Jewish genealogist Dick Goldman to give two talks for July 27, 2025, JGSI hybrid meeting

Former IAJGS vice president Dick Goldman will give two lectures on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at a hybrid meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois. He will be speaking in person at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Illinois, and online via Zoom.

Temple Beth-El will open at 12:30 p.m. CDT for sign-in and socializing before the lectures begin at 1 p.m. Central Time.

Please register/RSVP by clicking the button at left.

At 1 p.m. CDT, Dick will give a talk titled “The Wandering Jew.” This lecture will tell the story of the Jewish people and our wanderings from the time of “genetic Adam and Eve” until the present: Where we lived, why we relocated so often and what we learned along the way. This is a fascinating and brief look at our origins and the breadth of our experiences, and the myth of the Wandering Jew and that concept’s Christian underpinnings.

At 2:30 p.m. CDT, Dick will give a talk titled “The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Shtetl.” In this lecture, Dick will discuss why so many of our ancestors chose to live in these small towns and the crucial role they played in Jewish life. Learn why this period (17th to 19th centuries) is known as the “Golden Age in Poland” and how it came to an abrupt end. Was this rapid decline due to antisemitism or something less insidious?

Dick Goldman retired to Boynton Beach, Florida, seven years ago. He is president of the “Jewish Connection” programs at the Valencia Lakes retirement community, where he lives. He is also president of the community’s Genealogy and Bike Clubs. Before relocating, he spent more than a decade as president of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland and served as vice president of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS). After retirement he worked as adjunct faculty teaching genealogy at local colleges in Maryland. He has lectured frequently at JCC’s, local libraries and for numerous community and synagogue groups both regionally and internationally.

Dick was formerly general manager of the Pearlstone Conference Center in Baltimore (Jewish Federation) and was Director of Jewish Life and Camping Services at their JCC. He was the founding director of youth activities for Women’s American ORT and he helped form a number of youth groups throughout the country. He led many trips to Israel, and has wonderful memories of participants and colleagues from Chicago, Skokie, Highland Park and Evanston.

His graduate work took place at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. In his “secular” career, Dick was a serial entrepreneur and founder and president of two high tech companies. He is married to Roz and has two children and five grandchildren.

The JGSI meeting facilities at Temple Beth-El will open at 12:30 p.m. CDT 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 1 p.m. CDT. Walk-ins are welcome; however, registration is strongly encouraged.

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