News About Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History, and Jewish Culture
Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
- 2025 IAJGS Award Winners. Congratulations to the following: Member of the Year: Southern Arizona JGS; Future Leader of the Year: Ethan Parmet, JGASGP; Outstanding Publication: “Venturing into Our Past” JGSCV Newsletter; Outstanding Project/Resource/Program: All Israel Database IGRA; Nolan Altman Volunteer of the Year: Estella Rappaport AGJA-IOW; Lifetime Achievement Award: David Silvera, Sephardic Genealogy Society; Malcolm Stern Award: JRI-Poland; John Stedman Memorial Award: International Institute for Jewish Genealogy & Paul Jacobi Center; IAJGS President Award: Marlis Humphrey and Douglas M. Cohen. New IAJGS Officers for the 2025-2027 Term: President: Susan G Weinberg; Vice President: Emily H Garber; Secretary: Debbie Kroopkin; Treasurer: Alene Franklin
- From The National Archives in Washington, D.C… Get up close to historic treasures with Opening the Vault. Some of the nation’s most historic treasures are now on display in a new, temporary exhibition at the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC. Opening the Vault features ties to the American Revolution, celebrating and leading up to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Read more: Opening the Vault | National Archives Museum To go along with this, be on the lookout for an exciting announcement about Jewish America 250 and the contribution of Jews to the country over the past 250 years!
- MyHeritage to expand their Wiki Contributor Community. The MyHeritage Wiki contributor community The MyHeritage Wiki: the ultimate family history resource is a curated group of passionate family history enthusiasts who are helping shape a valuable online resource for genealogists around the world. They are currently seeking volunteers who’d like to share their knowledge, contribute articles, and become part of the movement to make genealogy more accessible for everyone, everywhere. Contributors enjoy a variety of perks, including: (a) MyHeritage subscriptions (b) Personalized gifts (c) A dedicated contributor page showcasing their articles, biography, and personal/professional links (including social media profiles). If you are interested, you can fill out this form: Join The MyHeritage Wiki Community – MyHeritage Wiki
- Ancestry Partners with the WWII Veterans History Project to Preserve the Stories of 80 WWII Veterans and Help Uncover Countless Others. To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Ancestry.com announced a partnership with the WWII Veterans History Project to preserve and share the stories of those who served. Read their announcement: Ancestry Partners with the WWII Veterans History Project to Preserve the Stories of 80 WWII Veterans and Help Uncover Countless Others
- How Jewish prisoners of war preserved their faith amid the vicious brutality of the Japanese camps. It is estimated that tens of thousands of Jewish soldiers spent time as a POW in the Second World War. Estimates that there were between 550 and 600 Jewish soldiers in Japanese captivity, and around 22,000 Jewish civilians were interned in camps by the Japanese across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Read their story from The Jewish Chronicle: How Jewish prisoners of war preserved their faith amid the vicious brutality of the Japanese camps – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
- Where the Word ‘Antisemitism’ Comes From. Hatred of Jews has been around for centuries, but only in the 1800s did it begin to be referred to as ‘anti-Semitism.’ Read more from My Jewish Learning: Where the Word ‘Antisemitism’ Comes From | My Jewish Learning
- After a contentious election, Romania’s few Jews remain on guard against antisemitism. Only a 10-minute stroll down a maze of cobblestone streets from the birthplace of Vlad Dracul — who inspired the fictional, bloodsucking Count Dracula — sits an empty but remarkably well-preserved synagogue in a fairy-tale town that no longer has any Jews. Read the story from JTA: After a contentious election, Romania’s few Jews remain on guard against antisemitism – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
- Jewish Culture: Tzitzit: Meaning, Symbolism & How to Wear Tzitzit. Looking to gain some meta-physical “fringe” benefits? Read on to learn about Tzitzit. Discover its meaning, symbolism, and much more. From Aish: Tzitzit: Meaning, Symbolism, & How To | Aish
- British intelligence ‘suspected’ Rolex founder of being Nazi spy. Declassified documents suggested that Hans Wilsdorf was ‘well known for his strong Nazi sympathies.’ Read the story from The Jewish Chronicle: British intelligence ‘suspected’ Rolex founder of being Nazi spy – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
- Jews and Baseball. Jews are proud of their ballplayers; sometimes treating them like modern variants of biblical icons, heroes in their community, legendary for their talents. Why? Read the story from My Jewish Learning: Jews and Baseball | My Jewish Learning
- Speaking of Jews and Baseball… Jewish baseball fans have created an exhaustive list of Jewish players. They missed Monte Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer played a single game for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1913. Only about 200 of the more than 23,000 men to play major league baseball since 1871 have been conclusively identified as Jews. It’s a surprisingly tiny fraternity, given the outsized number of honors they have earned over the years. Read the story from The Forward: Jewish baseball fans have created an exhaustive list of Jewish players. They missed Monte Pfeiffer. – The Forward
- The challah that changed everything: Tracing Jewish baking back to Poland. Before World War II, an estimated 50% of Poland’s bakers were Jews, despite comprising just 10% of the population. Baking was historically one of the few professions allowed to Jews, and they thrived and innovated. Jewish bakers fashioned both chalka, the often-braided bread made from a sweetened milk dough, alongside its milk-less counterpart, challah. Read more from The Forward: The challah that changed everything: Tracing Jewish baking back to Poland – The Forward
- New on Rikers Island Correctional Facility in East Elmhurst, New York: A Jewish prayerbook designed for incarcerated congregants. Possibly the first of its kind, ‘The Very Narrow Bridge: A Rikers Island Siddur’ seeks to meet the needs of a readership as diverse as the jail population itself. Read more from The Times of Israel: New on Rikers Island: A Jewish prayerbook designed for incarcerated congregants | The Times of Israel
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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.