Genealogical society looks at online Ukrainian-Jewish records
"Ukrainian-Jewish Records: New Online Resources" is the title of a presentation by genealogist Ted Gostin for the Sunday, Jan. 22, hybrid meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois. His talk will begin at 2 p.m. via Zoom and at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook.
RSVP for the in-person session at jgsi.org/event-5037336.
Register for the Zoom session at: jgsi.org/event-4942426.
The JGSI meeting facilities at Temple Beth-El will open at 12:45 p.m. to accommodate those who want to use or borrow genealogy library materials, get help with genealogy websites or ask genealogical questions before the main program begins at 2 p.m.
Participants may register for both online and in-person events if they are undecided. In-person attendance will be limited.
Please keep in mind that JGSI will maintain certain procedures for our in-person meetings. These include:
• We request all attendees to in-person meetings be vaccinated.
• Face masks will be required.
• You will be asked to complete a Temple Beth-El waiver form upon arrival. We will retain all waiver forms on behalf of Temple Beth-El.
• Water will be provided; however, no food will be allowed at this time.
• Seating will be set up to allow for social distancing.
• And, most important, if you are sick or not feeling well or recently tested positive for COVID, please do not come into Temple Beth-El.
At each in-person JGSI monthly meeting, its "help desk" is operated from 12:45 to 1:50 p.m. Member volunteers will access online databases and answer genealogical questions one-on-one for members and visitors, as time allows.
Recent years have seen an explosion of online Ukrainian-Jewish genealogical records after decades of having almost no access to such records. This lecture reviews these resources and shows how to use them, and what can be found in the records, using the speaker's own family as an example.
Sources include what's commonly called the Alex Krakovsky website, which has millions of Jewish records from Ukrainian archives scanned by Alex Krakovsky and others; digitization projects at many branches of the Ukrainian State Archives; continued filming of Ukrainian records by the Mormons' Family History Library and FamilySearch website; and partial indexes of Ukrainian-Jewish records by private genealogists on several internet sites in both Russian and English.
Ted Gostin has been conducting genealogical research since 1980 and has worked as a full-time professional genealogist since 1994. He has twice been president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles and has taught genealogy for several adult school and university extension programs.
The Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping members collect, preserve, and perpetuate the records and history of their ancestors.
JGSI is a resource for the worldwide Jewish community to research their Chicago-area roots. The group has more than 320 members and is affiliated with the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies.
Members as well as nonmembers can look for their ancestors on the free searchable JGSI Jewish Chicago Database.
For information, visit jgsi.org or call (312) 666-0100.