SFBAJGS - Calendar of Genealogical Events

Past Programs

Sunday, October 20, 2024 SFBAJGS Presentation ZOOM Free and everyone interested is welcome. Time and Place: 1:00 pm until 2:30 pm, Pacific Time At Your Home Topic: A Silent Escape: Uncovering Her Father’s Truth in 1939 Lithuania Speaker: Nancy Rosenfeld For almost half a century, Bernard Rosenfeld’s early life was hidden from family and friends, afraid of what might occur if he allowed himself to feel. He didn’t share his desperate escape along at age 17 from Raseiniai, Lithuania in 1939, during early World War II. He veiled the horrific loss of seventeen family members murdered in the forest and killing pits. His relentless silent quest spanned decades and continents, searching for any trace of their names and fates. His daughter and co-author of the 2024 historical biography, "50 Cents for a Life: A True Story of Surviving by Synchronicity," will share and respond to questions about his tireless quest, her research of the World War II theater surrounding his escape, and bringing his manuscript to completion. Shortly after the book’s publication, after her father’s six decades of searching, synchronicity unveiled new maps, translated interviews, and current-day Lithuanian individuals, discoveries Bernard had sought but never witnessed. Formerly a CFO and strategic planning consultant to leadership teams, Nancy spiraled up into her own authenticity through speaking, writing, painting, and living her best life on Maui, Hawaii. Bernard Rosenfeld’s photos and book information can be found at www.50centsforalife.weebly.com. Register for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You do not have to have a Zoom account to attend a Zoom meeting. You will be prompted to download the software, once you have clicked on the link that you have been provided. You may also wish to create an account, but that is not required to participate in a Zoom meeting.

Monday, November 4, 2024 SFBAJGS Presentation ZOOM Free and everyone interested is welcome. Time and Place: 5:00 pm until 6:30 pm, Pacific Time At Your Home Topic: Researching World War I Veterans in Your Family Tree Speaker: Sharon Fingold Veteran’s Day was formerly called Armistice Day. The original holiday celebrated the end of World War I. You may have discovered that some of your American relatives served during the war. How well do you understand their war experience? Do you know where they went for training? Have you looked at the Order of Battle? Have you found their muster rolls and unit histories? How about photos of training camps and, if they served overseas, of the places where they were stationed? If they were sent to battle, do you know which battles and the dates? How do you find newspaper articles, memoirs, and other information with details about their experience? Sharon Fingold will share resources that can provide context and color to better understand what it was like for American men to serve during World War I. She’ll use case studies from her own family to demonstrate the rich variety of information available at free and fee-based Internet sites and provide tips for searching the internet for material. Case studies include men assigned to an Aerosquadron, Field Artillery, and the Quartermaster Corps. Often the fee-based sites allow free access for holidays such as Veteran’s Day. Prepare to take advantage of special deals! Sharon Fingold—born, raised, and still living in California—first became interested in her family tree while attending college in Massachusetts when her grandmother introduced her to relatives in New Jersey. They in turn introduced her to relatives in New York and England. Since then, she has been meeting relatives and researching her family history in fits and starts. Sharon has been a member of SFBAJGS for almost 35 years and was the co-coordinator of the JewishGen Belarus SIG for several years. Now retired, she has more time to devote to research and is slowly writing up the stories for her extended family. Register for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You do not have to have a Zoom account to attend a Zoom meeting. You will be prompted to download the software, once you have clicked on the link that you have been provided. You may also wish to create an account, but that is not required to participate in a Zoom meeting.

Sunday, December 8, 2024 SFBAJGS Presentation ZOOM Free and everyone interested is welcome. Time and Place: 1:00 pm until 2:30 pm, Pacific Time At Your Home Topic: Navigating Metrical Books for the Non-Russian Speaker Speaker: Ellie Vance Vital records were often recorded in Russian and can be tricky to navigate, especially for non-Russian speakers, but with the proper tools you can learn to identify ancestral surnames, common vocabulary, and record format. An extensive handout complete with column heading translations, examples of handwritten key vocabulary, common given names, and resources to help you determine the handwritten forms of your surname will be included with the presentation. Speaker Ellie Vance graduated from Brigham Young University with degrees in Russian and Family History and Genealogy. She worked as the Slavic research specialist for the FamilySearch Library and currently works as a technical historical records expert at FamilySearch. Ellie enjoys helping others trace their roots in the former Russian Empire. Register for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You do not have to have a Zoom account to attend a Zoom meeting. You will be prompted to download the software, once you have clicked on the link that you have been provided. You may also wish to create an account, but that is not required to participate in a Zoom meeting.

Que sera sera

 

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