September 22, 2024 Potluck Lunch @ 12:15, Speaker @ 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT at Beech Street Center 266 Beech St, Belmont MA (Watch Party*) New Location! New Meeting Format! Lots of free parking, easy to find, and a comfortable eventspace. See potluck lunch details below. *Speaker will present on Zoom. You may attend in person and … Continue reading Amy Wachs – Our Eastern European Roots: We Are What Our Ancestors Ate →

Program Description: In this talk, Jarrett Ross will discuss his views on the future of genealogy by reviewing the tools and technology being developed today, which may have a big impact on the future of genealogy and genetic genealogy. This talk will discuss AI, Facial Recognition Software, low SNP artifact testing, and much more. Bio: … Continue reading Jarrett Ross – The Future of Genealogy →

Program Description: Late 19th and early 20th century alien passenger manifests often contain cryptic number and letter codes, which are ignored by most genealogists. These codes offer significant details about our ancestors’ immigration and naturalization experience. Elizabeth Gomoll's presentation is heavily illustrated with examples from actual immigrant passenger lists, and the handout provides a glossary … Continue reading Elizabeth Williams Gomoll – Unlocking Notation Codes on Alien Passenger Lists →

Program Description: While AI (artificial intelligence) might be the current “hot” buzz word, the fact is that many genealogy vendors and even genealogists have already been using this technology for years. The AI industry is at a crossroads and within the next five years, it will permeate almost every aspect of business and society. Learn … Continue reading Thomas MacEntee – AI and Genealogy →

Program Description: Ellie Vance Christensen will discuss the history of Jews in the Russian Empire and the Pale of Settlement where it’s estimated that, at its peak, over 5 million Jews once lived. In this talk, we’ll learn about the common Russian Empire record types such as metrical books (birth, death, marriage, divorce), revision lists, … Continue reading Ellie Vance Christensen – Finding Your Jewish Ancestors in the Russian Empire →

Program Description: Transport yourself back in time on this virtual tour exploring the rich history, political landscape, and heritage of Romanian Jews -- from the days of the Roman Empire, through the flourishing community of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the dramatic events of the last era. Our journey will take you to Bucharest … Continue reading Evgenia Kempinski – Journey Through Jewish Romania: Unveiling Stories of Heritage and Resilience →

Program Description: Have you been confused by your ancestors’ vital records?  Many birth records show the person as illegitimate, missing a surname, having a hyphenated surname, not matching their parents or siblings, or having married via a "ritual Marriage."  Janette Silverman explains some of the punitive family laws in the old Austrian Empire that led to these curiosities, how Jewish communities worked … Continue reading Janette Silverman – Illegitimacy in the Jewish Communities of Galicia →

Program Description:Did you know that the Allen County Public library has the second largest genealogical library collection in the United States and that much of its holdings can be accessed online? That’s why the 2025 IAJGS (International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies) conference will be in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Curt Witcher, the Manager of the … Continue reading Curt Witcher – What the Fort Wayne, Indiana Genealogy Center Can Offer the Jewish Genealogist →

Program Description:What does Carol Clingan’s groundbreaking spreadsheet of historical details on 574 Massachusetts synagogues look like when it is turned into an interactive map? See what resulted when the JGSGB board asked a member with cartographic interests to try her hand at it. Find out how her learning process (in collaboration with the Boston Public Library’s Leventhal Map and Education Center) can … Continue reading Gilda Bruckman, Carol Clingan, Ian Spangler – Mapping Massachusetts’ Synagogues: What a New Historical Map Reveals About Jewish Life in MA Since 1840 →