Vaclav Chvatal is with TAMUS Tachov Archives & Museum Society. He was born in the Czech Republic and has language skills in Czech (mother tongue), Finnish, Slovak, English, German, Russian and Hebrew (epitaphs).
His formal education includes:
University of Agriculture, Master degree in forestry (1990);
Alkio-opisto, University of Jyväskylä (Finland), studies of anthropology (2000-2001); and
Charles University in Prague, Master degree in philology (2003), 1st Doctoral degree (2004).
Since 2002 he has conducted cartographic, photographic and epigraphic documentation and research of Jewish cemeteries (including restoration of abandoned cemeteries, over 110 cemeteries documented). His publications include six books, over 80 other publications and lectures. He is author of the methodology of research of Jewish cemeteries. Vaclav was a guest speaker at the IAJGS conference in Salt Lake City in 2014.
“How Jews Came to Finland” (Sun-127), 9-10:15 A.M.
This presentation outlines the reasons for Jewish migration from different parts of Russia to Finland, and it chronicles the origins of the Jewish communities in Finland. This research is based on the complete documentation of Jewish gravestones in Finland, completed in 2007-2010. Nicolai’s (the emperor of former Great Russia in 1830s) decision was to change Russia to one-language and one-religion (Christian-orthodox) country. All other ethnicities had been recognized as “undesirable”. They were forced to serve in the army and moved to the marginal parts of Russia – e. g. to Finland. So, in the end, Nicolai’s political edict determined who would be Finland’s Jews. The gravestone epitaphs yielded many interesting facts about the Jewish soldiers (e. g. the youngest was forced to serve at age of 8!), and about their places of origin (now mostly in Eastern Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia).
Topics: Ashkenazic research, Cemetery research, Immigration and migration over the ages, Jewish history and culture
“Jewish Communities in Small Villages as a Result of Medieval Migration in Central Europe” (Tues-125), 9:00 – 10:15 A.M.
This presentation depicts establishment of and life in Jewish communities in small villages, established after migration in the 15th to 16th centuries. The main reasons for Jewish migration was often pogroms and expulsions from Czech and German cities, with subsequent loss of citizenship rights and the introduction of trade restrictions. After emigrating from their original living places, the Jews found new homes in small villages and in mountainous areas far away from important industrial centers. The new Jewish communities were established within a few miles of each other. There were no rural Jewish cemeteries nor communities in Bohemia before 1500. The most important first steps in the new home was the establishment of a cemetery and a synagogue.
Topics: Ashkenazic research, Cemetery research, Immigration and migration over the ages, Jewish history and culture
The schedule of presentations and events is now available on the conference webpage: http://www.iajgs2016.org/
If you have been waiting to see the schedule before registering for the conference, it’s time to review the conference offerings and make a decision. Early registration (and the discounts that come with that) ends on April 30, 2016. Do not delay.
In addition to the presentations and evening events offered as part of your conference registration, there are optional offerings that may require additional fees. These include the Sunday morning Educators’ Forum, catered Special Interest Group luncheons, computer workshops and the Thursday evening banquet. See the conference website for additional options.
The 36th IAJGS Conference on Jewish Genealogy has issued the following news release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2016
For the first time ever, the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies will be offering a workshop on certification at its international conference on Jewish genealogy. The workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, August 10, will be one of the highlights of this summer’s conference, which will take place at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle from August 7 to 12. Board-certified associates are known throughout the genealogical world as key participants in teaching, writing and executive leadership of the leading genealogical organizations.
Three genealogists, all of whom hold the prestigious Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists, will team up to run the workshop:
Judy G Russell, known as “The Legal Genealogist,” is a member of the BCG Board of Trustees. She will also be delivering the banquet address at the conference.
David McDonald, a nationally known lecturer on migration, religion, and church records, is also a member of the BCG Board of Trustees.
Sara Scribner is a Washington-based Certified Genealogist; she will also speak later in the conference on the Shanghai Jews during World War II.
Together, these experts will guide attendees through what the certification process entails, who should seek certification, how to go about it, and how to avoid common mistakes. Anyone who had ever considered becoming a Certified Genealogist and those who simply want to sharpen their expertise against the highest professional standards, will find this workshop essential.
This summer’s conference will also feature a Jewish Film Festival put together by leading Jewish film scholar and teacher of cinema Eric Goldman. Other highlights include the opening night keynote address by Dr. Devin Naar, chair of the University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program, and a resource room accessing a vast array of databases. And, as at previous conferences, remote streaming of selected programs will be available through LIVE!
The conference’s Early Registration period, which runs until April 30, offers the lowest fees, with savings of $55 for the full conference. For more information, contact the conference co-chairs Janette Silverman, Phyllis Grossman, and Chuck Weinstein through the conference website www.iajgs2016.org.
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For further information about the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and the certification process, see their webpage at http://www.bcgcertification.org/
There are currently five Certified Genealogists listed on BCG’s webpage who specialize in Jewish genealogy:
Mara Hecht Fein, California
Nancy C. Levin, Massachusetts
Rhoda Miller, New York
Gladys Friedman Paulin, Florida
Teri D. Tillman, Mississippi
In addition, Miriam Weiner has been honored by BCG with the title CG Emeritus.
If you’ve not registered for the 36th Annual IAJGS Conference in Seattle (August 7-12, 2016) yet, consider the following:
The conference’s Early Registration period, which runs until April 30, offers the lowest fees, with savings of $55 for the full conference. The conference website, http://www.iajgs2016.org, has complete details on how to register for all levels of the conference. Once registered, you can make reservations at the Sheraton Hotel at a reduced rate.
Eric Goldman, noted Jewish film scholar and teacher of cinema at Yeshiva University, is organizing the film festival for the conference, The conference film program will include an array of 25 Jewish-themed films. Goldman stated the film festival will “offer an amazing look at world Jewry and the various migrations that have impacted our people through the centuries. There will be a special focus on immigration to the United States.”
Dr. Devin Naar, chair of the University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program, will deliver conference keynote address.
Attorney Judy Russell, Certified Genealogist, Certified Genealogical Lecturer and renown blogger at The Legal Genealogist, will speak at Thursday evening’s banquet.
The Programming Committee is hard at work scheduling more than 300 presentations and events for the conference and expects to finalize (and make public) the schedule in mid-March. [UPDATED INFO (10 March 2016): the schedule will likely be available in mid to late April]
Since we know that there is no way to attend every single session at the conference, we’ve made it easy to catch what you may miss – audio files with slides and LIVE! are the answer. LIVE! is a real-time video streaming service. If you subscribe to LIVE! you will have access to the archives on-demand for 90 days after the conference is over! Both can be subscribed to during the registration process.
If you can’t join us in person in Seattle, you can still subscribe to Seattle 2016 Live! and you can also purchase the audio and slides. Early registrants to Live! will receive a $70 discount off the August price.
Sign up for the discussion group from the “about” tab on the conference website.
Follow the conference blog. One may access it via the NEWS/BLOG tab on the top right of the IAJGS2016 conference webpage or subscribe either via email or via a blog reader.
More from our guest blogger and native Seattleite, Natalie Malin.
from Chihuly Glass and Garden
While you’re in Seattle, you’ll want to visit the beautiful Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, located at the Seattle Center, next to the Space Needle. This exhibit showcases the spectacular blown glass artistry of our world-famous glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose work graces exhibits throughout the world. Dale’s work is so beautiful, it will leave a lasting impression!
Chihuly Garden and Glass is open every day starting at 11 A.M. They close at 6 P.M. Sunday through Thursday, and stay open until 7 P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays. For tickets, details, and photos see chihulygardenandglass.com.
Of note: There is also a dazzling Chihuly display at Bellevue’s Lincoln Square (shops, restaurants, movie theaters, etc.) across the skybridge from the Bellevue Mall (world-class shopping for gifts, including our wonderful “Made In Washington” store).
from Google Maps
Speaking of the city of Bellevue: To get there from Seattle, you’ll travel across one of two current floating bridges (they literally float on pontoons over our beautiful Lake Washington), taking you from Seattle to Bellevue. FYI: Seattle is the acknowledged “Floating Bridge Capitol of the world.”
We have two floating bridges connecting the Eastside to Seattle. The “520 Bridge” from Seattle to Bellevue, is currently the longest floating bridge in the world (a toll bridge) see photo, above. While the I-90 Bridge from Seattle to Bellevue via Mercer Island is the second longest floating bridge in the world (no toll). A bonus when taking the I-90s bridge is the view of majestic Mt. Rainier.
Special dispatch from IAJGS Seattle Conference Co-Chair, Chuck Weinstein
Day Tours We have made arrangements with a Seattle tour company, Sound Excursions, to offer tours of attractions near Seattle during the Conference in August.
While you attend the Conference, your spouse and/or children can spend time at local attractions such as a day tour of Mt. Rainier, a dormant volcano that dominates the Seattle skyline from about 50 miles away, and offers spectacular scenery; the Boeing Future of Flight and airplane factory; sunset kayaking on Lake Union; an evening at one of Washington’s finest casinos; and tours of wineries near Seattle. You, of course, are also welcome to enjoy any of these tours. More will be added shortly.
For information on the tours currently available and to book a tour, see the web page at https://my.getinsellout.com/providers/sound-excursions-2/list. This will take you to the vendor’s dedicated website for our Conference.
18 July Note: The Sound Excursion tours are no longer being offered.
Cruises
As previously announced, we have arranged for cruises to Alaska, both before and after the Conference. However, we must ask that all bookings be completed by March 15 for the few available cabins we have left. Due to Homeland Security restrictions, our Travel Agent is only able to book cruises for American citizens, but for anyone else who is still considering a tour, you can book directly with the cruise lines, depending on availability.
Pre-Conference Cruise
A Pre-Conference cruise departs Seattle, Friday afternoon, July 29, 2016 at 5:00 PM, returning to Seattle on Friday morning, August 5, 2016 at 8 AM on board the Celebrity Solstice. The seven day itinerary is scheduled to take you to Ketchikan, Alaska, Tracy Arm Fjord (cruising through the fjord and glaciers), Juneau, and Skagway, Alaska on the northbound route and cruising the Inside Passage with a port call in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on the return leg.
Ruby Princess
This is a family-friendly cruise with many amenities available for children. Prices start at $1299 per person, double occupancy for an inside cabin. For cabins with an ocean view or a balcony, the prices are higher. Note these fees do not include approximately $200 per person in taxes and port fees, and any other amenities you may wish to purchase.
There are additional costs for more than two people in a cabin and prices are not guaranteed until the cabin is booked with a deposit of at least $500. For all cruises alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees , specialty restaurant, spa services, shore excursions, photographs, WI-FI and medical services are available to purchase at an extra charge on board added to your shipboard account. Prices are not firm till the day of booking. Deposit is due at the time of booking.
Holland America Amsterdam
The Celebrity Solstice receives top ratings consistently from people who have taken cruises on it as reported by Cruise Critic, which ranks cruise ships based on objective measurements of quality and allows individuals to rank ships by quality, as well. By the way, this website offers a lot of great information, whether this is your first cruise or your hundredth.
Post-Conference Cruises
We have elected to offer two post-conference cruises, both departing Seattle on Sunday, August 14 at 4 in the afternoon and returning Sunday, August 21 in the morning. Boarding begins at 1:00 PM and you must be aboard by 3:30 PM. Both ships appeal to slightly different clientele, so you may wish to consider this.
The Ruby Princess offers a variety of opportunities for a family oriented cruiser. Departing from Seattle, the itinerary includes port stops at Ketchikan and Juneau, a morning cruise around the Tracy Arm Fjord, a day in Skagway, and a day in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on the return.
Rates begin at about $950 per person, double occupancy and to that, you must add about $225 in taxes and port fees. If you put down a refundable deposit of $500 per person by October 29, there is a price reduction on this cruise. The Ruby Princess is also rated highly on Cruise Critic.
The Holland America Lines’ Amsterdam departs Seattle and offers a more adult-oriented cruise. Holland America is a preferred choice for distinguished and experienced cruisers, but it is not expensive. Port stops include Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, Alaska, plus Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, as well as a cruise around the mouth of the Hubbard Glacier, and around scenic Stephen’s Passage on the Inside Passage and around Puget Sound.
Rates start at $1,179 per person, double occupancy, with port charges and taxes of about $255.
For all cruises alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees , specialty restaurant, spa services, shore excursions , photographs, WI-FI and medical services are available to purchase at an extra charge on board added to your shipboard account. Prices are not firm till the day of booking. Deposit is due at the time of booking.
Booking Your Cruise
We have made exclusive arrangements with Sharon Furlong, a travel agent who has over 30 years of experience with Sharon’s Travelers, an affiliate of Incentive Connection Travel, to book cruises on behalf of the Conference attendees. She has already reserved a limited number of cabins for each cruise for conference attendees and their families and friends.
You may contact Sharon Furlong by email at sharonstravelers@hotmail.com , or contact Sharon directly at (631) 357-7947 for voice or for text messages. Please do not call her between the hours of 6 PM to 9 AM, Eastern Time (GMT-4), as
this is her cell number. Sharon is the owner and she will personally handle your booking. Please do not contact the Conference chairs or IAJGS, as Sharon has all the information available on these cruises.
When you Email Sharon, please use the subject line: IAJGS CRUISE. If you text her, please mention IAJGS Cruise at least once in the exchange. If you have food requirements (Kosher, Vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.), please mention that in your email or text.
Sharon will require your full legal name as stated on your passport, for all traveling with you in your cabin, DOB, resident of what country, mailing address, airport departure city, passport number and expiration date.
Please note you must be 21 years or older to be in a cruise cabin or have a connecting room cabin with an adult. Single people in a cabin will pay a double cabin rate.
Please look and make sure your passport will not be expiring before March, 2017, or you will have to renew your passport now to take the cruise in Aug 2016. US and Canadian citizens will not require a visa, but citizens of other countries may require a Canadian visa for all cruises that stop in Victoria.
A Credit Card will be the form of payment for Deposit and final payment with the cruise lines. If you are interested in doing anything other than staying aboard the ship during port calls, Sharon can recommend shore excursions for what you are interested in doing and seeing.
For those of you who are looking for a package that includes both the cruise and your air fare to Seattle, Sharon can help with that as well. In addition, for those of you who expressed interest in a longer or different cruise, Sharon can help you make those arrangements as well.
Please note that if you book through another travel agent or through the cruise lines directly, you will not be able to get any conference discounts that are available, and the conference will not get credit for your travel.
Included in a Cruise price:
Taxes and fees are included in your final booking prices.
Your choice of inside, ocean view, balcony or suite accommodations
All meals on board including 24 hour room service
Coffee, tea, milk, juice and non-bottled water
On board entertainment including shows, discos, comedy clubs, bars, lounges, etc.
Age appropriate kids programming for toddlers, kids, and teens.
Use of all fitness facilities, pools, hot tubs, sports courts,
Not Included:
Airfare and transfers to the ship
Gratuities
Casino gambling or Bingo
Meals in any alternative or special dining restaurants or venues
Soft drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees, or alcoholic beverages
including beer, wine, spirits.
Shore Excursions and sightseeing tours
Spa or Salon Services
Items of a personal nature like souvenirs, photos
Travel Insurance (recommended)
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to seeing you in Seattle and enjoy a lovely cruise! Bon voyage!
In an effort to provide a bit of local flavor to our conference blog, we have invited Natalie Malin, a native Seattleite and a Board member of Washington State JGS, to fill us in on the sites and experiences of Seattle. Natalie’s Seattle pedigree goes back several generations: all her grandparents lived in Seattle and even her paternal great grandfather, Peter Thomas (a founding member of Herzl Synagogue), called Seattle home.
by Natalie Malin
Wikepedia.org
We hope you will join us for this 36th meeting of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies in beautiful Seattle in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle has a great deal to offer the touring genealogist.
One may expect pleasant weather here in August. Seattle has a mild climate — it rarely gets too hot or too cold. Temperatures are typically reach a high of around 76 degrees Fahrenheit, and a low of around 57 degrees F. We locals find it helpful to layer clothing so you can remove a sweater or jacket if you get too warm from walking in the sun. It’s also good to be prepared when you feel chilly in air-conditioned restaurants. August is typically our sunniest month, with only occasional rain showers. It may be helpful to have a small light-weight umbrella just in case. If you have a weather app on your phone, you’ll know in advance if there is a possibility of rain that day.
While you’re here, some sights you’ll want to visit include our #1 attraction: the Space Needle. You may also want to spend time at the Pike Place Market; the Seattle Center, including the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit; the Great Wheel (the tallest Ferris Wheel on the West Coast) overlooking Elliot Bay; and the Ballard Locks.
Today, we’ll concentrate on the Space Needle. Over the next few weeks we’ll cover other Seattle attractions, as well. I will include website links for these venues, as well as addresses and ticket information. And, once you are in Seattle, we’ll make sure you have maps directing you from the Sheraton Hotel to those venues.
The Space Needle
In 1962, space travel was a thing of the future and we were thrilled to have our futuristic iconic Space Needle, which was built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair (remember George Orwell’s 1984 was way in the future at that time!). The early 1960s was a time when gold charm bracelets were all the rage, and I had a beautiful charm depicting the Space Needle, with my new-born son’s name and birth date on it.
When the Space Needle was built it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. It remains the #1 attraction in the Northwest. If you wish to visit the observation deck, special glass-enclosed view elevators whisk you 520 feet above terra firma where you’ll have a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier, the Seattle cityscape including our waterways, and our many diverse neighborhoods.
Factoids: Two of the Space Needle elevators are high speed and can travel at a rate of 10 mph, or 800 feet per minute. Actual travel time from the ground level to the top-house is 43 seconds. Under high wind conditions these high-speed passenger elevators are slowed to 5 mph.
For fine dining in a casual atmosphere, you might want to reserve a table 500 feet above ground level at “SkyCity,” the Space Needle’s revolving restaurant. This excellent restaurant, which serves Pacific Northwest cuisine (seafood, steak, chicken and vegetarian menu items), revolves slowly, but continuously to provide a 360-degree view of Seattle. Each visit to “Sky City” includes free admission to the observation deck. A note of caution if you eat at the restaurant: your table won’t be in the same place when you return from the restroom!
The space Needle is a little over a mile from the Seattle Sheraton (the conference venue). The Space Needle is open everyday from 10 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. For further information about the Space Needle and Sky City, go to the Space Needle website at http://www.spaceneedle.com/home/ . Tickets may be purchased online or, on-site, at the base of the Space Needle.
Some of us in the northeast portion of the USA are stuck indoors this weekend – or, at least, relegated to our neighborhood. If you’re reading this, you still have an Internet connection. Why not use this wondrous (!) free time to stop procrastinating, warm to some hot cocoa and complete early registration for the 2016 IAJGS conference in Seattle? Here’s how [click on the images, below, to see them larger format].
Before you do anything, be prepared with your credit card and DNA haplogroups. Also double check that your surname and town listings on JewishGen’s FamilyFinder are up to date. Or, if you’ve not posted your family and town names on JewishGen, do it now. Quite frankly, listing surnames and towns one is researching on JewishGen is one of the most long-term productive things one can do for one’s research. Go to JewishGen’s homepage: http://www.jewishgen.org and select FamilyFinder.
Then, select the appropriate box – depending on whether you want to see what you already have listed, or plan to update or modify your list in Family Finder. Once you’ve checked/completed your FamilyFinder entries, you should be ready to register for the conference.
Start at the IAJGS2016 website homepage: http://www.iajgs2016.org
You may wish to read about registration before starting the process. Click on the link shown by the blue arrow, above. Or, go directly to registration via the link shown by the red arrow or via the pull-down menu (green arrow, above). Select New Registration.This will take you to the first page of Registration. Note the area I’ve circled in red: if you have to abort the process for some reason, that’s fine, but know that none of the information you’ve entered will be saved until you’ve actually completed the process. So, if you stop in the middle, you will have to start from scratch next time.
Because I’ve attended the conference before (and my email address has not changed), I entered my last name and email address [blocked out with a gray line here]. If you have not attended an IAJGS conference before or can’t recall your old email address, select the button for “No previous attendance.”
If your name appears in the next window and you can select it by clicking on the round button to its immediate left, you’re cruising: your information will be pre-filled in the forms that follow. If you cannot select your name, it is likely you are already registered [congratulations!]. If you wish to make any changes in your name or information, you may have to contact IAJGS via the provided registration email address.
If all is well, click Start or New Registration (whichever is appropriate). If you are registering based on information provided for previous conferences, your information should be filled in [I have blocked out my information]. You will, minimally, have to re-enter your email address. After that, click Continue.
If you wish to register for the whole conference (I know you wouldn’t want to miss anything!), click the button next to that choice.
Some questions about your level of experience, genealogy affiliations, etc., will appear. Answer them, please. Continue.
Fees for the various registration options will appear. Click n your selections. Note: there are one-time (or time-sensitive) discounts available for registration, LIVE! and Audio & Slides.
Conference attendees will receive a flash drive with syllabus, handouts and a daily planner when they arrive at the conference. One will also be able to access this information via the conference application on one’s mobile devise. Those in attendance will also receive a tote bag. If you prefer a printed version of the syllabus, additional tote bags or extra flash drives, you may order them on the next registration page. If you won’t need these extras, just click continue – and move on!
One cannot yet register for special events such as SIG luncheons or computer labs since they have not yet been scheduled. The conference team will announce when one may register and pay for for these additional events. At this point, click Continue.
Read the instructions on the next section carefully. If one has a discount code provided by the conference, use it on this page. Speakers whose presentations are accepted by the Programming Committee will receive discount codes after they have been notified of proposal acceptance (so potential speakers should not register yet). If you wish to add your significant other to your registration, you may do so here, or return (at a later date) to do so after you have completed the registration process.
The next page requires your credit card information. After you enter that and confirm your email address, make sure to review and agree to the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of the page.
Almost done!
The confirmation page, shown below, includes links for reserving a room at the conference hotel and adding your Family Finder and Y-DNA and mitochondrial-DNA haplogroups information. For Family Finder, all your names/places may be listed in the IAJGS Online Family Finder. Your name badge at the conference can only handle your top five. So select those for the conference.Check your email inbox. You will have received a receipt.
Keep this in a safe place on your computer and have that copy handy when you check in for the conference in Seattle. Look forward to seeing you then!
Be the first in your JGS to be able to say, “IAJGS 2016! I’m going to be there!” Early online registration for the Seattle (August 7-12, 2016) conference is now open through April 30, 2016.
If one registers online before May 1, 2016, one may save $30 over the regular registration and $55 over on-site (during conference) registration.
If one opts to purchase access to LIVE! &/or Audio & Slides of the presentations when one initially registers, additional discounts will apply. For information on LIVE! and Audio & Slides click on the “LIVE! and Recordings” tab.
Those who register for the full conference (including student registrants) will receive the conference tote bag, a Daily Planner booklet and a memory stick (USB flash drive) with the conference syllabus and all speaker handouts submitted. Registrants may attend lectures, the Resource Center, the Film Festival, the Exhibit Hall and evening programs (except the banquet, which will require a separately purchased ticket).
The Programming Committee is neck deep in reviewing over 400 proposals. Scheduling conference extras, such as breakfasts and SIG luncheons is not yet complete. One may register early and then return to Registration under the Attendee Service Center to select and pay for those events when they have been scheduled.
Before registering, become familiar with the available options:
Further information about registration is available on the IAJGS homepage: http://www.iajgs2016.org/
A link for registering at the conference hotel, the Sheraton Seattle, is available when one registers for the conference.
NOTE: If you have submitted speaker proposals, do not register for the conference yet. Preliminary notices of acceptances will be sent out February 15, 2016, with final confirmations (and registration information) by March 10.
We are “People of the Book” and selection of keynote speakers for IAJGS 2013 Boston and, now, the 36th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy in Seattle (August 7-12, 2016) seems to follow that rubric. In Boston, MacArthur Genius award winner Aaron Lansky of the Yiddish Book Center regaled us with stories of his exploits collecting, preserving, and digitizing Yiddish books, with the goal of recording and preserving Yiddish language, culture, and texts. Dr. Devin E. Naar, the IAJGS 2016 keynote speaker, has taken a page from Lansky’s “book” and is doing much the same kind of work, but for Ladino (Sephardic). Naar is also an accomplished genealogist.
What has distinguished both Lansky and Naar is that while they are both enamored with books (and their respective cultural history), neither has approached their chosen professions by the book. Lansky’s MacArthur Genius grant is a testament to his originality and productivity. Naar , too, has approached Sephardic genealogy, history, literature and culture with a fresh approach.
A history PhD from Stanford University, Naar began his interest in his Sephardic genealogy at age 20 when another New Jersey Naar sent Devin and his father a letter trying to determine if his Naars and theirs shared a common ancestor. Devin Naar’s journey has led him to self-taught fluency in Ladino; the Sephardic world of Salonica, Italy, Amsterdam, the Caribbean and the United States; a Fulbright Scholar year in Greece; his dissertation, Jewish Salonica and the ‘Making of the Jerusalem of the Balkans,’ 1890-1943; and, now, an endowed chair in the University of Washington’s Stroum Center for Jewish Studies and an assistant professorship in History at the University of Washington.
Naar’s arrival in Seattle in 2011 invigorated the local desire to preserve Sephardic culture and history. To that end, in addition to his ground-breaking academic work, Naar leads a digitizing effort called Seattle Sephardic Treasures. The project involves collecting, preserving and disseminating artifacts, book and letters from the Seattle Sephardic community. Thus far, the project has collected more than 700 items.
We can expect an excellent keynote address. Naar’s teaching at the university level has received student accolades and awards.
Check out Dr. Naar’s faculty profile on the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies webpage. You will find a list of and links to several of his publications as well as videos of several lectures.
The webpage of the Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey features an article Naar wrote about his family history research, “Tracing the Origins of the Naars of New Jersey: A Personal Odyssey.”
Tablet Magazine publish a nice article in July 2014 about Dr. Naar and the Seattle Sephardic Treasures Initiative.
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Don’t forget! The deadline for proposals for presentations at IAJGS 2016 is fast approaching. One may submit proposals until midnight, December 15, 2015. Submit proposals online via the conference website www.iajgs2016.org. For information about proposals and submissions, contact the Program Committee at program@iajgs2016.org.
Vaclav Chvatal is with TAMUS Tachov Archives & Museum Society. He was born in the Czech Republic and has language skills in Czech (mother tongue), Finnish, Slovak, English, German, Russian and Hebrew (epitaphs).
Be the first in your JGS to be able to say, “IAJGS 2016! I’m going to be there!” Early online registration for the Seattle (August 7-12, 2016) conference is now open through April 30, 2016.