Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Start on a family discovery journey with the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Orlando as it continues “My Jewish Roots” a JGSGO Workshop Roadshow. Each participant’s family discovery journey will include directed hands-on labs that will lead to extending their family tree—adding newly discovered ancestors and living cousins.

The December My Jewish Roots Workshop, Conduct U.S.-Based Research, will cover: search methodology and how specifically to search: U.S. census records; vital records (death, marriage, and birth); other sources such as probate records, deeds, city directories, cemetery records and headstones, obituaries, Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and applications, military records and WWI and WWII registrations; and immigration records including naturalization files & ships passenger lists. JGSGO President, Jerry Kurland, noted, “These records will help identify the town and country an ancestor immigrated from and the name they used at that time—a key link to searching for earlier generations of ancestors overseas.” 

Marlis Glaser Humphrey will lead the Conduct U.S.-Based Research workshop. Humphrey is the president of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) and president of the Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS). She is a world-known lecturer, and has discovered all her ancestral shtetls. Humphrey and JGSGO mavens will assist workshop attendees as they start their family discovery journey on their own laptops. 

Conduct U.S.-Based Research with Marlis Humphrey will be held Tuesday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.—9 p.m. at the Roth Jewish Community Center, 851 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751. The workshop is free and open to the public. Bring your own laptop to participate in the lab portion. It is also possible to attend via the Internet. Pre-registration is required. Pre-register for either in-person or online participation at http://www.jgsgo.org/MyJewishRoots.