The Weekly News Nosh – April 19, 2026

This Jewish heritage news digest is this week’s NewsNosh (The Weekly News Nosh) from L’Dor V’Dor Foundation—a curated set of links for anyone interested in Jewish family history, Jewish history, and Jewish heritage. This week’s NewsNosh Jewish heritage news digest includes AI genealogy tools, Holocaust remembrance, archival discoveries, Jewish culture and arts, and more.

Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

This week’s news links:

1. AI for Jewish Genealogy Starts Here! Join the first-ever International Association of Jewish Genealogy Societies (IAJGS) AI for Jewish Genealogy Virtual Summit on Sunday, April 26, 2026, 12:30-4:30 Eastern, for a free virtual event designed to help you understand what AI can actually do for Jewish family history research — with real-time captioning in 46 languages to support global participation. To Register: Meeting Registration – Zoom Program overview and speakers: IAJGS AI for Jewish Genealogy Virtual Summit – Full Program and Speaker Details – IAJGS NOTE: If you were previously unable to register, please try again as more seats have been added! If you are at all interested in AI and Jewish Genealogy, you do NOT want to miss this. AI is explained in easy terms!!

2. MyHeritage Adds 366 Million Historical Records in March 2026. They published 366 million historical records across 17 new and updated collections from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. The collections include newspaper records, vital records, military records, and more. Many of these collections feature images. Read more from the MyHeritage blog: MyHeritage Adds 366 Million Historical Records in March 2026 – MyHeritage Blog

1. Watch the best of RootsTech 2026 for free now on demand. Hosted by FamilySearch, the event drew millions of people in person and online from 235 countries and territories and all 50 states It offered more than 500 classes, keynotes, an expo hall with more than 200 exhibitors, and the popular Relatives at RootsTech interactive discovery activity. This global experience had millions of participants who made new family connections and viewed millions of ancestral relationships online. Read and view more: RootsTech 2026 Highlights

4. FamilySearchhas expanded its free online archives with over 1 billion new records from 31 countries in an April 2026 update. Additions include 1 billion records from the United States, featuring public and vital records, military and cemetery records, and immigration and naturalization records; plus 13 million vital, military, and emigration records for the United Kingdom; and 10 million civil registrations and session court records from Ireland. To read more go to: FamilySearch Newsroom.
5. The Jews Who Never Left the Land of Israel. For 2,000 years, while Jews scattered across the globe, a small group never left the Land of Israel. Almost no one has heard of them. Read the story from Aish: The Jews Who Never Left the Land of Israel | Aish
6. Shepherds without borders: In biblical Israel’s war zone, flocks traversed contested lands. Study of 3,000-year-old animal teeth from Tel Hazor in the Upper Galilee shows herds moved between warring Israel and Aram, shedding light on ancient boundaries’ permeability. Read more from The Times of Israel: Shepherds without borders: In biblical Israel’s war zone, flocks traversed contested lands | The Times of Israel
7. A chance for the descendants of Holocaust victims to reclaim a piece of the past. The Center for Jewish History’s ‘Histories and Mysteries’ project seeks to solve Nazi-era cold cases. Read the story from The Forward: Center for Jewish History seeks to solve Holocaust-era cold cases – The Forward
8. New online search tool in Germany reveals if ancestors were Nazi Party members. In partnership with American and German archives, the weekly ‘Die Zeit’ has launched a searchable tool granting access to more than 12 million documents, cataloging the bulk of Nazi Party (NSDAP) memberships from 1925 to 1945. Read the story from the Jerusalem Post: New online search tool allows people to research if ancestors were Nazis | The Jerusalem Post
9. Polish town’s new ‘information center’ denies murders of Jews by local Poles in 1941. Family of Jewish man who survived the Jedwabne massacre is trying to get the new installation removed: ‘We call it a denial museum, because that’s what it is.’ Read more from The Times of Israel: Polish town’s new ‘information center’ denies murders of Jews by local Poles in 1941 | The Times of Israel
10. A forgotten archive of art school applications tells the stories of young Jews fleeing the Nazis. More than 80 years after the end of the war, an incredible trove of documents from a prestigious art school has been unearthed, containing photographs, detailed letters and samples of artworks from nearly 100 applicants who hoped to escape Nazism. Read the story from CNN: Forgotten archive from before WWII tells the stories of young Jews fleeing the Nazis | CNN
11. Death camp survivor’s haunting sketches hidden for decades to go on display. Images documenting Nazi war crimes created by French resistance fighter Marcel Roux and given to a US Army doctor were concealed for decades. Read the story from The JC: Death camp survivor’s haunting sketches hidden for decades to go on display – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
12. He saved dozens of kids in Auschwitz — and kept it a secret for nearly the rest of his life. The PBS documentary ‘The Last Twins’ tells the story of Erno Spiegel, who was targeted by Josef Mengele and protected the young people subjected to the Nazi doctor’s experiments. Read his story from The Forward: How one man saved dozens of kids in Auschwitz – The Forward
13. The Sobibor Uprising. A quarter million Jews were murdered at Sobibor. But on one October afternoon in 1943, nearly 300 prisoners fought back and ran for their lives. Read the story from Aish: The Sobibor Uprising | Aish
14. My Father Survived the Holocaust. Today He Has Over 600 Descendants. In 1944, a teenage boy arrived at Auschwitz and watched his mother and siblings sent to the gas chambers. This is how Leibish Gottesman survived, and what he built from the ashes. Read his story from Aish: My Father Survived the Holocaust. Today He Has Over 600 Descendants | Aish
15. Unearthed papers reveal how Austria’s Nazi judges went back to work after 1945. Investigation traced the careers of 163 justice officials between 1945 and 1955. These previously inaccessible post-war files have uncovered explosive documents showing that Nazi-linked judges were able to return to positions within the justice system after 1945. Read more from the JC: Unearthed papers reveal how Austria’s Nazi judges went back to work after 1945 – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
16. Inspirational Quotes about Jews and Israel. By non-Jewish writers, philosophers and politicians. Read them from Aish: Inspirational Quotes about Jews and Israel | Aish
17. Hampshire College closure reverberates for alumni who treasured a Yiddishist hub. The Yiddish Book Center says it’s unaffected by the planned shutdown of the campus next door. Read about the closure from The Forward: Hampshire College closure reverberates for Yiddishist alumni – The Forward
18. Jews and other minorities face similar levels of campus hostility, Brandeis survey finds. The first academic survey assessing experiences nationally finds that Jewish, Black and Muslim students all face comparable negative attitudes from peers. Read the study from The Forward: Jewish, Black and Muslim students face similar campus hostility, study finds
19. Congress removes deadline for Holocaust-looted art claims, setting stage for more restitution battles. The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, which permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses. Read more from The Forward: Congress removes deadline for Holocaust-looted art claims, setting stage for more restitution battles – The Forward
20. Underground art, literally: War takes Tel Aviv museum’s tours to the basement. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s curators guide visitors through the New Objectivity exhibit, rehung in its dressing rooms. Read and see more from The Times of Israel: Underground art, literally: War takes Tel Aviv museum’s tours to the basement | The Times of Israel
21. Young Artists Keep Holocaust Stories Alive. 86 middle schoolers turned Holocaust stories into art. Their work is stunning — and urgent. Read the story from Aish: Young Artists Keep Holocaust Stories Alive | Aish
22. Many peptides sound like Yiddish words. Here’s why. Pinchas Cohen is the Jewish USC researcher behind discoveries like SHLP (“schlep”), SHMOOSE and MENTSH. Read more from JTA: Many peptides sound like Yiddish words. Here’s why. – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
23. With DEI out of favor, advocates push to honor the Jewish philanthropist who built 5,000 schools for Black children. Lawmakers, archivists and activists seek recognition for Julius Rosenwald, the Sears exec who partnered with Booker T. Washington. Read more from JTA: With DEI out of favor, advocates push to honor the Jewish philanthropist who built 5,000 schools for Black children – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
24. Focker-In-Law Trailer out. The trailer for the Thanksgiving release of the movie Focker-in-Law, the 4^th film in the Meet The Fockers franchise was just released. It was written and directed by Jewish writer and director John Hamburg. View it here:  ‘Focker-in-law’ trailer debuts at CinemaCon, shows Ariana Grande face off against Ben Stiller Editor’s Full Disclosure: John Hamburg happens to be my cousin and has written in little family tidbits in his other films!
25. Remembering Siskel and Ebert’s great debate: Mel Brooks or Woody Allen? In 1980 the critics sparred over whose films were better — it’s an eerie watch in 2026. Read the story from The Forward: Remembering Siskel and Ebert’s great debate: Mel Brooks or Woody Allen? – The Forward
26. On the record and off the court: Meet the only Jewish player on the NCAA championship team. Harrison Hochberg reflects on being a member of Michigan’s championship squad. Read more from JTA: On the record and off the court: Meet the only Jewish player on the NCAA championship team – Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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About The Weekly News Nosh

The Weekly News Nosh (NewsNosh) is the L’Dor V’Dor Foundation’s weekly Jewish heritage news digest—a curated set of links for anyone interested in Jewish family history, Jewish history, and Jewish heritage. NewsNosh is published on Sundays and shared on our 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 NewsNosh every Sunday, directly in your inbox. Browse past issues of our Jewish heritage news digest in the NewsNosh archive.