 at 6:30 PM
Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit
Main Floor Conference Rooms
Free for JGSMI Members and Friends of the Archives Members
All other guests – $10.00 per person
Light refreshments will be served
A joint program with JGSMI and the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archive
Robbie Terman will present a powerpoint program about genealogy research in “Reading Records for the Beginning Genealogist: Census, Ship Manifests, Birth Certificates, etc.”
After a short break, there will be an “ask the experts” panel with JGSMI volunteers. There will be wi-fi in the conference rooms.
RSVP to Robbie Terman:
Via email: terman@jfmd.org
Via phone: 248-203-1491
Beth Olem Cemetery is scheduled to be open on Sunday, September 16, from 10AM to 1PM. This year the opening is between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, primarily due to the timing of Labor Day weekend.
Beth Olem is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Michigan, with graves dating from the 1880s through World War I. It is located on the grounds of the GM Poletown plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, between Smith and Clay Streets. Visitors are allowed only two times per year, around Rosh Hashanah and Passover.
More information about Beth Olem can be found at the following sites:
Monday, June 18 at 6:30 PM
Holocaust Memorial Center
Light Kosher Dessert Reception — $10.00 per person
Landsmannschaften of Metro Detroit
A panel of representatives from various Landsmannschaften in the Detroit area will discuss the history of the groups in Detroit, the whereabouts of historical records, what’s happening now, and plans for future generations. The program will conclude with a tour of the David-Horodoker exhibit inside the Holocaust Center.
Proposed Slate
Officers President: David Goldis VP, Programming: Rob Starkman Co-VPs, Membership: Eleanor Hack and Kerry Greenhut VP, Publicity: Adina Lipsitz Recording Secretary: Joshua Goldberg Treasurer: Neil Goldman
Committee Chairs Librarian: Linda Bell Cemetery Project: Marc Manson Constitution and By-Laws: John Kovacs Slate Committee: Adina Lipsitz Speakers Bureau: James Grey Webmaster: Adina Lipsitz Members-at-Large: Leah Bisel, Irwin Alpern, David Sloan
If you do not wish to pay via Eventbrite and pay the Eventbrite fee, please email Adina Lipsitz and she will manually add you to the list and you can mail in a check (payable to JGS of Michigan) for $10 per attendee.
Mail to:
JGS of Michigan
P.O. Box 251693
West Bloomfield, MI 48325
Sunday, March 18th, 2018 at 10am
Holocaust Memorial Center
Free
Presented by the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan
As Jews, we are commanded to care for the sick and bury our dead. That is why, in tracing the history nearly every Jewish community worldwide, the story begins with a group of Jewish men (and women) who organized a society in which to bury their loved ones. Stories from the Stones: A History of the Jewish Cemeteries of Michigan traces the history of these sacred spaces and the stories of who lies beneath. JHSM docents will travel through the state beginning in the 1800s and continues through recent history. The images and stories not only provide a fascinating exploration into Jewish burial customs but also remind us of those whose legacies helped to build and shape our community, and see how their families chose to honor them in death.