News About Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History, and Jewish Culture
Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
- MyHeritage Publishes a New Collection of 731 Million Records Extracted From French Newspapers. This opens up a treasure trove of information for anyone researching their French roots. Read more on the MyHeritage blog: A Breakthrough in France Genealogy: MyHeritage Publishes a New Collection of 731 Million Records Extracted From French Newspapers – MyHeritage Blog
- Family Search Announces New Free 95 Million New records Historical Records from 25 Countries | June 2025 Update. Go to: 95 Million New Records on FamilySearch June 2025 and see what is new.
- LitvakSIG announces the 1st quarter (2025) update to the All Lithuania Database (ALD) is now live. The highlight of this 44,000 record update is the revamping and expansion of the Directories database, now called Directories and Books. To search, go to: LitvakSIG |
- 6 Ways to Use City Directories for Genealogy. Use it to (1) Find your relative’s address between census years. (2) Track their occupation through the years. (3) Discover their spouse’s name and other family members’ names. (4) Narrow down the year of their spouse’s death. (5) Check the back of the book for abbreviations of occupations, first names, and street names. The abbreviation “do” means ditto. (6) Look for a street and avenue directory to locate no longer existing streets. Read more from the Family Tree Blog: Fortify Your Family Tree: 6 Ways to Use City Directories for Genealogy
- Family Tree Magazine’s 101 Best Genealogy Websites of 2025. This year’s list includes more than 10 websites that are either brand-new or returning to the list after an absence. These include sites for discovering records, researching photos, preserving family heirlooms and much, much more. Check out the list from Family Tree Magazine: 101 Best Genealogy Websites of 2025
- Ancestry Father’s Day Sale – Save on Gift Memberships and AncestryDNA. Save $60 on AncestryDNA – just $39 USD …. Lowest Price Ever! Read more here: BIG SAVINGS during Ancestry Father’s Day Sale!
- Dead Sea Scrolls May Be Older Than We Thought, AI-based Study Says. Meet ‘Enoch,’ an artificial intelligence trained to estimate when the Dead Sea Scrolls were written, and which suggests some of the manuscripts were penned up to a century earlier. Read the story from Haaretz: Dead Sea Scrolls May Be Older Than We Thought, AI-based Study Says – Archaeology – Haaretz.com
- Rare discovery at capital of the Kingdom of Israel. After nearly a century of archaeological silence, the ancient stones of Sebastia are speaking again as Israeli excavators uncover remarkable finds. Decorated columns that flanked this ancient thoroughfare now lie beside the pathway, a testament to the architectural sophistication of the Herodian period (roughly 37 BCE to 73 CE). Read more from JNS: Rare discovery at capital of the Kingdom of Israel – JNS.org
- All New National Archives Museum to Open on October 23, 2025. The 10,000-square-foot space is undergoing a $40 million renovations first in 20 years—and will feature original artifacts, documents, and films, including George Washington’s original copy of the Constitution, annotated in his own handwriting, which has never been publicly displayed at the National Archives. Read more from their website: All New National Archives Museum to Open on October 23, 2025 | National Archives
- Ten Jewish Rulers You Never Heard Of. Ten remarkable, often overlooked Jewish monarchs who shaped the ancient world. There was a time when Jewish rulers governed sovereign kingdoms—some known through legend, others firmly rooted in historical and archaeological evidence. These kings (and yes, queens) were not merely Jewish by ancestry; their reigns were deeply bound to Jewish identity, culture, and destiny. Read more from Aish: Ten Jewish Rulers You Never Heard Of | Aish
- Eight big names in the beauty industry you didn’t know are Jewish. Beauty might be only skin deep, but the origins of some of the world’s most iconic beauty brands go much deeper, rooted in heritage, identity, and bold innovation. From the bustling streets of Queens to the luxe salons of Beverly Hills, Jewish entrepreneurs have long played a transformative role in shaping the beauty industry. Read about them from Unpacked: 8 big names in the beauty industry you didn’t know are Jewish
- A Jewish farmer drove 600 miles to rescue a century-old synagogue. Now he’s building a new one in a cornfield. All four of Nik Jakobs’ grandparents survived the Nazis. Now this Jewish cattleman is honoring them — and a shuttered Rust Belt synagogue — by building a new sanctuary and museum in rural Illinois. Read the story from The Forward: How an Illinois farmer is rebuilding a Pennsylvania synagogue – The Forward
- Restored synagogue in Jászapáti, Hungary rededicated as a cultural center. The synagogue, which dates from 1854, was officially rededicated as a cultural center at a ceremony attended by Jewish and civic leaders at which the shofar was sounded and local victims of the Shoah were commemorated. Read the story from Jewish Heritage Europe: Hungary: Restored synagogue in Jászapáti rededicated as a cultural center – Jewish Heritage Europe
- Month-long celebration of Sephardi culture debuts in NYC. The new Festival Sefarad will join the New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival in spotlighting diverse Sephardic culture. Read the story from The JC: Month-long celebration of Sephardi culture debuts in NYC – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
- France finally acts to deliver justice in infamous Dreyfus case. More than a century on, the officer who was the victim of antisemitism is in line for a posthumous promotion. Accused, humiliated and condemned because he was Jewish, Alfred Dreyfus was dismissed from the army, imprisoned and exiled to Devil’s Island. Read more from The Guardian: France finally acts to deliver justice in infamous Dreyfus case | France | The Guardian
- Just how Jewish is Betty Boop? Born on Aug. 9, 1930, the iconic cartoon character has both animated and real-life Yiddish ancestors. She was created by Max (Majer) Fleischer, a Krakow-born Jew from Brooklyn, who together with younger brother Dave founded the Fleischer Studios in 1929. The Fleischer’s were pioneers of animation and at the time the only major competitors to Walt Disney. Read her story from The Forward: Just how Jewish is Betty Boop? – The Forward
- The Jewish dealer who bought art hated by the Nazis – and created one of the greatest collections ever seen. A new National Gallery of Australia show draws on Heinz Berggruen’s collection to celebrate the spread of modernism around the world, despite the Nazis’ best efforts. Read his story from The Guardian: The Jewish dealer who bought art hated by the Nazis – and created one of the greatest collections ever seen | Art | The Guardian
- The Story of Andrew Garfield’s Jewish Ancestry Is Like a Hollywood Epic. On an episode of the BBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are,” the British actor traces his family story from Treblinka to Rio de Janeiro to Beverly Hills. Because the episode is currently only available to watch in the United Kingdom, it is recapped it in its entirety from Hey Alma. The Story of Andrew Garfield’s Jewish Ancestry Is Like a Hollywood Epic – Hey Alma
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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.