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The Weekly News Nosh – July 12, 2026

Jul 12, 2026 | Nosh

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 Jewish genealogy records, synagogue communities, cemetery preservation, Jewish food history, and more.

Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

This week’s news links:

  1. IAJGS Sponsors Virtual Meetups: Your Summer 2026 Guide to SIGs, BOFs & Research Groups. While the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) counts down to our April 2027 Virtual Conference, they have got Special Interest Groups (SIG), Research Districts, and Birds of a Feather (BOF) groups hosting virtual sessions all summer long. Six meetups are already on the calendar. 👉 See the full schedule and register: https://www.iajgs.org/jewish-genealogy-virtual-meetups…/ You can find these meetings and many, many more on the Worldwide Jewish Event Calendar called JDays: JDays Check it out. You will be surprised at all of the outstanding programs available!
  2. A New York Times map tells America’s immigration story. Where are the Jews? Jewish people moved to the US from all over, but census data erased their unique contributions to America. Read the story from The Times of Israel: The Blogs: A New York Times map tells America’s immigration story. Where are the Jews? | Andrew Silow-Carroll | The Times of Israel
  3. Unusual and unique cemetery map was recently added to Miriam Weiner’s Routes to Roots Foundation website. Miriam Weiner continues to add distinctive one-of-a-kind maps to her website. This map from Zbarazh,Ukraine not only has a picture of the entire cemetery but lists each burial in both Russian and English as well as the date of death and how old the individual was. Go to: https://www.rtrfoundation.org/tile/1427/ and note the explanatory text above the map.  Thanks to Jay Osborn for providing the map and map assistance as seen in the text. Miriam’s physical collection is being donated back to her own “roots” in Tulsa, Oklahoma: The Miriam Weiner Jewish Genealogy Collection Donated to the SMMJA – Jewish Federation of Tulsa
  4. Family Search: New Free Historical Records from 25 Countries | July 2026 Update. FamilySearch has expanded its free online archives with more than 8 million new records from 25 different countries. See the specific additions here: New Free Historical Records from 25 Countries | July 2026 Update
  5. Recently Added and Updated Collections on Ancestry. Go to: Recently Added and Updated Collections on Ancestry
  6. How a 198-year-old New Orleans synagogue became one of America’s fastest-growing Jewish communities. A Reform synagogue on the Mardi Gras route with no dues and fluid denominational lines is a catalyst for Jewish life after catastrophe. Read the story from The Forward: Historic New Orleans synagogue is lab for Jewish reinvention – The Forward
  7. A synagogue will soar above the Venice Biennale’s politics, and its lagoon. The art installation ‘Nabatele’ consists of a shtetl-style synagogue floating above Venice’s waters. Read the article and see the picture from The Forward:  A floating synagogue brings Yiddish to the Venice Biennale – The Forward
  8. Mozambique’s only synagogue has been keeping Judaism alive in the country for a century. Honen Dalim has endured political and societal change, held together by lay leaders and an involved community. Read their story from The Forward: The only synagogue in Mozambique celebrates a century – The Forward
  9. Traveling to Iceland? Europe’s smallest Jewish community gets a home of its own, complete with geothermal mikvah. A Jewish center opens in Reykjavik. Read the story from The Forward: Europe’s smallest Jewish community gets a home of its own — complete with geothermal mikvah – The Forward
  10. About 250 matzevot removed from a Jewish cemetery in Minsk Belarus will be cleaned and documented, then returned to the cemetery to create a lapidarium. The cemetery, founded in 1868, was within the Nazi WW2 Ghetto and was the scene of mass executions. Read more from Jewish Heritage Europe: https://jewish-heritage-europe.eu/2026/07/05/belarus-minsk-cemetery/
  11. A Polish tour guide traces a demolished Jewish past. A years-long effort identified and digitized the names of 9,100 Jews buried in Krakow’s historic Podgorze cemetery before it was destroyed by the Nazis. Read the story from JNS: A Polish tour guide traces a demolished Jewish past – Israel & Jewish News – JNS
  12. Krakow Jewish Festival draws thousands amid renewed interest in Poland’s Jewish heritage. “The discovery of Jewish roots in Poland is quite normal,” said Jonathan Ornstein, executive director of the Jewish Community Center in Krakow, “Grandchildren are finding out who their grandparents are and are now acting on it.” Only about 100 Polish Jews live in Krakow, a city which was home to 70,000 Jews before World War II, all but 5,000 of whom were murdered during the Holocaust. Read more from JNS: Krakow Jewish Festival draws thousands amid renewed interest in Poland’s Jewish heritage – Israel & Jewish News – JNS
  13. From Inquisition to Jerusalem: My 500-Year Journey Home. A descendant of Spanish conversos rediscovers her family’s secret hidden faith. Read her story from Aish: From Inquisition to Jerusalem: My 500-Year Journey Home | Aish
  14. Italy advances law to compensate victims of Nazi-era art looting. More than 100,000 pieces of art have not been returned to their rightful owners. Read more from The JC: Italy advances law to compensate victims of Nazi-era art looting – The Jewish Chronicle
  15. Holocaust survivor discovers his long-lost bar mitzvah Sefer Torah in Brondesbury Park Shul. Kurt Marx had last read from the Sefer Torah just two months before Kristallnacht, when it was saved from destruction in Cologne – and later brought to the UK. Read his story from the JC: Holocaust survivor discovers his long-lost barmitzvah Sefer Torah in Brondesbury Park Shul – The Jewish Chronicle
  16. American Revolutionary War Veterans at Arlington. As America celebrates its 250th birthday, BillionGraves honors and remembers the American Revolutionary War Veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Read more from their blog: American Revolutionary War Veterans at Arlington – BillionGraves Blog Editor’s Note: It is estimated that between 100 and 200 Jewish men fought in the war. At the time, there were only 2,000-2,500 Jews living in the 13 colonies which means roughly 5%-10% served… a high proportion. Francis Salvador, a South Carolina legislator and the first elected Jewish public official was also the first Jew to die fighting for American independence on August 1, 1776.
  17. ‘Secrets of Huqoq’ Galilee exhibition offers first glimpse into ancient Jewish village. The ancient Huqoq community was centered on a synagogue showcasing the most impressive mosaics ever uncovered in Israel. Read more from JNS: ‘Secrets of Huqoq’ Galilee exhibition offers first glimpse into ancient Jewish village – Israel & Jewish News – JNS
  18. Dead Sea Scrolls. Ancient documents give a glimpse into Second Temple life. Read more from My Jewish Learning: Dead Sea Scrolls | My Jewish Learning
  19. The artist who proclaimed Jewish identity when it was even more dangerous than today. As Tate Modern opens a record-breaking major new Frida Kahlo exhibition, we explore her little-known Jewish connections and the global obsession with her image. Read more from Jewish News UK: The artist who proclaimed Jewish identity when it was even more dangerous than today – Jewish News
  20. The Jewish History Behind Cabo Verde’s Cinderella Run. Cabo Verde stunned the world at the World Cup. Few know their small island nation was shaped by Sephardic Jewish immigrants who arrived generations ago. Read more from Aish: The Jewish History Behind Cabo Verde’s Cinderella Run | Aish
  21. The Jewish History Behind Dunkin Donuts. When Did America Start Running on Dunkin’? Read the story from Aish: The Jewish History Behind Dunkin Donuts | Aish
  22. He was a shy, retiring, Jewish record store manager. How did he come to manage the world’s biggest rock band? Brian Samuel Epstein (1934-1967) was called “The Fifth Beatle.” Read his story from The Forward: How the shy, retiring Brian Epstein became manager of the Beatles – The Forward
  23. The Surprising History of Jewish Spaghetti. The Jewish comfort food you probably never heard of. Read the story from Aish: The Surprising History of Jewish Spaghetti | Aish
  24. For generations of Jews, this cookbook defined the journey from immigration to assimilation. ‘The Settlement Cookbook’ allowed its readers to have their gefilte fish. Read more from The Forward: This cookbook defined the journey from immigration to assimilation – The Forward

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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.