Meetings
JGSWS meets in the auditorium of the Stroum JCC on the second Monday of each month, September through June, at 7 PM, unless noted otherwise. Admission is free for JGSWS members, $5 for nonmembers.
MEETING LOCATION: Stroum Jewish Community Center
3801 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island, (206) 232-7115
Driving directions >>
The JGSWS library will be available before and after the presentation.
WiFi also will be available—bring your laptops.
NEXT MEETING: Monday, September 13, 2010
Doors open at 7 PM.
Presentation starts promptly at 7:30 PM.
What 1,500 Czarist Laws Can Tell Us About Jewish Genealogy
Presented by Michael Steinore
ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
Michael Steinore will show us how to use Czarist decrees for genealogical research. After giving us a brief review of the history of the Jews in 19th century Russia, he will discuss the various myths and realities of Jewish life during that period. He will point out the elements of truth and fiction in each, using Czarist laws as examples. The details of these laws give insight to important genealogical documents such as revision lists and metrical books. They also give insights into the mobility of Jews within the Pale of Settlement, various occupational and residence restrictions, military conscription, social class, and property ownership. The talk concludes with a discussion of the Levanda Index website, a legal resource on Jewish life in the Pale.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
Michael Steinore is the author of numerous articles and web pages about Jewish genealogy, focusing on the history and genealogy of Jews who lived in Czarist Russia. He has translated a number of Russian-language materials and made them available on the Internet. These materials include maps, Duma voter lists, Holocaust victim lists, and Czarist decrees.
For more information, please e-mail programs@jgsws.org.
FUTURE MEETINGS
October 11: Avrom Bendavid-Val, author of THE HEAVENS ARE EMPTY: Discovering the Lost Town of Trochenbrod, to be released by Pegasus Books in early October.
November 8: TBA
OTHER LOCAL EVENTS
See the Events page.