Join us for lunch at Temple  Beth-El on Nov. 17, 2024, then learn all about researching Jewish genealogy records on Polish websites 

“Navigating Online Records for Jewish Genealogy in Poland” will be the lecture topic of genealogist Sigrid Pohl Perry for the Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois hybrid meeting—which features lunch options. Her talk will begin at 2 p.m. CST via Zoom and at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Illinois.

At 12:30 p.m. CST, before the presentations, please join us for lunch and networking at Temple Beth-El. Register and order a delicious box salad or sandwich lunch from Sunset Foods. All options are kosher style, dairy. The last day to order food is Nov. 14th, even if the website allows you to order after that date. Bring your questions and talk about your research journey, or just get to know your fellow genealogy enthusiasts. Our help desk and library will be open and available from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

This presentation will provide a brief overview of some primary databases that hold Jewish vital records and civil registry records for Jews in Poland from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Geneteka, Metryki, Metryki GenBaza and Szukaj w Archiwach will be included. Navigating the databases and some examples of research strategies will be included. A handout with links for the databases and other related resources, a basic word list for navigating them, and suggestions of additional resources will be made available to attendees.

Sigrid Pohl Perry, Ph.D., was born in Wedel, Germany, to a family whose ancestors lived in the Lubelskie province for almost a century before being resettled to the Wartheland region of northern Poland in 1940 and Hamburg, Germany, in 1945. Her immediate family immigrated to Illinois in 1952, while other members of the clan homesteaded on the Alberta prairie in Canada or remained in Germany. Sigrid worked with archives and special collections at Northwestern University Library for 40 years until retiring in 2020.

A member of the Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe (SGGEE) since 2003, Sigrid has served on its board of directors; been actively involved in Lublin Project indexing; and given various presentations at SGGEE conventions, the International German Genealogy Partnership, the Wilmette Family History Center, and Surrey Libraries in British Columbia, Canada.

Be sure to come to our pre-meeting on Nov. 17, 2024, from 12:30 through 1:45 p.m.: Free consultations for JGSI members and non-members alike! Wondering how to begin your family tree search? Have a brick wall? Need assistance with a DNA test—which company to test with or need help interpreting results? Need help navigating a website such as Jewishgen? Need assistance in writing your family history? Several of our experts will be on hand to assist you.

The JGSI meeting facilities at Temple Beth-El will open at 12:30 p.m. Central Time for those who want to use genealogy library materials, including our collection of maps; get help with family history websites, ask genealogical questions, or just chat, before the main program begins at 2 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome; however, registration is strongly encouraged. 

For more information on the JGSI, visit our website. For more information about membership benefits, click here.