Pittsburgh's Jewish Community & HIAS

I had a post on a genealogy success story nearly completed, and I was planning to finish it today.  But in light of what happened in Pittsburgh yesterday, that post will wait.

I would not be here today if it weren't for the Pittsburgh Jewish Community (on my mother's side) and HIAS (on my father's).

My mother's parents were born in Pennsylvania.  My maternal grandfather was born in and grew up in Pittsburgh; both of his parents, all four of his great grandparents, and one of his great-great grandmothers emigrated to Pittsburgh.  My maternal grandmother's parents emigrated to nearby McKeesport, where my grandmother was born.

My grandfather's family was very involved with Pittsburgh's Jewish Community.  My great grandfather was president of Pittsburgh's Shpikover Society, and my grandfather's whole family was very involved in Pittsburgh's Keser Torah Congregation.

Keser Torah Silver Anniversary Committee (1935), Pittsburgh, PA
(My great grandfather is second from the left in the back row)

My 5th Great Grandmother, Chava Lefand

This past summer, I found the death record for my 5th great grandfather, which gave me his father's name.  I've also found the name of his wife, my 5th great grandmother.

My great-great-great-great-great grandmother was Chava Lefand.  I do not know her maiden name, but her father's name was Volko/Volf.

Chava Lefand, 1882 Poll Tax, Nezhin

Photo Genealogy and My Great-Great Grandmother's Photo

After my grandmother passed away in 2015, my cousin Michael found some photos in her basement.  Many were the originals for photos we had copied earlier.  Some were new (to me).

Fine Family - New Photo

RootsTech 2019--Win A 4-Day Pass to RootsTech

I'm excited to announce that I'll be back at RootsTech this winter--both as a speaker and an Ambassador!  I'll be giving on class on Jewish genealogy and another on endogamy.  This will be my fourth year in a row attending this conference, and I cannot wait.  Why RootsTech?  The conference gives a great overview of that here (check it out!).

As an Ambassador, I am able to give away a free 4-day RootsTech pass to a lucky reader, which has a $299 value!  (If you already registered and you win, you can get a refund.)

November/December 2018 Presentations--In CO, OH, VA, NY, CA, WA & MD

My November/December 2018 will be subtitled, "Who Needs Weekends, Anyways"?

I'll be speaking all over the country, and hopefully some of the people who read this blog will live nearby and can attend at least one of these sessions.  Come by and say hi!  You can see the full list of upcoming talks, scheduled into 2019 here.

So here are some details.

Me speaking a few years back at OGS

DNA & Naming Patterns Find Another Fuchs Branch (I Think)

Back in November 2016, a new match popped up on FamilyTreeDNA.  This person, IK, shared some very large segments with several of my family members.  Despite the fact that everyone involved here is 100% Ashkenazic Jewish (so endogamy abounds), these large segments imply that there is an actual close relationship.

DNA IK shares with some of my family members (showing matching segments of 10cM and higher)