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Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal

Meeting Archive

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This is an archive of over 200 monthly meetings of the JGS of Montreal dating back to 1994. Each year's meetings are in a separate table. Links like this: poster will show a PDF of the meeting announcement. For some presentations, we have the presenter's slides, handout, image, or a video.
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2021 Feb. 15
Monday
Researching Your Litvak Family with LitvakSIG and More - Judy Baston
Judy Baston, Secretary and Board member and recipient of an will share her knowledge of Lithuanian research using the LitvakSIG All Lithuania Database and various other online resources. The presentation will include how to determine what records are available, how to analyze, read and understand search results, and how best to access the information in them, as well as what new translations are underway.

Handout

This meeting took place online, live streamed on YouTube.

2021 Mar. 22
Monday
Streamlining Your Research with the Genealogy Dashboard - Gary Perlman (JGS-Montreal.org Webmaster and IAJGS 2020 Volunteer of the Year)
Gary Perlman has created a genealogy dashboard that launches your research on over 50 sites with a single click. Learn how it can help you in your research and maybe inspire other societies to create their own versions.

This meeting took place online, live streamed on YouTube.

Sample links to the dashboard for you to try: Leonard Cohen William Shatner Mordecai Richler

2021 Apr. 19
Monday
What's New in the World of Genealogy - Gary Schroder (President, Quebec Family History Society)
Please note new early time: 3 PM
Gary Schroder, President of the Quebec Family History Society, lives and breathes genealogy. He will share his expertise and insights into the latest developments in the field.

This meeting took place online, live streamed on YouTube.

2021 Oct. 04
Monday
Ich bin ein Berliner: JRI-Poland and DNA Matches Unite 5 Half-siblings from 4 Different Mothers - Michael Tobias
Michael Tobias is a co-founder of Jewish Records Indexing-Poland and former Vice-President of Programming of JewishGen.org. He has contributed to numerous journals and radio and TV programs, including "Who Do You Think You Are?" in both the UK and the US. He has spoken at several conferences, including the IAJGS international conference and is a recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Live-stream link: https://youtu.be/4uOb5PKrtwE

2021 Dec. 06
Monday
Port Cities: Impacts on Tracing Your Roots - Nancy Levin
How did your immigrant ancestors travel to the place they eventually called home? Why did they make those choices? If they stopped along the way, did they leave records behind?

Nancy C. Levin, has been a professional genealogist specializing in 19th and 20th century Jewish family history for almost 30 years. She has lectured at many IAJGS conferences, traced families from numerous countries, and authored two chapters in the Avotaynu Guide to Jewish Genealogy.

Live-stream link: https://youtu.be/2Fz439iX2F8 This lecture will not be recorded for future viewing. Be sure to catch it on Monday evening.

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2020 Jan. 06
Monday
Annual Film Night - "Will the Second Generation Please Rise" - Deena Dlusy-Apel and Max Beer
The JGS of Montreal's 17th Annual Film Night, featuring a fascinating film of interest to both genealogists and non-genealogists. Everyone is welcome to attend. A discussion period follows the movie.

A documentary looking at how the children of Holocaust survivors address what happened to their parents through their own poetry, prose, film, and artwork. It looks at the untold stories these adults share when discussing their past and the effects of trauma growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust.

2020 Feb. 04
Tuesday
What I Learned Photographing and Indexing 50,000 Gravestones - Gary Perlman (JGS of Montreal's Webmaster)
Special night: Tuesday
In addition to learning how to take legible gravestone photos, I learned how to utilize a few key resources to correct and augment genealogical information. I'll share some research techniques that you can use. I've seen many types of memorials and inscriptions: some majestic, some tragic, some informative, some quirky, which I will share discreetly.

Gary Perlman's presentation "50,000 Burials" talk (with notes) is available as PowerPoint slides (115MB).

2020 Mar. 02
Monday
The Lost Tribes - David Bensoussan, Ph.D.
2700 years ago, the Assyrians exiled the 10 tribes from the kingdom of Israel which they had just conquered. In actuality, the Jews of today are descendants of only 2 tribes of the kingdom of Judah. There are many legends about the fate of these 10 lost tribes which, until today, still remains a mystery. However traces of the 10 lost tribes have been found reaching as far as Afghanistan, China, Burma and Africa.
2020 Apr. 06
Monday
Polish Records, DNA and You; Miracles Happen Every Day - Stanley Diamond (Executive Director, Jewish Records Indexing - Poland)
Cancelled due to COVID-19 coronavirus.
Stanley Diamond will discuss the remarkable JRI-Poland journey and its website of more than 6.3 million records, the largest database of searchable Jewish vital records online. The talk will be illustrated with dramatic and heartwarming stories of missing identity restored through the combination of JRI-Poland's critical mass of data and the marvels of DNA testing.
2020 May 04
Monday
Population Surveys and Maps of Galicia: Ancestral Towns and Neighbours - Andrew Zalewski (Vice President, Gesher Galicia)
Cancelled
Andrew will introduce lesser known genealogical resources about multiethnic Galicia under Habsburg rule (1772-1918). Austrian maps, postcards and censuses, together with newspaper clippings and pamphlets, will bring to life cities, such as Lwów, Kraków, and other, smaller towns, -- all illustrated by Gesher Galicia's archival collections.
2020 June 08
Monday
Annual Three-Presenters - Jo Ann Goldwater, Alan Greenberg, Andreas Schwab
Join us this evening and learn from our fellow members, each relating their research and related work in Jewish genealogy, sharing their individual successes and tips. The presentations were live-streamed on YouTube.
2020 Sep. 14
Monday
The Crypto-Jews - Jack Hirschberg
The Crypto-Jews or Anusim were forced to convert to other faiths. With time, they lost much of their Jewish practice, but not their Jewish souls or their Jewish lineage. Today, about 100 million strong, they are being discovered and many are discovering themselves. It is a story of the power of Jewish resiliency and the wealth of Jewish genealogy waiting to be explored.

This meeting is available on YouTube.

2020 Oct. 19
Monday
JRI-Poland:25 Years and the Next 25 Years
Launched in early 1995, JRI-Poland is the largest fully searchable database of indexes to Jewish vital records accessible online, with 6.1 million records from more than 550 Polish towns indexed or fully extracted and more being added every few months.

This meeting is available on YouTube.

2020 Nov. 23
Monday
DNA: Why Your Family Tree May Not Be Your Family Tree - Stanley Diamond (Founder and Executive Director Jewish Records Indexing - Poland and founding president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal)
The lecture will feature remarkable stories of how DNA combined with genealogical research has changed lives...identities discovered, families reunited and living cousins located, and how each one of us can be key to another success story.

This meeting took place online.

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2019 Jan. 07
Monday
Annual Film Night - "Mamaliga Blues" - Cassio Tolpolar
Movies start at 7:30 pm *SHARP*
The JGS of Montreal's 16th Annual Film Night, featuring a fascinating film of interest to both genealogists and non-genealogists.

This year's film, "Mamaliga Blues", offers up an enchanting tale of search and discovery, a look into genealogical roots, from Brazil back to the family shtetl, Oliscani in Bessarabia (now: Moldova). Following the movie, the film maker, Cassio Tolpolar, will be speaking to us.

2019 Feb. 05
Tuesday
How to create a Family History Book easily, inexpensively and with flexibility on your own computer, using software you already have - Merle Kastner
Please note the date change! Special meeting place: Jewish Community Federation Building 4th Floor Boardroom
2019 Mar. 11
Monday
The Jewish Presence During and After the Klondike Gold Rush 1898-1915 - Rick Karp
The Jewish Cultural Society of Yukon researched and gathered a significant amount of information that documents what sort of commerce, employment, and other activities the early Jewish citizens of Dawson City Yukon were involved in during the Gold Rush, and the significant impact of those people on North American society. Their presentation will tell the story of the finding and rededication of the Jewish Cemetery in Dawson City, creating and updating a new traveling display, and the biographies and stories of the amazing Jews that took part in the Klondike Gold Rush.
2019 Apr. 01
Monday
Twenty Years of Jewish Bukovina Research: How Did we Learn So Much? *Let us Show You How we Did it!* - Bruce Reisch
2019 May 06
Monday
Annual 3 Presenters - Merle Epelbaum Moses, Jon Goldberg, Janice Rosen
Returning with our annual, highly popular program Join us this evening and learn from our fellow members, relating their stories, and Janice Rosen, describing the enormous holdings of the Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives. Come and hear them share their individual stories successes & many helpful tips.
2019 June 03
Monday
A Project to Remember our Ancestors: Vilkaviskis, Lithuania - Then and Now - Ralph Salinger
2019 Aug. 12
Monday
From Galicia to Barbados, Guatemala, Montreal and Toronto - a genealogist's journey - Simon Kreindler
Sugar, Slavery & the Jews of Barbados 1654-1934 In the mid-1600's, James Drax introduced sugar cane to Barbados and within a very few years turned the island into England's wealthiest Atlantic colony. Over the following 30 years Jews were very involved in sugar cultivation and production there. They eventually established a vibrant Jewish community on the island and built a beautiful synagogue in the capital, Bridgetown. This presentation will look at the Jews' success; their ultimate demise; and the legacy they left the island.
2019 Sep. 09
Monday
From Rovno to the World: The Incredible Story Of Just One Family - Meir Razy
Today, Rovno is Rivne, Ukraine
2019 Oct. 07
Monday
The Jews of China and Beyond - Jack Hirschberg
The rejoining of ancient Jewish communities with world-wide Jewry in recent times, including the descendants of the tribe of Menasse in Manipur, the Jews of Keifeng, the Jews of Azerbaijian, the Jews of Pitigliano, even South & Central America...the finding of an ancient stone in the Smithsonian indicating that ancient Israelites travelled to North America. The prophet Isaiah predicted that one day all dispersed Jews would find each other. And...only 70 years after the Shoah I discovered relatives in the stetls of Bedzin, Sosnovitz & Katovice in Poland, in the same stetls where my parents lived.
2019 Nov. 04
Monday
Eliciting Stories in Genealogy - Zack Ellis
For genealogists, storytelling & interviews can add the elusive historical texture that factual documents simply cannot provide. Zack will demonstrate the use of The Hero's Journey storytelling framework as a guide for preparing for an interview, eliciting compelling stories, asking follow up questions during the interview & effectively retelling those stories.
2019 Dec. 02
Monday
Organizing and Running an International Family Reunion - John Diener
John Diener has been researching his family for over 20 years, and has connected with hundreds of cousins, most of whom he has never met. In partnership with 2 cousins, he organized a reunion being held in New Jersey in July 2019. He will discuss the motivation to hold the reunion, the planning involved, the lining up of speakers, and will report on the actual reunion itself.
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2018 Jan. 08
Monday
Annual Film Night - Max Beer and Deena Dlusy-Apel
Movies start at 7:30 pm *SHARP*
"Nobody was Interested, Nobody Asked" is a documentary film about the Holocaust Survivors who came to Montreal after 1945. Produced by Max Beer and Deena Dlusy-Apel. This film shows how the "GREENERS" were treated by the Jewish population that came to Montreal before the war - the community's attitude to Shoah Survivors. The filmmakers will be with us for a discussion period following the screening.
2018 Feb. 05
Monday
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Our annual super program - JGS of Montreal Members-only "Schmoozarama" Get-together event: Please note - You must be a paid up JGS of Montreal member to attend this event! Please RSVP as soon as possible.
  • When: Monday evening, February 05 (from 7:30 to 9:30 pm), we invite you to our informal, fun Annual Schmoozarama coffee and dessert get-together. If weather is bad, then Feb. 12.
  • Where: 6500 Mackle Road, Cote St-Luc, in the Party Room.

Schedule:

  • 7:30 to 8:00 pm - schmoozing time and desserts, coffee, tea or soft drinks. All refreshments will be strictly kosher.
  • 8:00 pm - members will be invited to give a brief (3-5 minutes maximum) synopsis or update of his or her research (no one will be obliged to speak to the group).
Spouses/partners are very welcome.

There will be a $5.00 admission charge per person.

Please RSVP Wednesday, January 31, to Schmoozarama@JGS-Montreal.org.

2018 Mar. 05
Monday
How to use FamilySearch.org effectively to Find Your Ancestors All Over the World - Gary Schroder (Quebec Family History Society)
They are digitizing the holdings of the Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City - hundreds of millions of new records will be available over the next few years at Family History Centres in the greater Montreal area.
2018 Apr. 09
Monday
The Life and Death of a Ukrainian Shtetl - Steven Lapidus (Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies)
While little documentation exists for many of the small shtetlach of eastern Europe, there were two personal memoirs written about life in my grandfather's shtetl in the prewar and inter-bellum periods. The authors were first cousins and one of them was my grandfather. Both had fled Ukraine in the mid-1920s and settled in Montreal. This talk will illuminate these memoirs and their lives before the destruction of its Jewish community.
2018 May 07
Monday
Annual 3 Presenters - Gary Perlman, Lorraine Gosselin, Bernardo Dimenstein
Three JGS of Montreal Members, each relating his or her start and subsequent research in Jewish genealogical and related pursuits. Come and hear them recount their research experiences, sharing their individual stories, questions, successes & tips.

Gary Perlman's presentation "My Lucky Discoveries" has both PowerPoint slides and a webpage.

2018 June 04
Monday
Research Israel Genealogical Resources - Right from your Couch! - Daniel Horowitz (Searching for my Roots) handout
How to access genealogical online resources and databases available in Israel to find relatives. Overcome the barrier of the language with a basic lesson of Hebrew keywords and the translation tools available to help everybody deal with the vast list of places were you can find information of people that were born, lived or died in Israel.
2018 Aug. 20
Monday
2018 IAJGS Conference in Warsaw, Poland - Report - Hymie London
The outstanding 2018 IAJGS Conference in Warsaw, Poland - what I saw, learned - and what made it different from other IAJGS Conferences
2018 Sep. 04
Tuesday
The Golden Chord - from Spain to the Comedians of the Catskills - Rita Briansky
Rita Briansky describes her research of many years' duration in the history of the Badchens and her surprising findings. A fascinating subject and amazing story!
2018 Oct. 15
Monday
The history of Jewish migration during the 4 great Diasporas - Dr. Jack Hirschberg
In addition to the Diaspora following the second temple's destruction in 70 CE - the other 3 Diasporas led the Jews mostly south to Sub-Saharan Africa, and their lineages are still there. Some have already been traced: The Lemba in Zimbabwe have been verified to have genetic links to Jews and their oral history as well as blood tests suggest that they have genetic links to Aaron, Moses' brother. There are also the Jews of Sephardic descent who are still in North Africa, as well as the large Jewish community of South Africa that stems mostly from Lithuanian background. All this is to say that there is much lineage to be discovered in Africa.
2018 Nov. 05
Monday
The Untold Stories of Canada's Jewish Fighters in Uniform in WWII - Ellin Bessner (Canadian journalist)
Canadian author and journalist Ellin Bessner will discuss the methods which she used to research for her new book, "Double Threat: Canadian Jews, the Military, and World War II." Six years of research led to her documenting the experiences of more than 17,000 Canadian Jews who donned a uniform in WWII. Until now, Canada hasn't properly acknowledged the unique experience of this group of servicemen and women, and their important contribution to the Allied victory in the Second World War. They fought from Dunkirk to D-Day and beyond, with a double reason to enlist: they weren't only fighting for freedom and democracy but also, to save their own people from Hitler's Final Solution.
2018 Dec. 03
Monday
Visit to Our Family's Shtetls in Bukovina - Richard Moses
To honour the memories of our dear parents, both Survivors of the Holocaust in Bukovina, my brother Phil and I recently visited their ancestral towns. In this presentation, I will describe how we planned the trip, what we saw and how we felt when we were there and now, following the trip.
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2017 Jan. 09
Monday
Annual Film Night -
The movies start at 7:30 pm *SHARP*
Set in Canada, Poland, Russia and Germany, between 1938 and 1948, "My dear Clara" is a documentary film that tells a true story against the backdrop of both the war in Europe and life in Canada's during the tumultuous war years and the drama of a Polish Jewish refugee's survival with his Canadian wife's unflinching battle to change her government's immigration policies.

Award: J.I. Segal Award for best Canadian film on a Jewish theme.

Film Maker, Garry Beitel will introduce his film and participate in the discussion following the screening.

2017 Feb. 15
Wednesday
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Due to the weather, this event has been cancelled. We will try to reschedule in the spring when the snowbirds are back.
2017 Mar. 06
Monday
JGS-Montreal and Public Research Tools: How to use them to solve family history mysteries - Alan Greenberg (JGS-Montreal Vice-President)
2017 Apr. 03
Monday
How Volunteer Genealogy Improved his Research Skills, Strengthened his Family Relations, and Created New Tools - Gary Perlman (JGS-Montreal Webmaven) website slides
Gary has done volunteer genealogy at a geriatric centre for a dozen residents and their families. During the process, he improved his research skills. After a year of this, he decided to grow his own family tree. He researched the immigration stories of all his cousins' grandparents, bringing them all closer. He even developed some tools (e.g., Genealogy Dashboard) to make his research more productive and which he will share.
2017 May 16
Tuesday
Kitaigorod, Ukraine - Profile of a Ukrainian Shtetl - Steven Lapidus (Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies)
Based on the memoirs of his grandfather, a former resident of Kitaigorod, Podolia, Ukraine, Steven Lapidus has drawn an historical image of life in that town in the early twentieth century. Supported by historical documents, Yizkor books, affidavits, images and trial testimonies he traces Kitaigorod's Jewish history, including the devastating pogrom of 1919, which led to a survivor's testimony at the 1927 Schwartzbart trial in Paris and the town's ultimate destruction in the Holocaust.
2017 June 06
Tuesday
Annual 3 Presenters - Hymie Reichstein "research results", Irene Benavida "Egyptian Jews" & Mark Pearlstein "Lithuania"
Three JGS of Montreal Members, each relating his or her start and subsequent research in Jewish genealogical and related pursuits. Come and hear them recount their research experiences, sharing their individual stories, successes & tips.
2017 Aug. 14
Monday
My Trip to Rimpar, Germany - The Town of Our Schwab Ancestors - Andreas Schwab slides
After two decades of research into Jewish genealogy, I finally made it to the town where my Schwab ancestors came from. Rimpar is a town of 7,500 inhabitants, 10 km north of Würzburg and 125 km east of Frankfurt. My sister and my brother-in-law came with me. We had a guided tour by Hannelore Mintzel, a retired high school principal who devotes much of her time to study and promote Rimpar's rich Jewish history. In my speech, I will talk about what I saw when I was there, and what I found captivating about Rimpar in particular and about rural Bavarian Jews in general.
2017 Sep. 11
Monday
Cornwall, Ontario - Sara Lauzon, "the Little Historian", Dr. Neil Davis, Cornwall Comm. Hospital & Rabbi Mordecai Bulua
Join us in learning about the people, places and events of the Jewish Community of Cornwall.
2017 Oct. 16
Monday
Unexpected Encounters in the Grand-Motherland - Shelley Tepperman
In the fall of 2016, after months of genealogical research, Shelley Tepperman travelled to Poland to visit her ancestral villages of Łagów, Koszary (Iłza) and Iwaniska, and other villages in the Kielce-Opatów region. With the help of an expert guide, she found the land her grandmother's family had lived on for 90 years and people who had known them. Accompanied by a Polish collaborator, she interviewed many young and elderly custodians of Poland's pre-war Jewish past. The encounters were often moving, sometimes hilarious, and full of surprises.
2017 Nov. 06
Monday
My roots trip to Northern Romania and Moldova - Harry Bolner
Born in Romania, he emigrated to Israel with his parents in 1951 after the war. Ever mindful of the history of the Jewish people and especially of his own family , he embarked, in February 2017 on a trip to discover more of his roots and his father's experience during the Holocaust (Romania). This trip took him to Israel and from there to Odessa (Ukraine), Transnistria and Chisinau (Kishinev) Republic of Moldova and Romanian Moldova. This presentation will present his surprising findings.

Some sources of information:

2017 Dec. 11
Monday
Jewish Genealogical Research in Germany - Roger Lustig
New internet resources for German-Jewish Research: Roger will present and demonstrate some of the most innovative and important new sites, including what to expect and how to avoid pitfalls. A complete list of web addresses discussed will be made available.
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2016 Jan. 11
Monday
Annual Film Night -
2016 Feb. 01
Monday
- Lenny & Anna Roth's home
2016 Mar. 08
Tuesday
Odyssey from birthplace in Grajewo, Poland, to Ansonville, Ontario then to Val d'Or, Quebec and to Montreal & birthplace visit - Rita Briansky
Rita Briansky, acclaimed artist, describes the difficulties and experiences that she and her family encountered and her later return visit to her birthplace - in words and pictures.
2016 Apr. 04
Monday
Virtual Museum of Jewish Montreal and Tours of Jewish Montreal - Zev Moses
The story of the Museum of Jewish Montreal (so far) and the continuing technological revolution in museums.
2016 May 30
Monday
History of Jewish Bessarabia and what is available to genealogical researchers - Yefim Kogan (JewishGen Bessarabia SIG Leader and Coordinator) handout
Bessarabia/Moldova had a population of about 230,000 Jews at the beginning of the 20th century - its capital Kishinev was 50% Jewish. Jews had settled in towns, villages, shtetlakh-small towns, agricultural colonies and farms in the 19th century. There is a large collection of Vital Records (birth, marriage, death) available, as well as Revision Lists (family records) from the region. Every year more records and information are added. Our speaker will explore the history of Jewish Bessarabia/Moldova, as well as the genealogical information available in various places.
2016 June 06
Monday
Annual 3 Presenters - Rikee Madoff, Raymonde Grant & Dr. Neil Davis
2016 Aug. 22
Monday
How young Lithuanians are making efforts at reconciliation and working at preserving Jewish memories in a small shtetl in Lithuania. - Jo Ann Goldwater
Jo Ann will talk about her visit to Zagare (Zhager), a small town in Lithuania, a stone's throw from the border with Latvia. In 2015, a Jewish Culture Festival was organized by two Lithuanians, who were supported and advised by descendents of Jewish Zagareans in the planning. Jo Ann's presentation will be illustrated with photos that she took there.
2016 Sep. 13
Tuesday
JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR) and the Importance of Jewish Burial Records - Nolan Altman (Vice-President, Data Acquisition, JewishGen)
Jewish headstone inscriptions and burial records can provide crucial information to genealogists. Hebrew name inscriptions, based on patronymics, can link together two generations of Hebrew names unlike any other source document. This can be especially helpful when trying to link first generation American ancestors to their European families.

Nolan Altman will explain the importance of Jewish cemetery records. Through photographic examples and case studies, you will see what information and symbols are found on stones and how the information can help to create your family tree.

Nolan has made some videos on this topic on the JGSLI YouTube channel:

  • video Naming and How to Read Hebrew Headstones
  • video Popular Symbols on Jewish Headstones
2016 Oct. 19
Wednesday
Research Trip to Poland and Lithuania - Anita Gabbay
My family trip to Lithuania & Belarus -- Piecing together tales from my mother and tracing her footsteps from her shtetl Kobylnik to Vilnius ghetto to Bergen Belsen to Montreal.
2016 Nov. 03
Thursday
Ukraine-Specific Workshop - Janette Silverman (Ukraine SIG Coordinator)
Venue: Jewish Public Library, Greenberg Board Room, lower level.
Special workshop on Ukraine genealogy. Janette Silverman, presenting to us via Skype from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, went over all the many research resources that Ukraine SIG (on the JewishGen website) comprises. Her talk was followed by a question and answer period.
2016 Nov. 14
Monday
Family Tree Maker - What Do I Do Now? - Lorraine Gosselin
The surprise move by Ancestry to discontinue support of the standalone version of Family Tree Maker has provoked many questions and worries among family historians. Various options will be presented, including choosing a new program, moving the information off the Ancestry site, using the version of FTM from the new buyer or keeping the status quo.

Discussion included:

2016 Dec. 05
Monday
La Macaza, Quebec and the Jewish Colonization Association - Naomi Pascal Freeman (Website)
On a much smaller scale than their western cousins, one such community was La Macaza, Quebec, a Jewish farming community, 165 kilometers north of Montreal. Its fifty year history represents a small, but not unworthy chapter in the story of Canadian Jewish immigration.
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2015 Jan. 12
Monday
Annual Film Night -
Movies start at 7:30 pm SHARP
2015 Feb. 16
Monday
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2015 Mar. 17
Tuesday
"Unexpected Discoveries in the Quest to Find my Roots" - Hymie Reichstein (from Ottawa)
2015 Apr. 13
Monday
"Remembered Voices" - Jeffrey Gorney (from Syracuse, NY)
This talk explores oral history as a vital path to discovering Jewish roots. Drawing on his recent book, "Mysterious Places: Journey. Memoir. Quest", Jeffrey Gorney tells how vibrant family recollections of a Romanian shtetl inspired him. He will discuss his journeys to Romania: first, shortly after the Romanian Revolution; then, years later as photographer on assignment in a vastly changed nation. He will relate what it means to actually visit ancestral lands, Jewish identity before and after World War II, and how Romanian pogroms helped shape the Holocaust.

Following Jeffrey's talk, there will be a sale and signing of his book

2015 May 14
Thursday
"The Historic Iraqi Jewish Community and its Exodus" - Chantale Jacob
Mrs. Jacob will be telling us her story, tracing the existence of Jews in Iraq from Babylonian times and their place in Iraqi history in the twentieth century ... then how their lives and those of 150,000 Jews in Iraq slowly changed throughout the twentieth century till now and where they are today.
2015 June 01
Monday
Annual 3 Presenters Program - Gary Davis (member from Saint John, NB), Paule Bailey & Merle Kastner slides image
2015 Aug. 17
Monday
"Research trip to Ukraine" - Hazel Boon (from Hamilton, ON)
In June of 2013, Hazel Sandow Boon began her journey from Hamilton, ultimately arriving in Liviv, Ukraine to join two of her cousins to visit the shtetl which was called Zurów, Galicia when their HABER grandparents and great grandparents lived there. Most of their family had immigrated to New York City between 1890 and 1920. What these cousins experienced was beyond their hopes and dreams. Hazel will talk about the planning process for this sort of trip and will guide you through the many pictures she took so that you can take this journey to Zurów and Jewish Lviv with her.
2015 Sep. 21
Monday
"The Origin of Jewish Moroccan Names - History of the Jews in Morocco by Their Names - Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Berber, Arab, Spanish, Portuguese & modern eras" - David Bensoussan (member of the Academic Council of the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research, has served as President of la Communauté Sépharade Unifiée du Québec) slides
2015 Oct. 14
Wednesday
"The Gabbai from Boyan - My Great-Grandfather" - Ian Beitel
My attempt to fill in a historical part of my father's early life, for which I had no pictures and few stories: My trip to Chernivtsi, Ukraine (formerly Czernowitz, Bukovina, Austria) How I planned it & what I learned when I was there.
2015 Nov. 03
Tuesday
"Quebec Notary Records -- The What, Where and How of a Genealogical Treasure Trove" - Sharon Callaghan handout
This lecture addresses Quebec's unique notary system, which has existed since the beginning of New France. The speaker will explain why these records can be so valuable in family history research, notaries having played a comprehensive role in ancestors' day-to-day lives. Also covered will be various methods of accessing their records, which can potentially open a gateway to an abundance of genealogical data.
2015 Nov. 30
Monday
"Restoring and Caring For Your Old and Precious Family Photos" - Manuel Da Mota
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2014 Jan. 13
Monday
11th Annual Film Night -
2014 Feb. 10
Monday
"The Little Known & Fascinating History of the Jews in the Hudson, Vaudreuil-Soulanges area (1819- 1905)" - Elaine Steinberg
Come and hear about the history and how these people later became well known Montreal citizens. Elaine Steinberg is a historian who has done extensive research and will tell us about her fascinating findings.
2014 Apr. 08
Tuesday
What's new on Ancestry and search techniques for finding "invisible" records about your ancestors. - Alan Greenberg (Vice-President & Webmaster, JGS of Montreal)
2014 May 12
Monday
"From Galicia to Barbados, Guatemala, Montreal and Toronto - a genealogist's journey" - Dr. Simon Kreindler
Simon Kreindler grew up in Barbados, studied medicine in Montreal and since 1971, has practiced psychiatry in Toronto. He has been researching his family's Galician roots for many years and has been able to trace his paternal and maternal lines back to the late 1700s. In 1995, his serendipitous discovery of a first cousin in Winnipeg, previously thought to have been lost along with his entire family in the Shoah, infused his search with new energy. After visiting Czernowitz and his family's shtetls of Okna, Zablotov, Ilince and Solotwina (in present-day Ukraine) he embarked on writing a memoir for his children and grandchildren.
2014 June 10
Tuesday
Annual 3 Presenters - Evey Silver, David Kimmel & Dr. Julius Erdstein slides
2014 Aug. 18
Monday
"How I planned my genealogical trip and found the homes where my family lived in Riga, Latvia and Zagare, Lithuania." - Jo Ann Goldwater
Last year, Jo Ann Goldwater carefully planned her genealogical trip to Riga, Latvia, and Zagare, Lithuania. In July, 2013, she made her second trip to those areas, with new information and visited the places where her paternal grandparents were born, and lived before coming to Montreal in 1893.
2014 Sep. 15
Monday
"A New Life on the Land - Jewish Farmers in Canada" - Dov Okouneff (filmmaker)
After an enthusiastic reception at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Montrealers can now see the new film by Dov Okouneff on a fascinating aspect of the Canadian Jewish experience. From western homesteaders to Czech Jewish farmers escaping Hitler, to Montreal Jews settling in Laurentian villages, to present-day organic vegetable growers in Ontario, we get a lesson in optimism and hard work. In the West: Wapella, Lipton, Hirsch and especially Edenbridge; in Quebec: Ste Sophie, St. Lin and New Glasgow feature; in Ontario: farmers north of Hamilton, in the Niagara peninsula & in the Ottawa valley.
2014 Oct. 20
Monday
"Unpacking that suitcase we are handed that someone else has packed" - Gina Roitman
"At birth, we are handed a suitcase that someone else has packed. We will carry it all our lives and yet, if we were passing through customs, what would we answer when asked: who packed it? Unpacking that suitcase can provide vital clues to who we are and where we're going."

Writer, editor and poet, Gina Roitman is the author of the critically-acclaimed short story collection, Tell Me a Story, Tell Me the Truth and co-producer, co-writer and the "Me" in the award-winning film, My Mother, the Nazi Midwife, and Me. The documentary follows Gina on her return to her birthplace to uncover the truth about her past and how her mother saved her life.

2014 Nov. 24
Monday
"A 'Walk' Through of Two Important Montreal Cemeteries the Baron de Hirsch and Back River Memorial Gardens" - Steven Lapidus (former curator of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, currently directs the Jewish Learning Initiative at Federation CJA)
Join us in discovering about people, places and events through two of Montreal's oldest cemeteries. Learn about Jewish Montreal history through some of its historical personages.
2014 Dec. 08
Monday
"Stories That Objects Tell and Enhance Our Family History: From The Beth Tzedec Reuben and Helene Dennis Museum Collection" - Dorion Liebgott (Curator of Toronto's Beth Tzedec's Reuben & Helene Dennis Museum)
Attendees may bring a special family item about which they would like to have more information. Dorion will share her knowledge of these heirlooms.
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2013 Jan. 14
Monday
Annual Film Night -
"Little Jerusalem: Burlington's Jewish Community"
2013 Mar. 04
Monday
"Following False Trails - Back to First Principles" - Jeff Miller
direct from Washington - live on our big screen!
Jeff Miller's analytical, management, and consulting accomplishments as an information technology professional taught him to conduct research while pursuing ill-defined goals, perfect training for a future genealogist. He's a Past President of JGSGW (Washington, DC). Documenting his family's history for the past fourteen years, he's visited ancestral towns and villages throughout Lithuania and conducted research in archives. A special area of interest is finding relatives and organizing family reunions.
2013 Apr. 22
Monday
"The Survivors of the Green Suitcase" - Dr. Andrée Lotey
Dr. Andrée Lotey teaches French literature and language at the University of Montreal and Concordia University. She has worked as a journalist for Radio-Canada, and has written many articles. After finding a mysterious suitcase in her mother's basement, she discovered that her late father had been Jewish and was rescued by Aristides de Sousa Mendes. This story was featured in the Montreal Gazette, and she is currently writing a true-life detective story about her discoveries.
2013 May 13
Monday
"From Eastern Europe to Manhattan's Lower East Side, the Bronx and Catskills: A Poet's Memoir of the Genealogy and Customs of Her Family" - Deanna Shapiro
Deanna Shapiro is a poet and painter. She is the winner of the Arthur Wallace Pead Memorial Award for 2009 from the Poetry Society of Vermont and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Mrs. Shapiro will also be signing copies of her book.
2013 June 11
Tuesday
Annual 3 Presenters - Rikee & Maryn Madoff, Harriet Sugar Miller & Andreas Schwab handout
2013 Aug. 19
Monday
Jewish Records Indexing - Poland -- A New Era has Begun - Stanley Diamond (President of JGS of Montreal and founder of JRI-Poland)
Stanley Diamond - Founder and CEO of JRI-Poland and President of the JGS of Montreal, will describe the most recent developments in this unique and unparalleled resource for tracing Jewish roots in Poland
2013 Sep. 17
Tuesday
The Jewish pioneers of Ste-Sophie-St-Lin, New Glasgow 100th Anniversary of a unique community 65 kilometers north of Montreal - Freddy Rudy, Murray Goodz, Pearl Zaritsky
All three grew up and attended the same school as Sir Wilfred Laurier did in New Glasgow. Pearl's mother was a teacher in Ste-Sophie at the time when all members of the school board were Jewish and the school board minutes were written in Yiddish. Murray's Zaida and his father had a sawmill in Ste-Sophie, his Mom was from the pioneer Albert family. We invite you to listen to their fascinating stories. Willie Rudy (Freddy's father) was the only Jewish Mayor of Ste-Sophie for 8 years, and many people will be able to relate to Kottenberg's Hotel in New Glasgow, which was where Freddy Rudy grew up, as it was owned by his family.
2013 Oct. 08
Tuesday
Austria, Poland, & Ukraine - 3 Countries, 5 Archives & 12 Wonderful Days of Discovery - John Diener
In April of this year [2013], John Diener travelled to Austria, Poland, and Ukraine. Accompanied by Gesher Galicia President, Pamela Weisberger, he visited five different archives, had an amazing dinner with Count Peter (Piotr) Pininski, whose family once owned the Galician town where John's father was born, and attended the opening of the new Museum of the History of the Jewish People in Warsaw.
2013 Oct. 22
Monday
"The Quebec Land Registration Database 1840-2012: A Treasure Trove for the Jewish Genealogical Community" - Sharon Callaghan & Gary Schroder
Our guest speakers will explore how to use the database and how to find the Cadastral Number - as this database is searchable not by surname but by cadastral number. It includes not only an Index to all property transactions in Quebec but all documents associated, including notarial wills and other important genealogical documents of interest. Bring details of your addresses of interest with you.
2013 Nov. 05
Tuesday
"Find Your Israeli Family & Locating Holocaust Era Resources" - Michael Goldstein (Past-president of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies; Past-President of IGS, member of Board of Governors of JewishGen)
This presentation will be an interactive session demonstrating how to search for Israeli relatives or their descendants and how to locate records in Israel and abroad. Audience participants are invited to pre-submit their research queries and, where feasible, a real-time search will be done. While not guaranteeing success, the event should give a clear, practical guide to performing the research.
2013 Dec. 09
Monday
"Between Assimilation and Annihilation: Jews in Germany and Their Children" - Andreas Schwab
After centuries of persecution, Jews became citizens of equal rights in Germany in 1875. From this date until 1934, a majority of German Jews opted to integrate into mainstream society. Many married non-Jews, but their children did mostly not adhere to the Jewish faith. Taking as an example my own ancestors, I will guide you on a journey along this path.
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2012 Jan. 09
Monday
9th Annual Film Night -
2012 Mar. 13
Tuesday
"How to use the new Canadian Jewish Heritage Network website" - Janice Rosen & Shannon Hodge
Learn how the Jewish Heritage Network website is building a digital time portal to your family's past! Currently on the CJHN, researchers have access to:
  • More than 25,000 database records of archival collections currently on-line.
  • Over 2000 digitized historic photographs and archival documents.
  • More than 50,000 genealogical records with over 5,000 associated images.
2012 Apr. 16
Sunday
Grand Jewish Museum to Open in the Polish Capital Next Year - Peter Jassem (Canadian Representative of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw)
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
The $120 million new Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw - built on the site in the former Warsaw Ghetto and facing the famous Nathan Rappaport monument commemorating the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of April 19, 1943 - is scheduled to open just months following the 70th anniversary of that historic event, in the fall of next year.
2012 Apr. 16
Monday
"Out of Uman: A Tale of Family Reconnection, Discovery, and Sharing" - Bill Saslow
Using innovative approaches in researching, analyzing, and documenting, Bill describes how he produced a family history which went well beyond stories, photos, names, and dates. Please join us as he shares his journey of family reconnection, outreach, and discovery.
2012 May 07
Monday
Reading Hebrew & Yiddish Tombstones - Hymie Reichstein & John Diener
This evening, experts Hymie and John will help you unravel the fascinating genealogical secrets that your important tombstones are hiding.

They will be doing individual interpretations for attendees who send us their tombstone photos in advance of the program

2012 June 13
Monday
Ukraine Workshop - Ron Doctor handout
First of two Ukraine-specific workshops.
2012 June 18
Monday
Annual 3 Speakers - Jo Ann Goldwater, David Kimmel and David Reich
2012-08
- Ron Doctor handout image
Second of two Ukraine-specific workshops.
2012 Aug. 20
Monday
Fantastic JGS of Montreal research resources discussion and demonstration of the many Montreal, Quebec and Canadian genealogical databases that the JGS-M now has available - Alan Greenberg (Vice-President, JGS of Montreal)
2012 Sep. 10
Monday
History Detective: Tracking Synagogues, Uncovering a Community - Sara Ferdman Tauben
Beginning in the 1880s, there was a mass migration of Jews from Eastern Europe to Montreal. Here they established small congregations, replicas of the shuls left behind. To document the movement and development of Montreal's Jewish community before 1945, much like a detective, Sara tracked the locations of Montreal's early synagogues. The result is a fascinating story that describes the social, religious, and economic aspects of a distinct group of people through the architectural traces of its culture.
2012 Oct. 22
Monday
"The Quebec Land Registration Database 1840c-2012: A Treasure Trove of Information for the Jewish Genealogical Community" - Sharon Callaghan & Gary Schroder (Quebec Family History Society)
Our guest speakers will explore how to use the database and how to find the Cadastral Number - as this database is searchable not by surname but by cadastral number. It includes not only an Index to all property transactions in Quebec but all documents associated, including notarial wills and other important genealogical documents of interest. Bring details of your addresses of interest with you.
2012 Nov. 06
Tuesday
"Find Your Israeli Family & Locating Holocaust Era Resources" - Michael Goldstein (President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, Past-President of IGS, member of Board of Governors of JewishGen)
This presentation will be an interactive session demonstrating how to search for Israeli relatives or their descendants and how to locate records in Israel and abroad. Audience participants are invited to pre-submit their research queries and, where feasible, a real-time search will be done. While not guaranteeing success, the event should give a clear, practical guide to performing the research.
2012 Dec. 03
Monday
"My Family Roots Trip to Romania & Bukovina" - Merle Kastner
Merle Kastner, JGS of Montreal member since its beginning in 1994 and program chair, will talk about her family roots trip to Bukovina - Radautz, Fratautz, Czernowitz (Ukraine), Suceava and to Moldavia - Piatra Neamt, Falticeni, Negulesti how she organized it, what she looked for and what she saw.
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2011 Jan. 10
Monday
Annual Film Night -
2011 Mar. 16
Wednesday
"Reliving Our Lives - Past & Present" - My Family Research and its History - David Reich
David Reich was born and seasoned in Montreal. He abandoned a 60 year career as an architect in many countries to enjoy the pleasures and disappointments of writing. Mr. Reich has done family research, with an unusual and creative family tree to prove it. During his reclining years he self-published ten books and convinced an unsuspecting editor to issue his latest opus. He will also be signing copies of his book, "You Could Lose an Eye - my first 80 years in Montreal", an account of his family history, written in his extraordinarily clever and humorous style.
2011 Apr. 11
Monday
"Jacob's Cane: A Jewish Family's Journey from the Four Lands of Lithuania to the Ports of London and Baltimore" - Elisa New
Harvard English professor, Elisa New was inspired to write her memoir after she came across her great-grandfather's cane, which she had seen in family photographs her whole life. "I felt that this cane was my pointer, my guide, to Jewish times I really knew nothing about." The book unites three diverse stories all belonging to her Jewish ancestors: her roots in Lithuania, the immigration of her great-grandfather's family to Baltimore, and the re-immigration of three of his sons back to London to make their fortunes as cigarette magnates. As part of this program, Ms New will be signing copies of her book.
2011 May 17
Tuesday
Kantor Family Heritage Journey to Belarus - Jonathan Kantor
9 cousins & spouses departed July 5, 2010 for Belarus on the Kantor Family Heritage Journey visiting Gomel, Rechitsa, Kalinkovichi, the birthplaces of our father, grandparents & ancestors - Mir, Minsk, Novrogoduk & the memorial park in Khatyn.
2011 June 13
Monday
Annual 3 Speakers - Marilyn Hayes, Aria Schifman & Ervin Spinner
2011 Aug. 22
monday
"Our Shtetl Trip to Poland" - Mel & Deana Fishman
Mel and Deana are Sales and Marketing professionals. While living in Calgary, they were instrumental in forming the Jewish Genealogy Society of Southern Alberta, creating the Calgary Jewish Cemetery Database. Recently they travelled from Krakow to Warsaw visiting towns, villages, cemeteries, synagogues, historians and archives, searching for Mel's "Fiszman" Roots. This led them to Mel's ancestral home town of Szydlowiec, about 40 km south of Radom. During their travels they were able to discover generations and family and now can go back to the 1780's on Mel's family tree.
2011 Sep. 13
Tuesday
"The Jews of Old Toronto - mid-1800's to 1950 - From the Ward to Spadina Avenue" - Bill Gladstone
Bill Gladstone, a well known genealogist, author, Canadian Jewish News arts columnist and past president of the JGS of Canada (Toronto), is the author of "Roots and Remembrance" and "One Hundred Years in Canada: the Rubinoff-Naftolin Family Tree", also of two forthcoming books, a history of Toronto's Beth Tzedec Congregation and a history of the Jewish community of London, Ontario. Bill is head of the publishing company, Now and Then Books, which has published several titles relating to the history of the Jews of Toronto and Canada. Mr. Gladstone will be signing his books this evening.
2011 Oct. 04
Tuesday
"Struggle: A Quest for Life, Love and a New World" - Dr. Marvin Blauer
Dr. Marvin Blauer is a former university teacher with a PhD in Political Science and a cabinet-level public servant in both provincial and federal levels. He is an accomplished story teller with several unpublished collections including: "Something to the Milk: Stories of an immigrant childhood in Canada" and is a former Internet columnist for "Gantseh Megillah" providing commentaries on current affairs and immigrant and Jewish life in America. Dr. Blauer was born and raised in Montréal divides his time between Ottawa and Québec's Gatineau Hills.
2011 Nov. 16
Wednesday
"Breaking Through Brick Walls" - Michael Goldstein (President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, past President of IGS, member of Board of Governors of JewishGen)
Michael will tell us about puzzles he has solved, and possibly find some breakthroughs in yours. An effort will be made to pre-research your brick walls. Please describe in as many details as possible your brickwall & what you have done to try & overcome it. Include your phone number. Every effort will be made to discuss your brickwall, however you must be present at the lecture.
2011 Dec. 05
Monday
"DNA for Genealogy" - Jay Sage
With the incredible drop in the cost of DNA sequencing, DNA testing is now affordable for individuals. Mr. Sage will discuss how it can be used as an adjunct to traditional methods of genealogical research. The talk will describe how the testing is done, how much it costs, and how to interpret the reported results.
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2010 Jan. 18
Monday
7th Annual Film Night -
2010 Mar. 15
Monday
"Journey Back to the Shtetl" - John Diener
In 2005, after several years of genealogical research, John Diener returned to his ancestral shtetlach in Ukraine. In his presentation, John will show highlights of this emotional visit and talk about the rewards one can obtain by embarking on this type of adventure. John Diener is currently vice president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa.
2010 Apr. 21
Wednesday
Annual 3 Speakers - Sorel Friedman, Rikee & Maryn Madoff, Susan Shulman
2010 May 17
Monday
"Capturing Memories: How I Researched & Wrote my Family History" - Dr. Muriel Gold, C.M.
Dr. Muriel Gold, C.M., theatre educator, producer/director, grew up in Montreal, attended Strathcona Academy, received her B.A. from Sir George Williams, her M.A. from McGill, and her Ph.D from Concordia. She is former Artistic Director of the Saidye Bronfman Centre Theatre, for which, during her eight-year tenure, she won acclaim from theatre critics, academics and the public at large. Dr. Gold has been on the McGill faculty teaching acting, at Concordia, Drama in Education and Drama with Special Populations, at Dawson College in the Professional Theatre Department, as well as many workshops at various institutions.
2010 June 21
Monday
"Deciphering Jewish Tombstones Goldmines of Information for Genealogists" - Martin Brook & Ron Finegold
Martin Brook, President of Baron de Hirsch Affiliated Cemeteries, and Ron Finegold, Reference Librarian at the Jewish Public Library for 36 years, now retired - will show us how to uncover the secrets contained in Jewish tombstones - valuable sources of information for genealogists.
2010 Aug. 16
Monday
"Tracing My Family's Journey from Lithuania to Latvia to Dublin 1891-2009" - Jo Ann Goldwater
In July, 2009, Jo Ann Goldwater took a Jewish roots tour and revisited the places where her grandfather, Abba Goldvasser, stopped on his way from the shtetls of Lithuania to Riga, Latvia and to Dublin, Ireland, before settling in Montreal in 1893. She will share with you her photos and memories of this once in a lifetime trip.
2010 Oct. 04
Monday
"A Tailor's Tale - From Transylvania to Tennessee" - Robert J. Friedman
Just over 100 years ago, apprentice tailor Samuel Friedman left his bucolic surroundings in rural Transylvania (then part of Hungary) and began making his way to America. How Sam weathered the voyage and ended up in Knoxville, Tennessee is chronicled in a memoir dictated to his daughter in 1954. Sam's cousin, Bob Friedman, will provide social-historical context and read excerpts from the manuscript, with slides of photos and documents to illustrate the journey.
2010 Nov. 09
Tuesday
"Suddenly Jewish - A Mid-life Discovery of her Jewish Roots" - Roma Baran
In August 2008, Roma Baran received a stunning e-mail from a Jewish genealogist looking for heirs to a small estate of a Holocaust survivor, her father's cousin, and learned that her casually Christian parents, and the whole rest of her family were not Polish Catholics, but Jews, including a rabbi and a Warsaw ghetto leader, and that her parents had survived the Holocaust under assumed names. She learned that not only were her family's names and identities false, but that she had actually lived in Israel from 1949-1951. She tells of how she reconstructed her past over the last two years & describes the emotional consequences of this staggering discovery.
2010 Nov. 29
Monday
"Major Discoveries in the Quest to Find my Roots" - Hymie Reichstein (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa)
Mr. Reichstein will be covering the more fascinating circumstances that lead him to find major segments of his family both in North America and Eastern Europe. Each discovery will be illustrated with actual documents such as census records, photographs and letters and the intriguing path to their discovery. Mr. Reichstein is president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa.
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2009 Jan. 19
Monday
6th Annual Film Night -
2009 Mar. 16
Monday
"Cultural Clues to Family History" - David M. Kleiman
Publisher, historian, and educator, David M. Kleiman, genealogist for over 35 years, a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and Genealogical Speakers Guild, has authored articles for Avotaynu, and other genealogical publications and serves on the Executive Council of the JGSNY (New York). David uses personal genealogies and entertaining family stories to illuminate and humanize broader historical contents and concepts.
2009 Apr. 23
Thursday
Annual 3 Speakers - Vicki Barkoff, Bill Klein and Mel Niederhoffer
2009 May 05
Tuesday
"How to create a Family History Book - easily, inexpensively and with flexibility on your own computer, using programs you already have." - Merle Kastner
2009 June 15
Monday
"The History of the Jewish Community of Québec City" - Simon Jacobs
Simon Jacobs, a native of London, England, has lived in Quebec City since he began performing with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec (OSQ) in 1989. Past president of the Quebec City Jewish community, Mr. Jacobs is currently involved with the Cemetery Corporation Beth Israel. He is well known for his work as founder and executive director of Exposition Shalom Québec.
2009 Aug. 17
Monday
What's New in Jewish Genealogy? - Stanley Diamond
A wrap-up on the informative IAJGS Conference in Philadelphia come and find out what we learned, talk to our members who attended and hear about the exciting new research resources that are available.
2009 Sep. 15
Tuesday
Lovell's Directories - What they are and their amazing secrets! - handout
Lovell's Directory is available from the also available via Steve Morse's One Step Search.
Lovell's Montreal Street Directories are rich in facts that can help with your family history. Much more than just address books, Lovell's Directories contain all sorts of useful clues for research.

Plus a bonus - we will be doing online searching*

2009 Oct. 20
Tuesday
"Uncovering Mysteries With Property Records - Hidden Landscapes of Quebec" - Gary Schroder & Sharon Callaghan (Quebec Family History Society)
Sharon Callaghan has written various articles for genealogical and historical societies across Canada. Gary Schroder, President of the Quebec Family History since 1995, is a member of the Special Advisory Board of Library and Archives Canada.
2009 Nov. 15
Sunday
Creating the Morgenthau Exhibition: a Family Historian confronts the Twentieth Century - Karen Franklin (Guest curator at the Museum of Jewish Heritage)
Annual JGS Membership Brunch
Karen Franklin, will present the topic, coordinate and lead tours of the exhibition for our members after the presentation. She will describe how a simple genealogy request resulted in her participation in an exciting reinterpretation of the family's role in public service and service to the Jewish community. Karen uncovered fascinating personal stories and documents through two years of research in dozens of archives, libraries and private collections. These discoveries, many of which will not be found in the exhibit, will be described in this talk.
2009 Nov. 23
Monday
"The Story of Ottawa's Jewish Community" - Hymie Reichstein & John Diener
John Diener, a native Ottawan is the son of a Holocaust survivor, Nathan Diener, and a former Montrealer, Reba Luterman. Researching his family tree for 10 years. vicepresident of JGS Ottawa, he on the board of directors of Gesher Galicia, and shtetl leader for the town of Grzymalow, Ukraine. Mr. Diener has been involved with the photography and databasing of the two Jewish cemeteries in Ottawa, as well as those in Kingston and Cornwall, working in partnership with Hymie Reichstein, among other related projects.

Hymie Reichstein, born in Montreal moved to Ottawa after graduation from McGill University. He retired in 1995. Active in the Jewish Community, he was President of Congregation Machzikei Hadas, continues to be active in the Shul and is currently the treasurer of the Ottawa Jewish Community Cemeteries and treasurer of Ottawa Torah Institute, a High School Yeshiva. In the Jewish Genealogical World, he is a founding member of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa, its first treasurer and has been the President for the last 9 years.

2009 Dec. 14
Monday
"The McCord Museum, its Extensive Collections and Resources" - François Cartier (Curator of Archives and History at the McCord Museum)
Curator of Archives and History at the McCord Museum since 2002, trained in history and archives at l'Université de Montréal, Mr. Cartier is an expert in the field of museum archives. Consultant in historical research, he is the author of many articles, research papers and also of a book on the history of the Soulanges Canal. He is in the forefront of the growing convergence between archives, museums and libraries.
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2008 Jan. 21
Monday
5th Annual Film Night -
2008 Mar. 17
Monday
"Travelling to the Ukraine with a Little Silver Spoon in my Pocket" - Victor Armony
Victor Armony, Professor of Sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), was born in Argentina, immigrated to Canada in 1989. He traveled to the Ukraine in 2005 to explore his family roots in Eastern Galicia & Volhynia.
2008 Apr. 29
Tuesday
Annual 3 Speakers - Beatrice Freder, Bernice Goldsmith, and Barry Simon
2008 May 12
Monday
"Finding Home: In the Footsteps of the Jewish Fusgeyers" - Jill Culiner
Jill Culiner, professional photographer & author, discusses her book "Finding Home: In the Footsteps of the Jewish Fusgeyers", which relates how nearly 70,000 Fusgeyers (wayfarers), fled persecution in Romania in the early 1900s, walking through Romania, earning their living by giving theatrical performances, until they were able to immigrate to the New World. Ms Culiner retraced their journey through Romania, Budapest, Vienna, Frankfurt, Rotterdam, London, & Liverpool to the United States & Canada. Research for this book was supported by a grant from the Toronto Arts Council. The book won the Joseph & Faye Tanenbaum Prize in Canadian Jewish History and a Helen & Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book award. Following the meeting, Ms Culiner will be signing her book.
2008 June 02
Monday
"Bugsy Siegel & Meyer Lansky The hilarious story of two not-so-nice Jewish boys" - Ron Arons
Ron Arons, genealogist, researcher, author, has spent the past decade researching Jewish criminals -- big-name gangsters and lesser-known individuals. His lectures are informative and entertaining, not to be missed!
2008 June 03
Tuesday
"Kosher Nostra - every Jewish family has a Black Sheep" - Ron Arons
Ron Arons, genealogist, researcher, author, has spent the past decade researching Jewish criminals -- big-name gangsters and lesser-known individuals. His lectures are informative and entertaining, not to be missed!
2008 June 25
Wednesday
Hidden Children - Evelyne Haendel
During the Holocaust, thousands of Jewish children were given up by their parents to Christians for safekeeping. They became known as 'Hidden Children'. Evelyne Haendel of Belgium was such a child. Her parents never returned from Auschwitz. Evelyne always knew her real identity and in her 40's, began a 25-year quest to reclaim it. To date, she has located cousins in the U.S., Canada, England, France and Israel and will speak about her experiences and search.
2008 Aug. 11
Monday
"Canadian Naturalization Records - The Key to the Past" - Alan Greenberg (Vice-President, JGS of Montreal)
Alan Greenberg, Vice-President, JGS of Montreal, led the naturalization project. He will discuss the Canadian Naturalization database at the Canadian Genealogy Centre at Library and Archives Canada, which currently identifies 200,000 individuals naturalized between 1916 and 1932 and which will soon have an additional 400,000 naturalizations from 1932-51.
2008 Sep. 25
Thursday
"Czech Mate - A Life in Progress" as told to Joe King - Thomas O. Hecht
Born in Czechoslovakia, Thomas Hecht escaped from Europe during World War II, arriving in Canada in 1942. He became a noted Jewish community leader. He was the youngest Chairman in the history of Combined Jewish Appeal, followed by the presidency of the United Israel Appeal of Canada and the Israel Bond Organization. His communal involvements also included board memberships on the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec and Société Générale de Financement. He is a recipient of several community awards and founded the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) at Bar-Ilan University, one of the world's most respected think tanks. Professionally, he was Chairman and C.E.O. of an international pharmaceutical products company.
2008 Oct. 27
Monday
"The First Jewish Deli in Montreal" - Annie Rees Roth & Rosalee Kovalsky
Annie's revealing search for her real identity and the story of her father's founding of the first Jewish deli in Montreal over 100 years ago.
2008 Nov. 24
Monday
"The Jewish Community of Kosovo - what it was like and what is left of it today" - Stanley Asher
Stanley Asher has been active in radio on the Montreal scene for 30 years. He is co-director of the film series "Montreal Jewish Memories". Mr. Asher is Vice-President of CJRS Radio Shalom 1650 a.m.. He currently leads study groups at McGill University's Institute for Lifelong Learning, retiring from teaching at John Abbott College after 33years.
2008 Nov. 30
Sunday
"Little Jerusalem- 1880-1940, The Story of Burlington, Vermont's Jewish Community" - Jeff Potash & Aaron J. Goldberg
In cooperation with the Shaare Zedek Men's Club
Aaron Goldberg, a practicing attorney in Burlington, 7th generation Burlingtonian, has chaired Ohavi Zedek Synagogue's Archives Committee for more than a quarter-century and has actively engaged in a variety of research efforts relating to the Burlington Jewish community.

Jeff Potash, a former Professor of History at Trinity College of Vermont and co-author of the Vermont Historical Society's Freedom and Unity (2004), a history of Vermont from pre-history through modern times, has collaborated with Aaron Goldberg on several projects and exhibits.

2008 Dec. 15
Monday
"Researching the Records of the International Tracing Service of the Red Cross in Bad Arolsen, Germany" - Michael Goldstein
Staggering discoveries can be found within this recently-released treasure trove. Mr. Goldstein is a Jerusalem-based professional genealogical researcher, mentor, lecturer and expert in Israeli and Holocaust-related research. From personal experience, he will explore how best to gain access to these secrets, long-hidden in millions of reference files in the ITS archives.
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2007 Apr. 16
Monday
"Four Hundred Brothers & Sisters - a Story of Two Jewish Orphanages in Montreal - 1902-1942" - Judy & Myer Gordon
Judy (Gold-Asch) Gordon, tells of 2 Jewish orphanages, open from 1909-1942. Her husband, Myer Gordon, lived in one of the Homes for 10 years' Their two books are endorsed by Archivists, Librarians, Social Workers, and University Professors, who agree on the importance of getting this portion of Montreal's history out to local and national archives and libraries, to school and the Jewish community...their reunions still attract former residents, spouses, children and grandchildren.
2007 May 21
Monday
One-Step Webpages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools - Dr. Stephen P. Morse (Creator of One-Step web-site)
Stephen Morse' One-Step web-site <www.stevemorse.org> is one of the most important developments in genealogical research. His One-Step website has attracted international attention. He has received both the Outstanding Contribution Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. A computer professional with a doctorate degree in electrical engineering, Steve's career spans research, development, teaching, consulting, and writing. He is best known as the designer of the Intel 8086 microprocessor (the granddaddy of today's Pentium processor), that sparked the PC revolution 25 years ago.
2007 Aug. 20
Monday
What's New in Jewish Genealogy? from the just-ended International Conference on Jewish Genealogy (Salt Lake City, July 2007) - slides
JGS of Montreal members who attended the informative IAJGS Conference in Salt Lake City will discuss what they learned, how they were excited by their experiences and what's new in the research resource field.
2007 Sep. 17
Monday
"Building a Nation: the Unknown Jewish Giants" - Joe King
Joe King, dubbed "historian of Montreal Jewry", author of "From the Ghetto to The Main" & "Baron Byng to Bagels", renowned journalist, broadcaster & author will speak to us.
2007 Oct. 14
Sunday
"The Internet, PowerPoint & Novel Ways Of Presenting Your Family History - How I Found My Goldbergs, Vinebergs and Salmanovitzs" - Mel Solman
2007 Nov. 20
Tuesday
"Biala Podlaska, Poland Revisited - a visit to his grandfather's shtetl in Poland" - David Lewis Sternfeld (Montreal & New York based Photo-journalist & Filmmaker)
2007 Dec. 17
Monday
"Experiences & Observations while visiting her Family's Shtetls in the Ukraine" - Annette Colton
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2006 Apr. 26
Wednesday
The Establishment of Institutions in the Montreal Immigrant Jewish Community - 1907-1919 - Dr. Ira Robinson
2006 May 23
Tuesday
"New Developments in Jewish Research in Poland" - Stanley Diamond (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal)
Stanley Diamond, President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal, will lecture on his recent trip to Poland and unveil new sources and developments in research of Jewish records in Poland, as well as give some introductory pointers of Jewish genealogical neophytes.
2006 June 18
Monday
Annual 3 Speakers - Jerry Zell, Nathan Rosenshein & Marvin Tafler image
2006 Aug. 21
Monday
What's New in Jewish Genealogy? from the just-ended International Conference on Jewish Genealogy (New York, August 13 - 18, 2006) -
JGS of Montreal members who attended the informative IAJGS Conference will talk about their experiences, what they learned and what is new in the research resource field. An opportunity to learn - for all. Genealogical books and newsletters will be available for reference, as well as the syllabus from this year's conference.
2006 Sep. 18
Monday
"The thrill of discovery in terms of researching and writing Jewish history" - Joe King
Joe King, dubbed "Historian of Montreal Jewry" is the author of FROM THE GHETTO TO THE MAIN: THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF MONTREAL and BARON BYNG TO BAGELS; TALES OF JEWISH MONTREAL. Journalist, broadcaster and author, Mr. King will talk about the thrill of discovery in terms of researching and writing Jewish history, and discovering appropriate illustrations.
2006 Nov. 13
Monday
"Weaving a Family History" - Elsa Kisber
Elsa Kisber has spent more than 25 years researching her family history. She has located & recorded more than 300 names in the Kisber Family Tree, which she continues to submit to the Diaspora Museum, Beth Hatefutsoth, University of Tel-Aviv. An on-going work, it will be incorporated into several future projects, one of which is her soon-to-be-published family history book. Come and hear her describe her research and work.
2006 Nov. 27
Monday
"Family Biographies - Creating a Digital Audio/Visual Legacy" - Joe Lapin
Joe Lapin and LifeStory Celebration! produce multi-media personal biographies for families to share for generations to come. The lecture demonstrates the techniques that integrate interviews, photos, old movies and music, and how the resulting DVD captures the essence of an individual in a poignant, meaningful manner.
2006 Dec. 11
Monday
"Visiting Your Family's Shtetls - What to Expect to Find When You Get There & How to Prepare For The Trip" - Merle Kastner
Merle Kastner, member of the JGS of Montreal since 1993, has been researching her family roots in Romania, Poland, Moldova, Lithuania and Belarus. In June of this year, she traveled to Lithuania, northeast Poland and Prague. In her presentation, she reports on her findings and gives pointers to those who may be planning shtetl trips themselves.
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2005 Jan. 17
Monday
Annual Film Night -
Featuring "Echoes That Remain"
For most of us our understanding of the shtetls from which our ancestors came derives from "Fiddler on the Roof" or the stories of Sholom Aleichem. Some of us say Kaddish for those lost shtetls but few of us are aware of just what was lost. The film we are planning to show for our December meeting, "Echoes That Remain," is a "poignant study of Jewish shtetl life before the Holocaust. It combines hundreds of rare archival photos and previously unseen film footage with live action sequences shot on location at the sites of former Jewish communities in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania."

We see synagogues, houses, streets as they were when Bobbe and Zayde walked those streets. We see the cemeteries in which our great grandparents are buried and ponder the rich significance of tombstone engravings of books, scissors, a shofar that may reflect the occupations of those grandparents.

"The film's production team spent over a year of research in archives around the world collecting film footage and photographs to help dramatize the folk stories, parables and anecdotes. It is a film that will bring tears and laughter to both the young and old." The film is narrated by Martin Landau and Miriam Margolyes, Professor Sprout in the two latest Harry Potter films and a member of a Jewish Genealogy group in England.

2005 Jan. 31
Monday
4th annual Recent Immigrants Meeting for those with recent ties and a strong interest in Argentina, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus -
An informal round-table discussion with émigrés seeking to learn more about their roots and find known or unknown families in North & South America. Maria Madorsky, our excellent interpreter in the past, will once again be with us.
2005 Jan. 31
Monday
Connecting Families -
4th annual Recent Immigrant Program in cooperation with the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society
A very large number of the Montreal Jewish community members from from families who are originally from Russia and other Eastern European countries. We are interested in knowing more about the Jews who lived there and immigrated to North America, South America, Western Europe and Israel. Perhaps some of you will find that your families are our families too, even though we left the "old country" at different times!

The meeting will be an informal round-table discussion where everybody will have a chance to talk and ask questions. The session will be conducted in English and French. Maria Madrosky, who was our excellent and humorous Russian interpreter in the past, will once again be with us.

2005 Mar. 06
Sunday
Israel Day at the Cavendish Mall - image
Once again, the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal will have a large booth at Israel Day, at the Cavendish Mall, Cote St Luc. Your Executive Committee has completed the advance planning; now we invite you to join your fellow members in reaching out to Montreal's large Jewish community.
2005 Apr. 18
Monday
Researching Your Roots in Poland - Today! - Stanley Diamond (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal & Executive Director of Jewish Records Indexing - Poland <JRI-Poland>)
Mr. Diamond, just returning from his annual 2-week trip to Poland to further the indexing efforts of JRI-Poland, in cooperation with the Polish State Archives. His lecture will include the very latest news about research & travel in Poland.
2005 May 08
Sunday
Breakfast Club Meeting at Shaare Zion Congregation - Stuart Tower (author of "The Wayfarers")
With the Shaare Zion Congregation
JGS of Montreal is honoured to welcome Stuart Tower as our "Special Event" May speaker. California-based he is the author of the best-selling Jewish historical book, "The Wayfarers". Published in 2003, "The Wayfarers" chronicles the emigration, on foot, of thousands of Jews from Romania across Europe and to America, between 1899-1914. In Yiddish, these wayfarers were known as fusgeyers.

The response to this compelling epic saga has been overwhelming. This fascinating story tells of courageous, organized groups of young Jews defiantly set against the sheer hopelessness of life under harsh totalitarian rule, trekking to ports across the dangerously anti-Semitic, xenophobic Europe of the early 1900's. A docudrama based on the book is being prepared by Yale Strom. A feature film is also in the planning stages.

2005 May 16
Monday
Quebec Jewish Vital Records & Canadian Naturalization Records - Stanley Diamond & Alan Greenberg
Paid members will be able to obtain vital records at the meeting.
2005 June 20
Monday
Family Tree DNA - Bennett Greenspan (Founder & CEO of Family Tree DNS)
JGS of Montreal is honored to welcome Bennett Greenspan, the founder/CEO of Family Tree DNA, Houston, Texas. In just five years, Mr. Greenspan has introduced a whole new dimension to the study of family history.

A pioneer in genetic genealogy based on DNA testing, Greenspan will speak on the nontechnical, human side of this relatively new field. Hear about exciting reunions, family searches, surname projects and much more.

If you have always been interested in learning about this new tool for genealogists, this is for you. If you have never heard about using DNA testing for family history, this is ALSO for you. When you're up against a brick wall, and the paper trail has ended, DNA testing may help provide the answers.

2005 Aug. 29
Monday
IAJGS Las Vegas Conference Post Mortem Meeting - Stanley Diamond (President of the JGS of Montreal)
Stanley Diamond, president of the JGS of Montreal, and several members who attended the IAJGS Conference will present their impressions of the lectures and events they attended. An opportunity to learn - for all.
2005 Sep. 19
Monday
"Raising Atlantis, Restoring Jewish Heritage in Poland" - Yale J. Reisner (Founder & Director, Ronald S. Lauder Foundation Genealogy Project at the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland, since 1994)
The Lauder Foundation is a non-profit Jewish educational foundation active in 16 Central & East European countries.
Poland's Jews, for centuries the world's largest Jewish community, constituted a strong social and cultural force within Poland and beyond. That civilization was swept away in the Holocaust. Yale speaks of the work of the Lauder Foundation, individuals that are gradually discovering, protecting and restoring many Jewish elements to Poland's historical and cultural landscape.
2005 Sep. 28
Wednesday
Quebec Family History Library Visit -
Point Claire
The Quebec Family History Society was founded in 1977. Their Heritage Centre - Library located in Pointe Claire, is open six days a week. It "holds a collection of 6,000 books, manuscripts, historical maps, and family histories plus billions of records on microfilm, microfiche, CDs and online. Also available for loan are more than 120 periodicals from genealogy societies and organizations across Canada, United States, British Isles, Australia and New Zealand.

Visitors are always welcome. Access to the Library is free for members and $30 per day for non-members. Our volunteers are available to assist members and visitors search for relevant materials. If you are a visitor or a new member, information about the Society and a brief tour of the Library will be provided."

2005 Nov. 17
Thursday
"Connecting From Afar with Your Family in Israel" - Michael Goldstein
Michael Goldstein, a former Montrealer, is a Jerusalem-based genealogist specializing in helping North Americans locate and connect with their Israeli families and tracing Israelis whose testimonies are found in Yad Vashem records. His presentation will present the how-tos of locating the Israeli family member and teach how to proceed once you can make the actual contact.
2005 Dec. 12
Monday
"Family Tree Research Circle" -
Regular attendees and new members alike look forward to the opportunity to recount their successes and frustrations during the past year - knowing they will profit from the feedback of their fellow researchers.
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2004 Jan. 19
Monday
Connecting Families - Alan Greenberg
Part of the Recent Immigrant Program in cooperation with the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society
2004 Mar. 21
Sunday
Israel Day at the Cavendish Mall -
Our first participation! From 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.
2004 Apr. 19
Monday
Jewish Given Names - Warren Blat (Editor-in-Chief and Vice-President of JewishGen (Jewish Genealogy on the Internet))
The fascinating history and patterns of Jewish first names. A humourous and informative look at the many names of our ancestors.
2004 May 18
Tuesday
"Hidden Resources & Adventures in the World of Family History" - Gary Schroder (President, Quebec Family History Society)
Gary Schroder, President of the Quebec Family History Society since 1995, has conducted family history courses at McGill University and has given numerous introductory and advanced seminars and lectures at various universities, genealogical and historical societies across North America. He is the editor of numerous published genealogical works and a frequent guest on radio and television.
2004 Oct. 17
Sunday
Secret City: The Hidden Jews of Warsaw 1940-1945 - Dr. Gunnar S. Paulssen
With Congregation Shaare Zion
In his presentation, Dr. Gunnar (Steve) Paulssen will tell some of the more pleasant stories that brighten the horrors about which we have heard so much. A surprisingly large number of Jews escaped from the ghetto and survived the rest of the war with significant help from many Polish people. Dr. Paulssen's painstakingly detailed study into this complex and sometimes contested history challenges some of our preconceptions and provides balance to the grim story.
2004 Nov. 14
Sunday
"Discovering Jewish Roots in Poland Poles Raised as Gentiles Return to their Jewish Identity" - Peter Jassem
With Congregation Shaare Zion
Raised as a Christian Pole, Peter Jassem suspected his Jewish roots for some time and was able to confirm them in 1995. During the following 18 months he located 1500 names of Jewish ancestors or relatives, as reported in the Canadian Jewish News. He became an active board member of the JGS of Canada (Toronto) and is now on the board of JRI-Poland and Gesher Galicia. Since 2002 he has served as president of the Polish-Jewish Heritage Foundation of Canada. He has written articles for genealogical newsletters, lectured on genealogy and participated in various projects.
2004 Dec. 08
Wednesday
"History Detectives: A Primer on Keeping Archives" - Johanne Pelletier (Director of the McGill University Archives)
Review the key preservation do's and don'ts for managing your own family records and show highlights of the McGill University Archives collections.
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2003 Jan. 19
Monday
Connecting Our Families - handout
Part of the Recent Immigrant Program in cooperation with the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society
Come, meet and network with recent Russian emigrés, who are searching for their relatives, living in Canada and the USA. Hear about Jewish life in the former Soviet Union and how to research your ancestors' shtetls.
2003 Mar. 24
Monday
Writing your Family History As easy or as challenging as you want to make it! - Lorraine Gosselin (Quebec Family History Society)
There are many ways of presenting your family history: it can be as simple as copying your family tree generated by a program, or as challenging as writing a book for submission to a publisher . . . or anything in between!

It's all about evaluating your own talents and knowing the audience you are addressing. This lecture will be a starting point for those contemplating what to do with the precious research material about their ancestors.

2003 May 20
Tuesday
Jewish Bukovina - Bruce Reisch (Professor, Cornell University)
Bruce Reisch will provide insights into researching the history and genealogy of these Jewish communities, once prominent in the former Austro-Hungarian province of Bukovina. The split of Bukovina between northern Romania and western Ukraine presents unique challenges to researchers. Internet and print resources will be reviewed, including Yizkor books, vita records, landmannschaften, Holocaust, and other related databases of special interest for Bukovina research. In addition, Bruce will discuss the online discussion group for Czernowitz and Sadhura researchers interest in the history and genealogy of these Jewish communities.

Projects are underway to microfilm Jewish records in the Ukraine, as well as to create searchable databases to Jewish cemetery records of Czernowitz (Chernivsti, Ukraine), capital of Bukovina. In this presentation, Bruce will review some of the new resources soon to become available.

For further background... visit these web sites (links updated 2017):

2003 June 16
Monday
The "JGSO Czernowoitz/Chernovitsi Cemetery Indexing Project" - Alti Rodal (JGS of Ottawa)
"Jewish Genealogical Research in Bukovina: Cemeteries, Archives and Oral History"
Share Alti's experience as she has spent six weeks in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine, digitally photographing the monuments of the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). Alti will report on the type of genealogical information that can be gleaned from Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe, the experience of photographing monuments, and of accessing relevant archival records, in particular burial registries, death certificates and community records.

Alti will also report on the archival records of the Soviet Extraordinary Commission on War Crimes (including lists of people massacred and witness testimonies) and the experience of interviewing elderly villagers about wartime and pre-war memories of Jewish inhabitants.

2003 Aug. 26
Monday
What's New in Jewish Genealogy? from the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy (Toronto, August 5 to 9, 2002) -
JGS of Montreal members who attended this informative IAJGS Conference will talk about their experiences and discoveries. An opportunity to learn - for all. Copies of previous conference syllabi since 1992 will be available. Genealogical books and newsletters will be available for reference.
2003 Sep. 16
Tuesday
Jewish Genealogical Internet Resources - Alan Greenberg
Alan Greenberg will discuss and demonstrate how the Internet can be used to help you in your family history research. It will be aimed at both novice users, as well as those who think they already know everything.
2003 Oct. 20
Monday
Montreal's Orthodox Rabbis in the Early Twentieth Century and the Community They Built - Professor Ira Robinson (Concordia University)
The large scale wave of emigration, which saw millions of Eastern European Jews move from their homelands to Western Europe, North and South America, and elsewhere between the 1870s and the 1920s, also witnessed the migration to all these places of thousands of Eastern European Orthodox rabbis. These rabbis, attempting to find their way amid the chaotic conditions of newly formed immigrant communities, faced the daunting task of preserving and perpetuating the traditions and norms of Eastern European Orthodox Judaism while discovering new roles for themselves. This lecture will examine, in general, the ways in which the Eastern European rabbinate in Montreal developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It will help us understand the myriad of formats, errors and omissions in the Jewish vital records of that era. It will focus on the careers and writings of such rabbis as Hirsch Cohen, Simon Glazer, Yudel Rosenberg, and Sheea Herschorn. Ira Robinson is Professor of Judaic studies in the Department of Religion of Concordia University, Montreal. He received his M.A. at Columbia University and his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University.
2003 Nov. 17
Monday
"Sephardic Genealogy: Discovering your Ancestors and their World" - Dr. Jeffrey Malka (award-winning author for the Best Judaica Reference Book (2002) by Association of Jewish Libraries)
Dr. Malka, from Vienna, Virginia, will explain how to trace Sephardic ancestry through archives as ancient as 12th century Spanish notarial records or as recent as today's country repositories.
2003 Dec. 15
Monday
Research Circle -
Regular attendees look forward to the opportunity to describe their successes and frustrations during the past year - knowing they will profit from the feedback of their fellow researchers.
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2002 Jan. 21
Monday
Connecting Families -
Part of the Recent Immigrant Program in cooperation with the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society
Genealogical experts will help you search for your relatives who emigrated originally from Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and the Baltic Republics. Bring documents, old letters and family records, photographs, siddurim with notations and genealogical diagrams. These old treasures may have valuable clues to help experienced members of the Jewish Genealogical Society to help you to find your relatives. Maybe you can help us find our families, too!
2002 Mar. 18
Monday
Research in Canada - Gary Schroder (President, Quebec Family History Society)
2002 Apr. 22
Monday
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YMHA Sinai Room
2002 May 21
Tuesday
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2002 June 17
Monday
Pursuing your Jewish Family History in Quebec - Stanley Diamond (President, JGS-Montreal)
Stanley Diamond, President of JGSM will speak on the four year project to index the Jewish vital records of Quebec, now at its completion. These records kept by the Rabbis of Quebec are full of nuggets of unexpected information and a gold mine for anyone interested in tracing their Quebec Jewish roots between 1847 and 1942.
2002 June 17
Monday
How the get the best out of the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy -
JGS of Montreal members who have previously attended these exciting and informative International Conferences will provide pointers to help you take advantage of your first experience.

And, even if you are not going to the conference, there will be an opportunity to learn. Copies of every conference syllabus since 1992 will be available and the discussion will include valuable networking techniques that you can use in your every day research.

For those not planning to attend the conference, there will also be some of our more important collection of genealogical books and newsletters.

2002 Aug. 26
Monday
What's New in Jewish Genealogy? from the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy (Toronto, August 5 to 9, 2002) -
JGS of Montreal members who attended this informative IAJGS Conference will talk about their experiences and discoveries.
2002 Nov. 17
Sunday
The Jewish Vital Records of Quebec: A remarkable history, A fascinating story - Stanley M. Diamond
Shaare Zedek Men's Club
2002 Nov. 24
Sunday
Family Tree Day at Cavendish Mall - français
With the Quebec Family History Society
Drop by & learn how to get started building your family tree. We will show how easy it is, give you some information and even search the Internet for your family!
2002 Dec. 16
Monday
Research Circle: "Each One - Teach All" -
The "Research Circle" is an annual highlight event in the JGS of Montreal calendar. Join this exciting evening, which will be devoted to showcasing the research of our members and friends. Each story is a mini-tutorial providing suggestions for new research opportunities based on recently acquired knowledge and skills.

Actual research experiences and breakthroughs of the past year will illustrate how these avenues have already been successfully pursued.

An opportunity to learn - for all.

Genealogical books and newsletters will be available for reference.

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2001 Mar. 19
Monday
Imagined Communities: A Shtetl in the Old World, a Shtetl in the New World. Echenberg Family History in Ostropol and Sherbrooke - Myron Echenberg (Professor, McGill University)
Join us for a story of how a large family of immigrants from the Ukraine settled in Sherbrooke, Quebec, early in the 20th century. In this small Eastern Township city, they developed a vibrant Jewish community which lasted into the 1960's.
2001 Apr. 23
Monday
Whose Home is This Anyway? A Genealogical Homecoming in Hungary - Linda Kay (Director of the Graduate Program for Journalism students at Concordia University)
When an unexpected opportunity to travel to Hungary arose, Linda Kay capitalized on her reporting skills and a few contacts in the genealogical world to trace her paternal ancestors from the city of Miskolcz.
2001 May 14
Tuesday
Jewish Montreal in the 1920's & 1930's - Stanley Asher & Dov Okouneff
Stanley (a professor at John Abbott College) and Dov (a producer of films for the World Zionist Organization) will show and discuss sections of the first of the "Montreal Jewish Memories" series, "Stories of the Twenties". The film integrates interviews, archival material and music to recreate a period marked by harsh conditions but also optimism and love of life.
2001 June 18
Monday
Living the Good Life and an Oral Historian - Jean Morrison (International Oral Historian)
This lecture offers techniques for conducting a scholarly interview. During this evening she will entertain you with dramatic and always humourous experiences as an oral historian.
2001 Oct. 15
Monday
Accessing and Using the National Archives of Canada for Family Research - Lorraine St. Louis-Harrison (Head of the Genealogy Unit of the National Archives of Canada's Research Services Division)
  • How to use the Archives Website to prepare for research in records
  • Examine different sections of the Website
  • Explore databases with emphasis on immigration records
  • Discover the genealogical services
  • 2001 Nov. 08
    Tuesday
    Old and New Sources of Information on Holocaust Victims and Survivors - Peter Lande
    Holocaust Education Series of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre
    Mr. Peter Lande has compiled a single computer data base of Holocaust victims and survivors at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. He will discuss new sources of information that have been identified in the past year.
    2001 Nov. 19
    Monday
    Jewish Records Indexing - Poland - Stanley Diamond
    Stanley will lecture on the progress of this project as well as speak about his recent trip to Poland and the Polish archives. He will also provide news about new record sources and other indexing projects.
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    2000 Mar. 22
    Wednesday
    Genealogy & Genetics: Combining Genealogical and Family Trait Genetic Research - Stanley Diamond (President - Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal / Genealogist - Beta-Thalassemia Genetic Trait Project)
    Our ancestors determine who we are! Our challenge is to create a detailed picture of what they passed on to us.

    While archive doors may open wide for research with life-saving potential, previously unknown family may not want to be documented, and close family may be hesitant to co-operate. Combining genetic and genealogical research involves different methods and special responsibilities. Defining this philosophy, formulating the message, and honing sensitivities are unusual challenges. The speaker will outline how to go about doing just that!

    2000 Oct. 14
    Tuesday
    Mormon Family History Centre - Brenda Bowman (Document Librarian for the Family History Centre in Ottawa)
    Meeting arranged under direction of Steve Simkovits, Director of the Family History Center in Lasalle
    Gary Schroder, President of the Quebec Family History Society, will present a projected view of the online LDS website and related sites.
    2000 Nov. 20
    Monday
    An American Jewish Historian Looks at Our Roots - Gil Troy (Professor, McGill University)
    Mr. Troy will offer a schematic overview of American Jewish history - an extraordinary epic that has had a significant impact of world Jewish history in general, and on Canadian Jewish history in particular.
    2000 Dec. 11
    Monday
    Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives - Janice Rosen (Archives Director)
    The Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives houses an outstanding collection pertaining to Jewish immigration to Canada, and Jewish life here from the 1700s to the present. The workshop format will introduce you to their genealogy-related resources, and to give you an idea whether material of particular interest to you can be found in the collection. In addition to a tour of the Archives, sample documents from potentially useful collections will be shown, and preliminary searches will be done for as many participants as possible.
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    1999 Jan. 18
    Monday
    Unlocking Family Tree Maker: The world's leading genealogical software program -
    Finally, from Brøderbund Software, a video describing the treasures built into their outstanding genealogical software program.

    The majority of our members use Family Tree Maker... for them or for those who are now planning to computerize their research, this just released 45 minute video is just what we have been waiting for. It will show us all the tricks we have yet to find on our own in the software manual. It focuses on the product's features and answers most of the "how do I...." questions.

    1999 Apr. 25
    Sunday
    Shanghai Escape: European Jews in China during the Holocaust - Peter Nash (Sydney, Australia)
    This program is co-sponsored by the JGS of Montreal and the Shaare Zion Congregation's Issues and Contentions Lecture Series
    As Nazi rhetoric was reaching its peak, the Nash family of Berlin joined the throngs of Jews seeking refuge in Shanghai, China. Word was out.. you did not need a visa to get to the port city of Shanghai. Then, just before the communists took over in 1949. the Nash family was on the run again, this time escaping to Australia.

    3-year old Peter Nash lived the Shanghai experience and has documented his family's story and that of the community around them. He will be contributing the section on the Jews of China to the forthcoming "Research Guide for Jewish Genealogy" being published by Avotaynu Press.

    1999 June 21
    Monday
    Reuniting families separated by the Holocaust: Genealogists hold the Golden Key - Stanley Diamond (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal)
    Hear the heartwarming stories about family reunions made possible through modern genealogical techniques.

    Stanley Diamond, President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal explains how you can find some relatives who may have survived or others you may never have even known about.

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    1997 Jan. 20
    Monday
    Finding Your Argentinian Cousins Jewish Genealogical Research in Argentina - Paul Armony (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Argentina)
    Paul Armony, President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Argentina will provide insight into the large Jewish community of Argentina and its European roots. Members and guests will have the opportunity to hear valuable tips on finding long-lost cousins who emigrated to South America.
    1997 Mar. 17
    Monday
    Journey to Vaya - Reconstructing the World of a Hungarian Jewish Family - Elaine Kalman Naves
    Connecting our families' history to the world in which they lived and journeyed from is an integral part of our ancestors' story. Author, journalist, Elaine Kalman Naves will provide insight into her journey and describe the rewards and challenges of charting her family's story against the backdrop of Hungarian history.
    1997 Sep. 18
    Thursday
    Welcome to the Big Apple: Doing Research in New York City Civil War to present - Eileen Polakoff (New York)
    Renowned Jewish genealogist, lecturer and writer, looks at the record treasures in archives and libraries of New York. Learn how to find information about the millions of immigrants with ties to New York City.
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    1996 Feb. 19
    Monday
    "Sherlock Holmes & Sweetings Restaurant: Strategy for Family History Research" - Gary Schroder (President, Quebec Family History Society)
    Mr. Schroder will provide insights and alternative approaches to researching your family history.
    1996 Mar. 18
    Monday
    "Research Circle" Sharing Family History Research -
    Everyone will have the opportunity to describe successes and frustrations in their family research. Bring your family trees, charts and other materials to illustrate your progress or pin-point questions. Society experts and fellow members will provide suggestions for ongoing research. The resource collection of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal will be available for research.
    1996 Oct. 21
    "Return to Poland" - Stanley Diamond (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal)
    Mr. Diamond has had unparalleled access to archives of Poland for his genetic research project. He will provide an update on newly discovered genealogical resources, and efforts to track down all branches of his family who may be unsuspecting carriers of the Beta-Thalassemia genetic trait. It is a fascinating tale, about genealogical detective work, still unfolding.
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    1995 Jan. 09
    Monday
    "Genealogical Research in Canada - The Connection to your European Origins" - Gary Schroder (V.P., Quebec Family History Society)
    1995 Feb. 20
    Monday
    "Researching and recording your family history with computers" - Ken Quinn (System Operator, Quebec Genealogy Online Bulletin Board)
    1995 Mar. 20
    Monday
    Back to Basics -
    A "how to" workshop to answer the most pressing research questions of both members and guests.
    1995 May 15
    Monday
    "Journey of the Heart" A film by Dr. Frank Field of WCBS-TV News - Dr. Frank Field
    The film documents Dr. Field's 1994 trip to his ancestral towns in Poland and Ukraine. He searched for, and found some answers to the fate of his family.

    A genealogical discussion will follow.

    1995 Sep. 18
    Monday
    Options in Genealogy - Anne Joseph (author of "Heritage of a Patriarch" the genealogy of nine pioneering Canadian Jewish Families)
    Accumulating, organizing and using family history data with enjoyment, will be the focus of this discussion.
    1995 Nov. 20
    Monday
    "Research in Poland" - Stanley Diamond (President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal)
    Stanley Diamond, President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal, will report on his October 1995 research trip to Poland. Topics include preparations, experiences, and research of his family in archives and civil records offices, and Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw. A 30 minute video with trip highlights will be shown.

    A question and answer period will follow.

    1995 Dec. 18
    Monday
    "How to Trace Your Jewish Roots" - Arthur Kurzweil
    "Renowned genealogist Arthur Kurzweil's expertise is now available on video. Go on location to Ellis Island and other significant sites. Learn how easy it is to look for your Jewish origins with Kurzweil's step-by-step guide to the fascinating and exiting process of researching relevant records and historical documents that will culminate in the fulfilment of many an amateur genealogist's dream!"

    Join the "Birds-of-a- feather" round table discussion of your choice. Discuss your specific areas of interest with others. Get your specific questions answered.

    A large collection of resources, including newly arrived microfiche data bases will be available for research.

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    1994 Nov. 13
    Sunday
    "Jewish Genealogy in the 90's" - Dr. Rolf Lederer (Vice-President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies) image
    Montrealers interested in the modern approach to studying their family history will be gathering at a genealogical workshop led by Dr. Rolf Lederer, Vice-President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies.

    The workshop will be just one part of the activities at the Jewish Peoples School & Peretz School's KLEZFEST 94 taking place at Bialik High School, 6500 Kildare Road, Côte St. Luc, Que.

    Historical Documents on the Formation of JGS-Montreal:

    1994 Dec. 15
    Thursday
    "Another Get-Together" -
    After a successful workshop on November 15th [sic], the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal (in formation) will hold another get-together. We will be renewing some old acquaintances, welcoming new members, networking answers to your latest questions about researching your family, and appointing a steering committee to prepare for the formal organization of the society.