A well focused question asks who, where, when, what, and how. It includes the geographic area you are researching (i.e. Poland, Ukraine, the state in the U.S., etc.). Check JewishGen’s Town Finder and submit the “Modern Town & Country” name of the town as well as the name as it was known to the family. Also list any documents you have already found. Please use standard genealogy formats when formulating your question (see below for details).

Examples of well focused questions:

1. How do I find the children of John Morris COHEN and Brenda Annie KATZ, likely born in Somerville, MA, (?) ca. 1896-1910?
2. Who are the parents of Brenda Annie KATZ, who emigrated from the Ukraine in 1895?
3. When and where was John Morris COHEN born, perhaps in Lithuania (?) ca. 1860s?
4. How do I find the ship’s manifest of John Morris COHEN who came to Boston?
5. My great grandfather, Julius Caesar, came to the US in the 1890s. He appears in the US census starting in 1900 in New York City. Family legend has it that he emigrated from Italy where he was an itinerant knife sharpener, but I can’t find any specific information about his origin. I’ve searched JewishGen.org and Ellis Island records, and don’t know the exact year he came or what ship, which I would like to find. I have a copy of the 1900 census page that lists him and his family.

Yes. You must submit your focused question when you fill out your registration form to give our mavens sufficient time to prepare to mentor you. The clearer and more precise you are in formulating your focused question, the more likely it is that your mentor will be able to provide meaningful help. 

Please carefully formulate your focused research question before beginning the online registration form. What is it exactly you’d like to receive mentoring about? We anticipate that preparing to fill out the Submit A Focused Research Question to Mentoring Mavens of JGSGB form could take some time. Please plan to do this carefully and thoroughly. The more focused your question, the better and more useful the mentoring will be for you.

In order to give you the most effective mentoring and avoid duplicating your efforts, your Maven also will need to understand what you already know about your question. Think through the kinds of background information a Mentor will need to know to be able to advise you on process or next steps. What do you already know about your focused question?  List the specific documents you already have found for this ancestor and include information about the type of documents, for what years, and from what sources. Upload or email the documents your Maven will need to see firsthand.

Before starting the Submit A Focused Research Question to Mentoring Mavens of JGSGB form, gather information such as:

• Ancestor’s full name and alternate spellings.
• When this ancestor lived.
• Names of the places where the ancestor lived. For the place of origin, please check JewishGen’s Town Finder and find the “Modern Town & Country” including town, district, province, and country. Also include the full name as it was known to the family and the places the ancestor lived in the United States.
• The ancestor’s relationship to you. 
• What you already know about your focused question, including which specific documents you already have found, and the types of documents, for what years, and from what sources.
• What details you know about other family members or relatives who are relevant to your question.

When you submit your focused research question using our form, you will have the opportunity to upload relevant documents. 

Once you submit a focused question, your Maven will be in touch with you if they need you to provide additional information. Additionally you may be asked to email additional supporting documents to your maven ahead of time. 

All Individual and Dual members will receive the Zoom link the day of the program, and it will be available on the Members’ Page. Members may click on the Zoom link to the Mentoring Mavens program and go to the topic of their choice to listen and learn as other members receive mentoring. If there is time for questions from the listeners, the Maven will invite questions and discussion. No registration is required for members who wish to listen and learn during the program.

Mentoring Mavens programs will be held on Zoom. The Zoom platform enables us to offer simultaneous breakout rooms for the four genealogy topics that will be addressed by separate Mavens during the program. All Individual and Dual members will receive the Zoom link the day of the program, and it will be available on the Members’ Page.

Yes! Plan to use your desktop or laptop computer for Mentoring Mavens instead of a tablet or smartphone. Download the Zoom application onto your desktop or laptop computer. Make sure you have the most up-to-date version of Zoom. 

Yes. The Zoom platform enables us to offer simultaneous breakout rooms for the four genealogy topics that will be addressed by separate Mavens during the program.

Yes. Here’s how to find Mentoring Mavens:

1. If you are a current member of JGSGB log in HERE.
2. Once logged in, click on the “What would you like to do?” drop-down box at the right.
3. Select the “Members-Only Page” and navigate to the Mentoring Mavens section.
4. Click on the link for Mentoring Mavens and fill out the online form: Submit A Focused Research Question to Mentoring Mavens of JGSGB. In this form, you will also provide detailed background information about what you already know. 

Registration will close September 10 for the September 23 Mentoring Mavens program.

Dates (day Month year): 15 Aug 1898
Capitalize surnames:
John Morris COHEN
Brenda Annie KATZ Cohen (Capitalize MAIDEN NAMES for women)

Places: Fill in as much information as you know. You may know a country or town from family stories or documents. Check JewishGen’s Town Finder for specific placenames. Leave the place name blank only if you have no idea. Put a question mark next to anything that you are unsure of, or if you have conflicting information.

Fill in as much information as you know. If you don’t know an exact date, then just enter the year, or a probable date range, or approximate and use c. (circa), e.g., c. 1869.

Focused questions will be accepted from JGSGB members on a first-come first-served basis. For the first Mentoring Mavens program, we expect to be able to work with about 16 member questions. If more questions than can be answered are received, members will be placed on a waiting list for possible openings. Members who are not able to be scheduled will receive priority registration for the next Mentoring Mavens program.

During future programs, Mentoring Mavens will offer expertise in different subject areas. To suggest a topic, please email mentoringmavens@jgsgb.org.

Mentoring Mavens, like all JGSGB programs, is completely staffed by volunteers. Please consider volunteering for a time and a task that matches your interests. To explore volunteer opportunities or offer your services, please email volunteers@jgsgb.org.