Sarina Roffe to Speak Tuesday April 2nd

On Tuesday, April 2, 2019 the JSGGKC will present Sarina Roffé who will speak on “Branching Out from Sepharad - Solving a Converso Mystery”. Sarina Roffé, author of Branching Out From Sepharad, outlines the history of Jews in Spain, the 1492 expulsion, their history in Syria, and their immigration to the Americas. She will discuss the ancestry and significance of the Kassin rabbinic dynasty, which dates to the 12th century, and the 50-year leadership of Chief Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin, who led the Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. At the same time, she solves a Converso mystery. Rabbi Kassin’s ancestors arrived in Aleppo in 1540. Sarina solves the mystery of the time gap from 1492 to 1540.

Place:   Johnson County Central Resource Library – Pickard Room

9875 W. 87^th St., Overland Park, KS 66212

Time: 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.

Jews on the Prairie

Jews on the Prairie.

Tablet Magazine, an online magazine that has interesting and often insightful articles, recently recalled the early Jewish settlers in Western Kansas. "Eight miles from Garden City, Kansas, in a remote landscape of corn fields without end, punctuated only by pheasants and blackbirds, lies an unexpected discovery: several gravestones, the only physical remains of Beersheba, a Jewish agricultural colony established in 1882."

If you are not familiar with this historical settlement, the article, Jews on the Prairie, is worth a read. 

Enjoy!

New Resource Added to MGC for Jewish Genealogists

Edict of Expulsion

Resources for Jewish Genealogy Research
The Midwest Genealogy Center (MGC) of Independence, MO, has added an online resource for Jewish Genealogy researchers. I have found several new and useful, links on this page. The Jewish Genealogy researcher can access the many useful links here: MGC Resources and Online Resources for Jewish Genealogy 

MGC is a branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library system. If you do not have a Library Card you can apply for one on-line at MidwestGenealogyCenter.org.

Let us know what you  think of their collection of books, periodicals, microfiche, and online resources.

Happy researching!

A response to the Pittsburgh Tragedy

A response to the Pittsburgh Tragedy We are heartbroken by the tragic and senseless violence that unfolded this past Shabbat morning at the Tree of Life (L’Simcha) Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. To the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, we are grieving with you. We know your community will come together to honor those who lost their lives and suffered injuries. When I saw the name of the Congregation it brought to mind a prayer from the Union Prayer Book on returning the Torah to the Ark on Rosh Hashanah morning; “It is a tree of life to them who hold fast to it. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. Turn Thou us unto Thee, O Lord, and we shall be restored; renew our days of old.” As a genealogist, when I thought further about the name of the Congregation, Tree of Life (L'Simcah) Synagogue. Building my family tree and learning my family’s history, I understand and more fully appreciate my heritage. It is most certainly my Tree of Life.

Free genealogical event with Richard Rosenstock!

What a great place to review the various genealogical databases! This free event is for all levels - the beginner looking to start their genealogical journey or the more experienced who wishes to keep abreast with what's new with the various databases.

Will see you there!
Kathleen Brandt, a3Genealogy 
Board Member of JGSGKC

July Program: Researching German Family History

Researching German Family History

Iveta Blahútová is a Genealogy Research Analyst at the Midwest Genealogy Center (MGC) in Independence, Missouri.  She has been interested in genealogy for many years. Beginning in 2011 Iveta has been assisting patrons of MGC with their genealogy research, especially those with a connection to Central and Eastern Europe.

She is also a moderator of the German Genealogy Discussion Group established at MGC. Her newest class is Researching Your German Ancestor (German Research A – Z). Iveta fully embraced this new direction in her career. There is always something new to learn, either by tracing her own family tree, or by exploring the resources MGC has to offer.

Coming from former Czechoslovakia, she has lived in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. She is a graduate of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, Faculty of Law. Her focus since high school years has always been history, social studies, law, history of law, old manuscript, languages, and lately etymology.

She is an active member of the Czech and Slovak Club of Greater Kansas City. In addition, she is a member of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her hobbies are reading, mountain hiking, and cross-country skiing.

For more information contact:

Email: info@jgsgkc.org

Visit our Blog: https://jgsgkc.blogspot.com/ - Facebook: http://bit.ly/2qnwKtp

Submitted by Kathleen Brandt, a3Genealogy

Board Member of JGSGKC

June Meeting and Presentation - Free Event