
The following is from the National Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol.
14, No. 6 (November-December 1988) and has been uploaded to CompuServe with
the permission of the National Genealogical Society.  Further distribution
prohibited without permission of the Society.
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                      The Jewish Genealogical Society

[Editor's note: This article, prepared by Marsha Saron Dennis, vice
president of the Jewish Genealogical Society, Inc., features the winning
society in Class II of the 1987 NGS Genealogical Newsletter Competition.]


        In November 1987, the Jewish Genealogical Society in New York (JGS)
celebrated its tenth anniversary with a brunch honoring its president
emeritus, Rabbi Malcolm H. Stern.  Rabbi Stern is also the author of "First
American Jewish Families: 600 Genealogies, 1654-1977", a vice president of
the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and a fellow of the American
Society of Genealogists.  Dr. Kenn Stryker-Rodda, a fellow and past
president of the National Genealogical Society, spoke at the anniversary
event, congratulating both Rabbi Stern and the JGS.  The Council of the
City of New York issued a proclamation for the occasion.

        Ten years earlier, in October 1977, a small group of Jewish
genealogists met in the home of Dr. Neil Rosenstein, author of "The
Unbroken Chain". Also present at this founding meeting were Rabbi Stern;
Dan Rottenberg, whose book, "Finding Our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish
Genealogy", had recently been released; and Arthur Kurzweil and Steven
Siegel, coeditors of the then new publication "Toledot: The Journal of
Jewish Genealogy".

        In the eleven years of its existence the JGS membership has grown
to more than 400, and thirty-five similar groups have been organized in
other cities around the world.  Dr. Rosenstein served as founding
president, followed for five years by Stern.  Steven Siegel has been
president since 1985.


                                Newsletter

        The JGS publishes a quarterly newsletter, "Dorot (Generations)",
which contains information about upcoming and past meetings, book reviews,
short articles, and summaries of pertinent items from various repositories
and other organizations.  Out-of-town members of the JGS, who cannot attend
meetings, keep up to date with Jewish and New York research through
"Dorot".


                         Summer Seminars Initiated

        The first summer conference for Jewish genealogists in 1981 was
sponsored by the JGS in New York.  Following this precedent, there have
been seven national summer seminars and two international seminars on
Jewish genealogy.  More than 200 parties attended the seminar held in
Washington, D.C., in 1988.  The eighth summer seminar is scheduled to take
place in June 1989 in Philadelphia. The highly-praised book "Resources for
Jewish Genealogy in the New York Area" was published by the JGS in
conjunction with its 1985 summer conference. An updated and greatly
expanded version of this unique guide is in progress, with publication
planned for 1989.  Estelle M. Guzik is the editor of both editions.


                                 Meetings

        The JGS meets once a month from September to June, usually in the
afternoon of the third Sunday.  The meetings offer a wide variety of
programs for beginners and experts.  Guest speakers have discussed topics
as diverse as doing Jewish research in Germany, the Jewish community in
Shanghai during World War II, historical and geographical perspectives of
the Yiddish language, and Jewish genetic diseases.  Speakers have included
filmmakers, university professors, librarians, archivists, physicians, a nd
other professional genealogists.

        JGS members have offered programs on organization and preservation
of documents, family reunions, use of census records, passenger ship lists,
individual research trips to eastern Europe, and family newsletters.  The
JGS has sponsored two annual beginners' workshops, as well as a
well-received computer workshop.  The third beginners' workshop is
scheduled for February 1989. Some meetings have taken place at research
facilities such as the New York Public Library, Hebrew Union College, and
the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research; others have included field trips to
a local Jewish cemetery.

        In the past year, the JGS has met at the National Archives Regional
Branch in Bayonne, New Jersey, as well as at the Queens Borough Public
Library and the Jewish Theological Seminary.

        The JGS maintains the computerized Jewish Genealogical Family
Finder, which includes surnames and town names being researched by more
than 1,000 fellow genealogists worldwide. The printouts-alphabetical both
by name and place--are available at meetings for members to review.  In
this way, members have discovered colleagues tracing the same family or
shtetl (village).


                         Services to the Community

        In honor of Rabbi Stern, the JGS presented a gift to the Library of
Hebrew Union College (Rabbi Stern's alma mater) to be used to purchase
books of interest to Jewish genealogists. Earlier this year the JGS gave a
large gift to the New York Public Library, enabling it to purchase the
index to ship arrivals at the Port of New York (1902-1943).  This set of
more than 750 reels of microfilm is the only complete copy of this
invaluable finding aid available in the New York metropolitan area,
providing a service to hundreds, if not thousands, of genealogical
researchers.

        Partly through efforts of the JGS, the City Clerk's Office in New
York City is transferring their old Health Department marriage records to
the New York City Municipal Archives so that all interested researchers
will have access to these documents.  The exchange is going on now, and the
indices and certificates are being microfilmed by the LDS Family History
Library.


                                Objectives

        The objectives of the Jewish Genealogical Society, as stated in our
bylaws, are to collect, preserve, and disseminate knowledge and information
with reference to Jewish genealogy; to encourage interested persons to
pursue and preserve genealogical data; to provide opportunities for the
sharing of Jewish genealogical information; and to aim toward the
publication of worthy material in the field of Jewish genealogy. We have
entered our second decade with larger membership and with broader programs
and goals, but our objectives remain the same. Annual dues are $15 for
members in the New York City area, $10 for members who live more than 100
miles outside of the City.  Membership includes a subscription to "Dorot".

