News About Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History, and Jewish Culture
Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
- What is the fastest growing and expanding Jewish Event Calendar? …L’Dor V’Dor Foundation’s JDays! JDays is the first comprehensive, central calendar of upcoming Jewish webinars, seminars, workshops, lectures, films, tours, conferences, programs…any creative program with a focus on Jewish family history, Jewish history or Jewish heritage. A free service to post as well as to view, it is a defining initiative and global resource in Jewish education, teaching and learning. In addition to Jewish Genealogical Societies, LDVDF has invited other organizations to post and view such as Jewish Museums, Jewish Universities, Holocaust Museums, Universities with Judaic Studies Programs, Jewish Historical Societies, Hillels, Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Centers, Young Jewish Professionals, B’nai Brith, and BBYO’s. Read more on how to post including FAQ’s at: JDays – L’Dor V’Dor Foundation (LDVDF) and submit your event: User Submitted Events This is a real “game changer” in posting and viewing Jewish educational events 24/7/365 from around the world.
- Routes to Routes Foundation (RTRF) adds New Sources for Belarus Towns. Miriam Weiner has made a major addition to the RTRF website for multiple towns in Belarus (Go to: RTRFoundation to see the town name list). For each Belarus town map in this section (Town and Region Maps), there are reference links at the bottom of the map page. Some links are more common whereas others will often be new and helpful for you. For any questions, you can contact Miriam directly: [email protected]
- Genie Milgrom adds new Sephardic Records. After a month trip in the Amazon, Genie was able to get a full set of information from the Amazonian Communities as well as from Barbados and new Cuba entries. Very interesting information that covers families, businesses and so much more. Go to: Ancestor Search – Genie Milgrom
- How to Use AI to Analyze Family Photos. If you drag and drop a photo in a chat with Microsoft Copilot or Chat GPT, it will give you an in-depth analysis of the photo. Copilot and ChatGPT is available online, on a Windows PC, and on Bing.com. Read how to do it: Fortify Your Family Tree: How to Use AI to Analyze Family Photos
- FamilySearch Full-Text Search … and other AI processes for reading old handwritten documents. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a more prevalent technique for transcribing old documents, in particular, that for handwritten text. Programs are growing in number for very old records and for use in many languages. Read more from Discover Genealogy Blog: Discover Genealogy: FamilySearch Full-Text Search … and other AI processes for reading old handwritten documents
- Have you heard about the Sousa Mendes Foundation? It is dedicated to honoring the memory of the Holocaust rescuer Aristides de Sousa Mendes and to educating the world about his good work. Read more about him, the Museum in Portugal as well as their Foundation: Sousa Mendes Foundation
- The Unknown Story of Judah Touro. Streets, synagogues, and hospitals bear his name, but very few know his story—or that he rediscovered his Judaism at age 70. Read his interesting story from Aish: The Unknown Story of Judah Touro | Aish
- Jews: A founding nation of Canada. Jews have been central to the origins and development of the country since the 16th century in every part of Canada. Yet their contributions have often been overlooked and neglected. Read the story from JNS: Jews: A founding nation of Canada – JNS.org
- Jewish Cemetery Clean-ups 2025 — Round-up #2. More than 100 initiatives in 15 countries. Most are volunteer initiatives, but some are organized by Jewish organizations, civic bodies, or NGOs such as the U.S.-based Matzevah Foundation in Poland and the Penitance & Reconciliation Foundation in The Netherlands, and the Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ASF), and the ESJF-European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative in various countries. See the list and pictures of some of the cemeteries from Jewish Heritage Europe: https://jewish-heritage-europe.eu/2025/07/15/jewish-cemetery-clean-ups-2025-roundup-2/
- Nearly $9 Million distributed to Lithuanian Holocaust survivors, heirs. The funds, administered by the Goodwill Foundation, were distributed to hundreds of Lithuanian Jews as restitution for property that had been wrongfully seized. The Nazis and local collaborators wiped out more than 90% of Lithuania’s 220,000 Jews during World War II, with only about 5,000 Jews still living in Lithuania today. Read the story from JNS: Nearly $9m distributed to Lithuanian Holocaust survivors, heirs – JNS.org
- Nazi documents found in Argentina raise uncomfortable questions about country’s past. Hundreds of files uncovered in an archive beneath the Supreme Court in Buenos Aires; Jewish leaders and researchers wonder what they were doing there. Read more from The Times of Israel: Nazi documents found in Argentina raise uncomfortable questions about country’s past | The Times of Israel
- Century-old scripture found during preservation work on Siberian Soldiers Synagogue The wooden prayer hall was erected in Tomsk by Jews who’d been taken as children and forcefully conscripted to the Czar’s army for 20 years. Read the story from JNS: Century-old scripture found during preservation work on Siberian synagogue – JNS.org
- Online portal to Jewish cultural heritage in the Emilia-Romagna area of Italy launched. The network is headed by the Foundation of the Jewish Museum in Bologna and aims to identify, promote, and provide access to the Jewish cultural assets — artistic, bibliographic, archives, and more — possessed or conserved by the network’s members. Read more about the portal from Jewish Heritage Europe: Italy: Online portal to Jewish cultural heritage in Emilia-Romagna launched – Jewish Heritage Europe
- ‘No matter what, I will always be a Jew.’ Billy Joel opens up about his family’s Holocaust history. His father, Helmut (who went by Howard in America) came from a wealthy family that owned a textile factory in Nuremberg. The Joels were well-assimilated and proud to be German…until the Nazi’s took over and the factory actually started to manufacture the striped pajamas that the prisoners in the concentration camps had to wear. Read more from The Forward: ‘No matter what, I will always be a Jew.’ Billy Joel opens up about his family’s Holocaust history – The Forward
- Legendary ‘King of Comedy’ Jerry Lewis placed a weekly Jewish deli order, his son recalls. Lewis had a Yiddish-speaking upbringing and a major role in raising billions of dollars to fight muscular dystrophy. A Jewish entertainer who was born in 1926 as Joseph Levitch at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, New Jersey and died in 2017 at the age of 91in Las Vegas. Read the story from The Forward: Legendary ‘King of Comedy’ Jerry Lewis placed a weekly Jewish deli order, his son recalls – The Forward Editor’s Note. Jerry’s parents were vaudevillians and when they used to appear at the Strand Theater in Lakewood, NJ in the 1930’s little Jerry was dropped off at my grandparent’s drug store and luncheonette across the street from the theater to eat, have some ice cream, and to play with my mother who was the same age until his family finished their act!
- Shari had a little lamb — and changed the world with her. ‘Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop’ explores the varied career of the entertainer of children. Her Vilna-born father, Abraham Hurwitz, was a professor of education at Yeshiva University who was named New York City’s official magician under half Jewish mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. Her mother, Ann, was head of the music department of the Bronx school system. Read her story from The Forward: Shari had a little lamb — and changed the world with her – The Forward
- Connie Francis, 20th-century star turned TikTok sensation, recorded an album of Jewish songs in 1960. Francis died Wednesday at 87, more than six decades after releasing “Connie Francis Sings Jewish Favorites.” Francis grew up in Newark, New Jersey, in the 1940s and 1950’s, when the city was home to a large Jewish population. Read her story from The Forward: Connie Francis, 20th-century star turned TikTok sensation, recorded an album of Jewish songs in 1960 – The Forward Editor’s Note: Connie Francis was my babysitter every Saturday from the around age of 3-7! Her mother was a hairdresser at Bamberger’s Department Store in Newark in the early 1950’s and every week she used to do my mother’s hair. Connie would babysit for me while taking me to the toy department and looking at the TV sets in the store showing cartoons. I don’t remember her singing to me, but she was sweet, beautiful, and everyone loved her!
- The cantors who captivated Hasidic rebbes. Long before cantors were household names in America, they were hidden treasures in the Hasidic heartlands of Europe. From its beginnings in the 18th century, the Hasidic movement placed song and melody at the heart of spiritual life. Read the story from The Forward: The cantors who captivated Hasidic rebbes – The Forward
- The Rabbi Who Refused to Bow in Iran. In Tehran, during the 1979 revolution, one rabbi’s faith saved lives and defied tyranny. Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Hershberg, then the Chief Rabbi of Mexico, served as the Jewish representative in Tehran. Rabbi Hershberg received assurances that Jews would not be harassed on account of their religious identity and be allowed to practice Judaism openly in the new Islamic Republic. Read this story from Aish: The Rabbi Who Refused to Bow in Iran | Aish
- Popular U.S. Baby Names 1924 vs. 2024. Comparing popular baby names from 1924 to 2024, using data from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Did you know that Mary originates from the Hebrew name Miryam, which has several meanings, including “beloved” and “of the sea.” Its popularity was likely rooted in religious tradition. Or that John, a Hebrew name, means “God is gracious.” John has been prominent throughout history thanks to its biblical and royal links. Both were the #1 names in 1924. Read the story and see the names from the Ancestry.com blog: Popular U.S. Baby Names 1924 vs. 2024
- Woodstock, but make it Orthodox: A Jewish music festival comes to the Catskills. Called Yamim Ba’im, or “The Coming Days,” starring Orthodox Israeli superstar Ishay Ribo, will take place Aug. 7 at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts — the same site as the legendary 1969 Woodstock Festival. Read more about it from The Forward: Woodstock, but make it Orthodox: A Jewish music festival comes to the Catskills – The Forward
- On the border between hipster and Hasidic, a Brooklyn barbershop specializes in Orthodox haircuts. Inside, for the four Bukharian Jewish barbers who speak to each other in Hebrew on Williamsburg’s Kent Avenue, payot are no problem. Read the story from The Forward: At a Brooklyn barbershop, a specialty in Hasidic haircuts – The Forward
- Israeli American wins World Series of Poker. Michael Mizrachi clinched the world championship title and walked away with a $10 million prize. Mizrachi, a Florida native and son of an Israeli father, proudly displayed a tattoo of the Israeli flag on his arm. In a recent major tournament victory, he requested that Israel’s national anthem be played instead of the U.S. anthem. Read about him from JNS: Israeli-American wins World Series of Poker – JNS.org
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About The Weekly News Nosh
The Weekly News Nosh contains news about Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History and Jewish Culture. The Nosh is published on Sundays and distributed by the L’Dor V’Dor Foundation on its website and social media platforms. “A Family Without The Understanding Of Their Past History, Foundation And Ethnicity Is Like A Tree Without Roots.” Subscribe to receive future announcements.