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The Weekly News Nosh – January 11, 2026

Jan 11, 2026 | Nosh

News About Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History, and Jewish Culture

Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

  1. MyHeritage Adds 1.2 Billion Historical Records in December 2025 across 27 new and updated collections. Read more from their blog: MyHeritage Adds 1.2 Billion Historical Records in December 2025 – MyHeritage Blog. They have also expanded and now fully available in 50 languages. Read more from their blog: MyHeritage Expands to 50 Languages – MyHeritage Blog
  2. The L’Dor V’Dor Foundation’s Jewish Joy Bingo. A joyful, meaningful New Year reset—identity, heritage, discovery, and community. Bingo is the gameboard. The 10 resolutions are the deeper path. Start anywhere—then pick one resolution (#1– #10) to keep. For every Jewish community & journey. Go to: Jewish Joy Bingo + 10 Jewish Joy Resolutions – L’Dor V’Dor Foundation (LDVDF) Editor’s Note: You can also subscribe to have the News Nosh sent to your e-mail box weekly as well as JDays (The World Wide Jewish Event Calendar) monthly. Subscribe – L’Dor V’Dor Foundation (LDVDF)
  3. Excited to read the latest discoveries in Jewish genealogy?  In early February, the International Institute for Jewish Genealogy (IIJG) will launch: JEWISH GENEALOGY, a free, online, peer-reviewed journal. Edited by Sallyann Amdur Sack, former editor of AVOTAYNU, the journal will feature innovative research, newly discovered resources, and fresh methodologies from scholars worldwide. *Register now to receive journal when published: iijg.org/journal-registration     *Articles submissions welcome at [email protected]. *Learn more about IIJG: www.iijg.org
  4. RootsTech March 5-7, 2026, is the world’s largest family history conference and genealogy learning library. Register now. Online is free with 200+ new online sessions in over 26 languages. Go to: Home
  5. FamilySearch Year in Review 2025. The FamilySearch website received more than 297 million visits in 2025 and offers online access to records from more than 170 countries and principalities. More than 2.2 billion new searchable names and images in historical records were added in 2025—totaling more than 22.7 billion for the website. Read more from their blog: FamilySearch Year in Review 2025
  6. Introducing the Association for Central European Jewish History & Genealogy. It is dedicated to advancing the study of Jewish history and genealogy across the lands of the former Habsburg Empire / Austria-Hungary and its successor states. Read more: JGSGB EE-SIG: “Introducing the Association for Central European Jewish History & Genealogy” by Mattan Segev-Frank
  7. Relatives from Australia? Have you heard about the Australian Jewish Historical Society? They have been chronicling the Jewish Experience which began in Australia in 1788. Read more about their features and what they have to offer: The Australian Jewish Historical Society Thanks to Sallyann Sack who sent me this information.
  8. The Forgotten Jewish Queen: Shelamzion Alexandra. Her peaceful reign upends many assumptions about power, piety and what Jewish leadership should look like. Read more about her from My Jewish Learning: The Forgotten Jewish Queen: Shelamzion Alexandra | My Jewish Learning
  9. Venezuela and the Jews. Jews have played a central role in Venezuela for generations as it has been home to a Jewish presence for nearly 500 years. Read the story from Aish: Venezuela and the Jews | Aish
  10. An Associated Story…The Expelled Jews of Coro, Venezuela. This was the first time that Jews had been driven out of an independent nation in South America. Read more from My Jewish Learning: The Expelled Jews of Coro, Venezuela | My Jewish Learning
  11. Bletchley Park, the site of the top-secret World War II operation to decrypt the Nazi Enigma cyphers, was once what is known as a Jewish Country House. Today Bletchley Park is a historic site and museum, opened in 1994, with exhibits about the codebreakers’ work — and also about the Leons, the upper class Jewish family who before World War II owned the mansion at the center of the property. Read more from Jewish Heritage Europe: https://jewish-heritage-europe.eu/2025/11/27/uk-bletchley-park/
  12. Pen used to spare children from the gas chambers is donated to Shoah museum. Jewish prisoner Erno Spiegel wrote fake birth dates for brothers to turn them into twins who would be kept alive. Read the story from The Jewish Chronicle: Pen used to spare children from the gas chambers is donated to Shoah museum – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
  13. The Courage of Ordinary Non-Jews During the Holocaust. A new documentary reveals the quiet bravery of non-Jews who risked everything to save Jewish lives. Read more from Aish: The Courage of Ordinary Non-Jews During the Holocaust | Aish
  14. Yad Vashem: The Synagogue and the Jewish Yearly Cycle. Synagogues have been the centers of Jewish community life for centuries, serving as places to pray on regular days, the Sabbath and the holidays, at the same time serving as hubs of bustling community life and local customs. Read about The Adherence to Jewish Time during the Holocaust and Artifacts on Display in the Synagogue: The Synagogue and the Jewish Yearly Cycle
  15. Israeli study traces need for sleep over millions of years of evolution. Bar-Ilan University research shows even jellyfish and sea anemones repair DNA during repose, underscoring the fact that a good snooze is an essential evolutionary tool for health. Read more from The Times of Israel: Israeli study traces need for sleep over millions of years of evolution | The Times of Israel
  16. These Jewish day schools embracing AI are reimagining education for the high-tech era. In one classroom, students create a podcast featuring an “interview” with the prophet Elijah. In another, instructors teach Jewish prayers using AI-created songs with rhyming lyrics. Welcome to Jewish day schools in the age of artificial intelligence. Read the story from JTA: These Jewish day schools embracing AI are reimagining education for the high-tech era – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
  17. Susya: An ancient synagogue and a modern tragedy. What does an archeological treasure located in the middle of a bitterly contested tract of land mean? It’s not what some Jews think. The synagogue was built in approximately 400 CE, but coins were found in the village from as far back as the period of the Hasmoneans (160 BCE). Read the story from The Times of Israel: The Blogs: Susya: An ancient synagogue and a modern tragedy | Bill Slott | The Times of Israel
  18. The Cave of the Patriarchs in the Mamluk Era: Architecture and Exclusion in 1291. Between 1260 and 1400, the Mamluks transformed Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs into an exclusively Islamic sanctuary. Sultan Baibars’ 1266 decree banning Christians and Jews—limiting Jews to the “seventh step”—instituted centuries of exclusion. Read more from The Times of Israel blog: The Blogs: 1291. The Cave of the Patriarchs in the Mamluk Era: Architecture and Exclusion | Shlomo Pereira | The Times of Israel
  19. Jewish America 250 is Starting! Montana grants $20,000 for project on Jewish history, Holocaust. Part of the state’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, activities are designed to examine historical injustices and their lasting impact. Read more from JNS: Montana grants $20,000 for project on Jewish history, Holocaust – JNS.org
  20. This Jewish artist fought Nazis with a paintbrush, when art like his still mattered. An exhibit on the work of Arthur Szyk explores how propaganda functioned in a world very different from ours. Read his story from JTA: This Jewish artist fought Nazis with a paintbrush, when art like his still mattered  – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
  21. In 1935, a photograph graced the cover of the German magazine Sonne ins Haus, depicting the ideal Aryan baby. But there was a twist: The baby was Jewish! Suddenly, the picture was everywhere — in advertisements for baby clothes, on postcards and even hanging on the walls in people’s homes. Read the story and see her picture:  Hessy Levinsons Taft, Jewish Baby on Cover of Nazi Magazine, Dies at 91 – The New York Times
  22. Kosher consumers increasingly drawn to natural, ‘orange’ wines, industry insiders say. Kosher wines have lagged behind the mainstream industry historically when it comes to certain wine styles, but consumers are increasingly curious about “natural,” “minimal intervention” and “orange” wines. “Drink in” the story from JNS: Kosher consumers increasingly drawn to natural, ‘orange’ wines, industry insiders say – JNS.org
  23. A Rock Star’s Unexpected Return to Judaism. A rising rock star follows mysterious dreams to Israel, where music, ancestry, and faith lead her on a powerful journey home through Judaism. Read her story from Aish: A Rock Star’s Unexpected Return to Judaism | Aish
  24. Before the Hatred: When Iran and Israel Were Allies. Iran and Israel were close allies—sharing oil, intelligence, and friendship. This is the lost chapter the world rarely remembers. Long before modern states, the friendship between Persians and Jews stretched back millennia. Read the story from Aish: Before the Hatred: When Iran and Israel Were Allies | Aish
  25. Van Cleef & Arpels’ Jewish Roots. Two assimilating Jewish families created the iconic jewelry company. Read their story from Aish: Van Cleef & Arpels’ Jewish Roots | Aish
  26. The Israeli who became one of the world’s top soccer referees. Abraham Klein, an Israeli Holocaust survivor, officiated some of the most iconic matches of the 20th century. Read his story from JNS: The Israeli who became one of the world’s top soccer referees – JNS.org
  27. Ask the Expert: What’s a Jewish Godparent? Is it an offer you can’t refuse? Read the story from My Jewish Learning: Ask the Expert: What’s a Jewish Godparent? | My Jewish Learning

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About The Weekly News Nosh

The Weekly News Nosh contains news about Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History and Jewish Culture. NewsNosh 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.