Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto

Jews in England 1652-1750
2023-05-17 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto)
Central European SIG
This is a virtual event for members only, presented by Classi Lectures. Trudy Gold.
Wednesday 17 May 2023, 4-5 pm ET. 1652 – 1750. The Rise of the Sephardi merchants (Part 1)
For more than 300 years no Jews, officially, existed in the country. It was not until Charles I was beheaded that the Jews felt safe to return. Then, in 1656 a Dutch Jew named Menasseh ben Israel, petitioned Oliver Cromwell to allow his people to return.
Resettlement was not a smooth process…
Registration:
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this five-part series is a partnered program being offered to its members. The series will also be open to non-members through Classi Lectures. For further information, please contact them at classilectures@gmail.com.
Video recordings of the lectures will be available to all attendees. They will also be posted at the Members area of the JGS Toronto website.
JGS Toronto Members.
An additional lecture has been added to our series for June 7th. If you have already registered for the May 31st lecture, then you will be automatically registered for the June 7th lecture. There is no need to register again.
Please note that members who have already registered for the 31 May lecture will be automatically registered for the 7 June lecture. All others who wish to attend the 7June lecture will be required to register. To register for this free session, please visit the Members Area – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca). Click on Registration for Member-Only Programs – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca) to sign up for this program. Please note that the link to join this program will be sent to you on the morning of the lecture date.
Non-Members.
The fee for non-members is $12 CDN per lecture. $30 CDN for the remaining series.
To register for these lectures, click on The Wandering Jews – from Spain to England – with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning. Please note that the link to join this program will be sent to you on the morning of 7 May.
To enjoy this and future lectures for free, you may join JGS Toronto for a fee of $40 CDN ($50 for couples) at Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca).

Jews in England - 1750-1900
2023-05-14 08:00 - 17:00
Expulsion and Flight – the Resettlement of the Jews in England from 1652-1918
This is a continuation of Trudy Gold’s lecture on the Expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal and their settlement in England. This is a members only virtual event.
Wednesday 31 May 2023, 4-5 pm ET. 1750 – 1900. Integration or Assimilation and the Rise of Disraeli (Part 2)
The new Jewish merchants were too useful. As a reward, what was known as “The Jew Bill” was introduced in 1753 to allow them to be naturalised as British citizens. Reactions were varied and some preferred assimilation. This period included the incredible rise of Disraeli and his openness about his Judaic inheritance,

Then the Ashkenazim started to come…

JGS Toronto Virtual Event (Members Only) The Jews of Holland
2023-05-10 16:00 - 17:00
This is a virtual event presented by Classi Lectures in partnership with the Jewish Genealogy Society of Toronto. Judy Gold returns to present the second of the series on the Jews of Spain and the Arab Lands with a focus on Holland. This event is free to members of JGST. Non-members pay a fee of $12:00 for each of the lecture series.

1492 A critical year in Jewish history
The Expulsion of Jews from Spain was the expulsion from Spain following the Alhambra Decree in 1492, which was enacted in order to eliminate their influence on Spain’s large converso population and to ensure its members did not revert to Judaism. Many Jews in Spain either converted or were expelled. The resulting expulsion led to mass migration of Jews from Spain.
May 10: The Jews of Holland
May 17: 1656 Resettlement in England (Part 1)
May 31: Jews in England to 1914 (Part 2)

Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the Holocaust.”Registration:
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this two-part series that is a partnered program being offered to its members. The series will also be open to non-members through Classi Lectures, and for further information, please contact them at classilectures@gmail.com.Video recordings of the lectures will be available to all attendees. They will also be posted at the Members area of the JGS Toronto website.JGS Toronto Members:
To register for this free session, go to the Members Area of our website to click on the registration link for these events. Please note that the link to join this program will be sent to you on the morning of the event.Non-Members.:
The fee for non-members is $12 CDN per lecture or $40 CDN for the series.
To register for these lectures, click here.
To enjoy this and future lectures for free, you may join JGS Toronto for a fee of $40 CDN ($50 for couples) at Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca).

Genealogy and Technology Virtual Meeting
2023-05-07 10:30 - 12:30
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
Genealogy and Technology
Speaker: Jerry Scherer
Sunday, 7 May 2023 at 10:30 a.m. ET
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 10:20 a.m. ET
Discover how new technologies are transforming the field of genealogy, helping to identify and analyze historical records and predicting relationships. Whether you’re an experienced genealogist or just getting started, this presentation is sure to provide valuable insights and information. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn more!
Jerry Scherer, the son of Holocaust survivors, was born in Siberia. After WWII, he and his parents spent three years in a displaced persons camp, housed in the former barracks of the Waffen-SS. They emigrated to Montreal in 1949. Jerry has a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics from McGill University and an M.Ed. in Measurement Evaluations and Computer Applications from the University of Toronto. He taught high school mathematics, physics, and computer science in Toronto. In his retirement, Jerry volunteers for the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto and is currently its Vice-President, Communications. He has conducted a vast amount of personal genealogical research, meeting with great success.
To register for the 7 May virtual event, please go to jgstoronto.ca/register. You will then receive an immediate acknowledgement plus the link to access the event on 7 May.
The presentation will be recorded. It will be available to JGS Toronto members in the “Members Only” section of the Society website a few days after the event. It will also be available to non-member registrants for one week after the event in the “Registration” location.
To our guests, consider joining our membership for only $40.00 per year by Clicking Here or consider a donation by Clicking Here to assist us in continuing our mission of providing a forum for the exchange of genealogical knowledge and information. (Canadians will receive a CRA tax receipt.)
info@jgstoronto.ca www.jgstoronto.ca
Tel 647-247-6414 twitter: jgsoftoronto
facebook: Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto
Jerry Scherer
Vice President, Communications
jscherer@jgstoronto.ca

JGS Toronto: Members Only Event - Expulsion & Flight from Spain to Portugal, Italy and Arab lands
2023-05-03 16:00 - 17:00
This is a virtual event presented by Classi Lectures in partnership with the Jewish Genealogy Society of Toronto. Judy Gold returns to present the first of a series on the Jews of Spain and the Arab Lands. This event is free to members of JGST. Non-members pay a fee of $12:00 for each of the lecture series.

1492 A critical year in Jewish history
The Expulsion of Jews from Spain was the expulsion from Spain following the Alhambra Decree in 1492, which was enacted in order to eliminate their influence on Spain’s large converso population and to ensure its members did not revert to Judaism. Many Jews in Spain either converted or were expelled. The resulting expulsion led to mass migration of Jews from Spain to Italy, Greece, Turkey, and the Mediterranean Basin.May 3: Expulsion & Flight from Spain to Portugal, Italy and Arab lands
May 10: The Jews of Holland
May 17: 1656 Resettlement in England (Part 1)
May 31: Jews in England to 1914 (Part 2)

Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the Holocaust.”Registration:
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this two-part series that is a partnered program being offered to its members. The series will also be open to non-members through Classi Lectures, and for further information, please contact them at classilectures@gmail.com.Video recordings of the lectures will be available to all attendees. They will also be posted at the Members area of the JGS Toronto website.JGS Toronto Members:
To register for this free session, go to the Members Area of our website to click on the registration link for these events. Please note that the link to join this program will be sent to you on the morning of the event.Non-Members.:
The fee for non-members is $12 CDN per lecture or $40 CDN for the series.
To register for these lectures, click here.
To enjoy this and future lectures for free, you may join JGS Toronto for a fee of $40 CDN ($50 for couples) at Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca).

JGS Virtual Event - Family Tree Maker (FTM) User Group (SIG)
2023-04-26 19:30 - 21:30
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
and
Family Tree Maker (FTM)
PRESENT
JGS Toronto & FTM User Group SIG
Speakers: Mel Fishman and Mark Olsen

Wednesday 26 Apr 2023, 7:30 p.m. ET
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 7:20 p.m. ET

For thirty years Family Tree Maker has been the world’s favourite genealogy software making it easier than ever to discover your family story, preserve your legacy, and share your unique heritage.
If you’re new to family history, you’ll appreciate how this intuitive program lets you easily grow your family tree with simple navigation, tree-building tools, and integrated Web searching.
If you’re already an expert, you can dive into the more advanced features, options for managing data, and a wide variety of charts and reports.
Family Tree Maker is the leading desktop family tree software with direct connections to both Ancestry and FamilySearch online trees.
This inaugural meeting will be virtual and open to everyone, but then we will be going back to basics offering our FTM SIG for our members only throughout the balance of the year.
Join us for a live Q and A discussion to answer all your questions about Family Tree Maker, the latest version, updates, features, and more. This is an interactive session. We love to see you and discuss all your Family Tree Maker questions. We will discuss the recently released 24.1 update and will be happy to answer questions you may have.

We will also discuss Family Tree Maker partner products: Charting Companion and Family Book Creator – both are plug-ins that can help you create incredible charts, graphs, and books.
This SIG is for all levels of genealogists whether you are just getting started or very experienced.
Then Mark will answer as many questions as possible.
Family Tree Maker will be providing a door prize of the software program to a JGS Toronto member. We will send out the winner’s name and how to get the door prize after the meeting to someone who attended!
Family Tree Maker will also provide a discount link to any JGS Toronto member who wants to purchase the software for the first time.
Handouts and resource guides and a recording will also be sent to all who attend.
If you have questions that need to be answered before the meeting, try this link: https://support.mackiev.com/ If you need to chat, go here: https://www.mackiev.com/techsupport/ftm/livechat.html

Mark Olsen is the Family Tree Maker Ambassador to historical and genealogical societies around the world working to support their members as they use Family Tree Maker. Mark is a graduate of Brigham Young University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Family History with a Spanish records emphasis. He has been working in the genealogy industry since 2007 and has been the Family Tree Maker Ambassador since 2016.
JGS Toronto Members:
A special offer on the FTM software will be offered to all JGS Toronto members.
Non-members:
Join our society at Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca) for only $40 CDN ($50 CDN for couples).
Registration:
Our first session is open to everyone, but JGS Toronto membership is required for subsequent sessions. Register at jgstoronto.ca/register .
Upcoming Sessions:
Wednesday, April 26th, 7:30 pm EDT (Everyone welcome)
Wednesday June 22nd, 7:30 pm EST (Members only)
Wednesday October 25th, 7:30 pm EST (Members only)

info@jgstoronto.ca www.jgstoronto.ca
Tel 647-247-6414 twitter: jgsoftoronto
facebook: Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto
Mel Fishman
Past President
mel@jgstoronto.caJerry Scherer
Vice President, Communications
jscherer@jgstoronto.ca

The Rothschilds Central European Sig
2023-04-26 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-19 16:00 - 17:00
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
and Classi Lectures
PRESENT
The Rothschilds
CENTRAL EUROPEAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)
Speaker: Trudy Gold
Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023, 4-5 p.m. ET
Wednesday, 26 Apr 2023, 4-5 p.m. ET

VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 3:50 pm. ET
The Rothschilds
In the history of the Rothschild family, Frankfurt plays a central role. It was here that Mayer Amschel Rothschild first established himself as a trustworthy investor and custodian in the 1760s, and Frankfurt was home to the first of the five original Rothschild banking houses.
Wed. Apr. 19 – The Rothschilds in Frankfurt
Wed. Apr. 26 – Nathan Rothschild & Moses Montefiore in London
Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the Holocaust.”
Registration:
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this two-part series that is a partnered program being offered to its members. The series will also be open to non-members through Classi Lectures, and for further information, please contact them at classilectures@gmail.com.
Video recordings of the lectures will be available to all attendees. They will also be posted at the Members area of the JGS Toronto website.
JGS Toronto Members.
To register for this free session, please visit the Members Area – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca). Click on Registration for Member-Only Programs – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca) to sign up for this program. Please note that the link to join this program will be sent to you on the morning of the event.
Non-Members.
The fee for non-members is $12 CDN per lecture or $20 CDN for the series.
To register for these lectures, click on Trudy Gold and the Rothschilds – Classi Learning.
To enjoy this and future lectures for free, you may join JGS Toronto for a fee of $40 CDN ($50 for couples) at Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca).
info@jgstoronto.ca www.jgstoronto.ca
Tel 647-247-6414 twitter: jgsoftoronto
facebook: Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto
Jerry Scherer
Vice President, Communications
jscherer@jgstoronto.ca

Getting Back to Basics Poland Sig
2023-04-20 19:30 - 21:30
Poland Special Interest Group
Getting Back to Basics
Coordinator: Hazel Boon
Thursday 20 Apr 2023, 7:30 p.m. EDT
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 7:20 p.m. EDT
According to Wikipedia, “a special interest group (SIG) is a community within a larger organization with a shared interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology where members cooperate to affect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet, and organize conferences.” My hope is that through this group we can guide each other through research issues we all face.
At our meeting on 20 April I’d like to take a look at the document I’m working on that specifies the surnames and towns In Eastern Europe being researched by our members. If you haven’t yet submitted that information to me, please do so by 26 March. There are also some questions/issues that have been submitted to me by members. I will send them out, along with any other questions/issues I receive, to those who register for this meeting. Don’t be shy. We are all here to help each other learn about our ancestors/family and how they lived their lives. Your questions, brick walls or research stories may help other attendees.
In order to ensure that we can all benefit, we are limiting these Poland SIG meetings to JGST members only.
I’m looking forward to meeting with you on Thursday evening, 20 April at 7:30 p.m.
How to Register
JGS Toronto members: Go to the Members Area of our website to click on the link, “Registration for Poland Special Interest Group”.
NON-JGS Toronto members: Join our society at Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca) for only $40 CDN, $50 for couples. After you’ve joined, email membership@jgstoronto.ca to obtain the link to register for the Polish SIG.
Hazel Boon
polandsig@jgstoronto.ca
Jerry Scherer
Vice President, Communications
jscherer@jgstoronto.ca

JGS Virtual Event - Family Tree Maker (FTM) SIG
2023-04-09 19:30 - 21:30
Mark Olsen Speaker
Updates & Features

JGS Toronto Virtual Event: Central European SIG
2023-03-22 16:00 - 17:30
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
and Classi Lectures
PRESENT

CENTRAL EUROPEAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)
Speaker: Trudy Gold
Wednesday, 8 Mar 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
Wednesday, 15 Mar 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
Wednesday, 22 Mar 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST

VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 3:50 pm. EST.
The Wandering Jews of Austria
Three-week course beginning with the story of Franz Joseph’s glittering city, Vienna; 10% Jewish, it was Janus faced, at the forefront of modernity but with a darkly sinister underbelly.
In the second session we will examine the city from humiliating defeat in WW1 to the Anschluss of 1938.
The final session turns to the Jewish tragedy. Many lost their lives but others were more fortunate.
Karl Kraus described Vienna as: “an experimental station on the way to the end of the World”. The city of Freud, Mahler, Herzl, Shnitzler, Strauss, Reinhardt, Klimt but also of Karl Lueger and Adolf Hitler.

Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the Holocaust.”

Registration:
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this 3-part series is a partnered program we are offering to its members. It will be open to non-members through Classi Lectures, and you may contact them for further information at classilectures@gmail.com.
The video recordings for all 3 sessions will be posted at the Members area of the JGS Toronto website.
JGS Toronto members register for this free session at https://forms.gle/HhctqMJCiar7n8sEA .
Non-members fee is $12 CDN per session or $30 CDN for all 3 sessions. To register for these lectures, complete the JGS Toronto form and payment to Classi Lectures at https://forms.gle/HhctqMJCiar7n8sEA. Join JGS Toronto ($40 CDN; $50 for couples) to enjoy this and future lectures for free by completing Become a Member – Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto (jgstoronto.ca).

The Shtetl: The Real, the fictitious, and the Nostalgic
2023-03-15 19:30 - 22:00 | Online, Canada
March 15, 2023. Via Zoom
Presented by: Dr. Joseph Gilbert
The word “shtetl” means several things, among them a small town in Eastern Europe populated mainly by Jews or metaphorically an old Yiddish way of life. In this talk we will explore how shtetls came about, what was “shtetl life,” and how it changed over the course of the nineteenth century.
Language, commerce, and religion were fundamental to the people who lived in the shtetl, but these changed, pushed by forces from inside and from outside. Shtetl life has disappeared.
Dr. Joseph Gilbert is a retired physician, researcher, research administrator, and hospital executive. A lifelong fan of classical music, Dr. Gilbert has in recent years concentrated on studying the interface of Judaism and Jewish subjects within opera, music, and history. He has lectured on these subjects in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Florida, and London, Ontario. Some of his lecture topics include The Music and Legacy of Felix Mendelssohn, French Opera and Anti-Semitism, The Dybbuk and The Golem, The Portrayal of Jews in Opera, Jewish Folk Tales that Have Become Operas, Entartete Musik – Degenerate Music, Salamone Rossi and Jewish Music in the Italian Renaissance, The Shtetl: The Real, the Fictitious, and the Nostalgic, and The Shtetl and Hasidism (in several series).

JGS Toronto Virtual Event - Central European SIG
2023-03-15 16:00 - 17:30

JGS Toronto Virtual Event: DNA SIG
2023-03-12 10:30 - 12:00
The complete outline for this Q & A with our DNA mavens, Gil Bardige and Arthur Sissman can be read by clicking on this link.

JGS Toronto Virtual Event Poland Special Interest Group (for members only)
2023-03-09 19:30 - 21:00
This virtual event is reserved for members of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Toronto. Members should sign in and go to the Members Area to register. Click “forgot password” if you have difficulty with your login.
Details to this event are found here

JGS Toronto - Virtual Event: Central European SIG Meeting
2023-03-08 16:00 - 17:30

JGS Virtual Event: Comparison of Resources On the Genealogy Giants
2023-02-22 19:30 - 21:00
This is a Zoom only event. Presenter is Ellen Kowitt. Please click here to read the details of this presentation

JGS Virtual Event: Beyond These Walls
2023-02-13 16:00 - 17:00
Classi Lectures together with Beth Tikvah Synagogue and Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto present
Janina Bauman, Beyond These Walls: Escaping the Warsaw Ghetto – A Young Girl’s Story
Lydia Bauman, remembering her mother, the writer Janina Bauman (nee Lewinson 1926-2009), considers the values, personality traits, and strategies which enabled her mother to emerge from the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto, antisemitism, and the state corruption of post war Communist Poland.
Lydia’s account is based on her mother’s own wartime and post war diaries, later transformed into ” Beyond These Walls”
Please go to the following link to read the description of this event: https://classilearning.com/event/lydia-bauman-on-van-gogh-in-america-2-2-2-2/

JGS Santa Cruz Virtual Event - Become an Expert
2023-02-12 16:00 - 17:30
This JGSS virtual event is free to JGS Toronto members. To register you must must email Pam at Membership@scjgs.org and state that you are a JGST member. Click on this link to see the entire program description. This event features professional genealogist, Emily Garber who will walk participants through the steps to take in building your expertise in family research. Appropriate for newbies as well as experienced researchers.
4:00 pm EST
1:00 pm PT

LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG) with Classi Lectures. (session 3)
2023-01-25 16:30 - 17:00
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
and Classi Lectures
PRESENT
LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)
Featuring Trudy Gold
Wednesday, 25 Jan 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 3:50 pm. EST.
The Jews of Lithuania
Jews had lived in Lithuania since the 14th century. From the 17th century onwards Vilna
the capital was known as the Jerusalem of the North, with personalities such as Elijah of
Vilna (The Vilna Gaon).
By the 19th-century, now under Czarist rule, Lithuania was an important centre of
Jewish life – religious, cultural, and political. The pogroms between 1881 and 1914 led
to thousands fleeing, mainly to North America and over 40,000 to South Africa.
After the bloodshed of World War I, Lithuania became independent, with a Jewish
population of over 150,000 people. They were integral to the economic life of the
country. However, by the end of WWII over 95% of Lithuanian Jewry had
been murdered both by Germans and their Lithuanian collaborators.
This three-week Series will examine Lithuania’s rich and tragic history and explore
many of the personalities whose lives were lived against momentous events.
Session 3
The Jewish community was caught between communists, Nazis, and Lithuanian
fascists. This is the terrible story of the destruction of a great and unique civilization.
Nevertheless, it is peppered with great incidents of heartbreaking heroism and the
extraordinary story of the Japanese consul who saved thousands of Jews including
students of the Mir Yeshiva.
Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of
the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and
universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in
Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student
resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the
Holocaust.”
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this 3-part
series is a partnered program we are offering to its members. It will be open to non-
members through Classi Lectures, and you may contact them for further information at
classilectures@gmail.com.
Fees:
These 3 lectures are free for JGS Toronto Members. Registration link in members area
For only $40, become a member
of JGS Toronto and attend this and future joint Classi Lectures for free. For non-
members, the fee is $12 per lecture or $30 for all 3 lectures. All fees are in Canadian
funds. Consider a donation to JGS Toronto by Clicking Here to assist us in continuing
our mission of providing a forum for the exchange of genealogical information.
(Tax receipts are issued to Canadian donors.)
Registration:
Non-members will register by clicking the following links.
Session 3. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $12
Note: the video recordings for these sessions will be available to JGS Toronto members only.
JGS Toronto members registration is available in the members area

Joint Presentation The Mystery of the Bodies in the Well
2023-01-24 12:30 - 13:45 | Online, Canada
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO,
Beth Tikvah Synagogue and Classi Lectures
PRESENT
The Mystery of the Bodies in the Well
Featuring Dr. Selina Brace
Tuesday, 24 Jan 2023, 12:30-1:45 p.m. EST
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 12:20 pm. EST.
The Mystery of the Bodies in the Well
In 2004, excavators discovered the skeletons of 17 bodies found in a medieval well in Norwich,
England. Who were these people and how did they die?
Join us to understand how Dr. Selina Brace and her team were able to solve this historical cold
case that has haunted researchers for close to 12 years and what it means for the Jewish
community.
Bio
Dr. Selina Brace is a biologist who works with ancient and degraded DNA to investigate species-
level and evolutionary processes. She is a researcher in the Earth Sciences Department and
manages the ancient DNA laboratory at the Natural History Museum, London England.
Dr. Brace’s research centres on the use of genetic information from museum specimens to
understand taxonomic and evolutionary relationships, population structure and history, and the
ecological impact of past events. She has worked on a wide range of taxa including insects,
rodents and prehistoric humans, with a special interest in highly degraded tropical material from
the Caribbean, Indonesia and South America.
Her current projects include working with museum bees, investigating land-use change in
Indonesia and population structure in Andean bears from Colombia.
Registration
Please watch this video, History Cold Case – The Bodies in the Well, before registering.
To register for this event, please go to The Mystery of the Bodies in the Well – Classi Learning and select the free option.

POSTPONED. LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG) with Classi Lectures. (session 2)
2023-01-18 16:00 - 17:00 | Online, Canada
LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG) with Classi Lectures. (session 1)JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
and Classi Lectures
PRESENT
LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)
Featuring Trudy Gold
Wednesday, 18 Jan 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
Wednesday, 25 Jan 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 3:50 pm. EST.
The Jews of Lithuania
Jews had lived in Lithuania since the 14th century. From the 17th century onwards Vilna
the capital was known as the Jerusalem of the North, with personalities such as Elijah of
Vilna (The Vilna Gaon).
By the 19th-century, now under Czarist rule, Lithuania was an important centre of
Jewish life – religious, cultural, and political. The pogroms between 1881 and 1914 led
to thousands fleeing, mainly to North America and over 40,000 to South Africa.
After the bloodshed of World War I, Lithuania became independent, with a Jewish
population of over 150,000 people. They were integral to the economic life of the
country. However, by the end of WWII over 95% of Lithuanian Jewry had
been murdered both by Germans and their Lithuanian collaborators.
This three-week Series will examine Lithuania’s rich and tragic history and explore
many of the personalities whose lives were lived against momentous events. Lectures. Session 2
Under Czarist rule thousands of Jews sought refuge abroad – but what happened to
those who remained in newly independent Lithuania?
Session 2
Under Czarist rule thousands of Jews sought refuge abroad – but what happened to
those who remained in newly independent Lithuania?
Session 3
The Jewish community was caught between communists, Nazis, and Lithuanian
fascists. This is the terrible story of the destruction of a great and unique civilization.
Nevertheless, it is peppered with great incidents of heartbreaking heroism and the
extraordinary story of the Japanese consul who saved thousands of Jews including
students of the Mir Yeshiva.
Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of
the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and
universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in
Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student
resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the
Holocaust.”
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this 3-part
series is a partnered program we are offering to its members. It will be open to non-
members through Classi Lectures, and you may contact them for further information at
classilectures@gmail.com.
Fees:
These 3 lectures are free for JGS Toronto Members. Registration link in members area
For only $40, become a member
of JGS Toronto and attend this and future joint Classi Lectures for free. For non-
members, the fee is $12 per lecture or $30 for all 3 lectures. All fees are in Canadian
funds. Consider a donation to JGS Toronto by Clicking Here to assist us in continuing
our mission of providing a forum for the exchange of genealogical information.
(Tax receipts are issued to Canadian donors.)
Registration:
Non-members will register by clicking the following links.
Session 2. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $12
Session 3. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $12
Note: the video recordings for these sessions will be available to JGS Toronto members only.
JGS Toronto members registration is available in the members area

LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG) with Classi Lectures. (session 1)
2023-01-11 16:00 - 17:00
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
and Classi Lectures
PRESENT
LITHUANIAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)
Featuring Trudy Gold
Wednesday, 11 Jan 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
Wednesday, 18 Jan 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
Wednesday, 25 Jan 2023, 4-5 p.m. EST
VIRTUAL MEETING: Join from Home
Virtual doors open at 3:50 pm. EST.
The Jews of Lithuania
Jews had lived in Lithuania since the 14th century. From the 17th century onwards Vilna
the capital was known as the Jerusalem of the North, with personalities such as Elijah of
Vilna (The Vilna Gaon).
By the 19th-century, now under Czarist rule, Lithuania was an important centre of
Jewish life – religious, cultural, and political. The pogroms between 1881 and 1914 led
to thousands fleeing, mainly to North America and over 40,000 to South Africa.
After the bloodshed of World War I, Lithuania became independent, with a Jewish
population of over 150,000 people. They were integral to the economic life of the
country. However, by the end of WWII over 95% of Lithuanian Jewry had
been murdered both by Germans and their Lithuanian collaborators.
This three-week Series will examine Lithuania’s rich and tragic history and explore
many of the personalities whose lives were lived against momentous events.
Session 1
We will examine the history of Jewish settlement in Lithuania and introduce some of the
great religious thinkers, through to the leaders of the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment),
Jewish socialism and Zionism
Session 2
Under Czarist rule thousands of Jews sought refuge abroad – but what happened to
those who remained in newly independent Lithuania?
Session 3
The Jewish community was caught between communists, Nazis, and Lithuanian
fascists. This is the terrible story of the destruction of a great and unique civilization.
Nevertheless, it is peppered with great incidents of heartbreaking heroism and the
extraordinary story of the Japanese consul who saved thousands of Jews including
students of the Mir Yeshiva.
Trudy Gold was the former C.E.O. of the London Jewish Cultural Centre, and one of
the founder members of the British delegation to the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance. She has taught Modern Jewish History in schools and
universities and for adult groups throughout the World.
She has coordinated teacher training in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in
Eastern Europe and latterly in China.
She is the author of The Timechart History of Jewish Civilisation and the student
resources “Understanding the Holocaust” and the digital resource “Lessons of the
Holocaust.”
JGS Toronto, in conjunction with Classi Lectures is pleased to announce that this 3-part
series is a partnered program we are offering to its members. It will be open to non-
members through Classi Lectures, and you may contact them for further information at
classilectures@gmail.com.
Fees:
These 3 lectures are free for JGS Toronto Members. Registration link in members area
For only $40, become a member
of JGS Toronto and attend this and future joint Classi Lectures for free. For non-
members, the fee is $12 per lecture or $30 for all 3 lectures. All fees are in Canadian
funds. Consider a donation to JGS Toronto by Clicking Here to assist us in continuing
our mission of providing a forum for the exchange of genealogical information.
(Tax receipts are issued to Canadian donors.)
Registration:
Non-members will register by clicking the following links.
3 Sessions 1-3. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $30
Session 1. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $12
Session 2. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $12
Session 3. The Wandering Jews with Trudy Gold – Classi Learning $12
Note: the video recordings for these sessions will be available to JGS Toronto members only.
JGS Toronto members registration is available in the members area

KULANU & LODZER CENTRE VIRTUALLY PRESENT… AUSTRALIA: THE UNPROMISED LAND - HOW AUSTRALIA ALMOST SAVED 125,000 JEWS
2022-11-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Lodzer Centre Congregation, 12 Heaton Street, Toronto, Canada
Thursday, 3 November 3 at 7 p.m. ET
Attend online or in person at Lodzer Centre Congregation 12 Heaton Street, Toronto
Please join special guest, Jacob Steinberg, as he recounts the story of the remarkable attempt by an extraordinary individual who attempted to save 125,000 European Jews during the Holocaust by settling them in two of the most remote and uninhabitable parts of Australia. Q&A follows.
Free event. However, donations in memory of Harriet Bograd, long-time President of Kulanu, who passed away on September 18th, would be appreciated. All donations to go to the Abayudaya Jewish Community of Apac in Uganda. This community is building a school, community center and synagogue and is part of the Kulanu family of communities. More information is here: https://kulanu.org/new-buildings-in-apac-uganda
Suggested donation of $18, but any amount is acceptable.
Donors in Canada, click here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/31351
Donors in the USA, click here: https://kulanu.org/donate
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/australia-the-unpromised-land-how-australia-almost-saved-125000-jews-tickets-433234906267

JGS Toronto Meeting Zoom only: He Thought His Family Was Wiped Out in the Holocaust
2022-10-19 19:30 - 21:00
Ralph Cilevitz will relate the story of how he discovered new connections and relatives. If you will be viewing from home go to jgstoronto.ca/register

Ancestry DNA Matching Workshop - co-sponsored JGS Toronto
2022-10-12 13:30 - 16:30
This is a JGS virtual event. This event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto DNA SIG and the Facebook Jewish Genealogy SIG.
Learn to use multiple devices: follow Arthur Sissman on Zoom while using your own data to learn how to use the Ancestry DNA Matching website on your computer.
Only 2 spots available. Maximum 18 participants. For questions, email Arthur Sissman at genresearch13@yahoo.com. Or call 954-328-3559.
Open to JGST members only

JGS Hybrid Event -- President Emeritus Henry Wellisch - 100th Birthday
2022-09-18 10:30 - 12:00
JGS Hybrid Event — President Emeritus Henry Wellisch – 100th BirthdayJoin us to honour Henry Wellisch, our President Emeritus, on his 100th Birthday
Hybrid MEETING:
Participate in person at Sha’arei Shomayim
OR
View from home
Sunday, 18 September 2022, 10:30 AM
Henry Wellisch will respond to questions from Neil Richler, and then from the audience
Born in Vienna in 1922 Henry Wellisch and his parents fled Austria in December 1939, after the outbreak of World War II. On route by way of the Danube to the Black Sea and then the Mediterranean, they sought entry to Palestine. Instead British authorities sent them to Mauritius where they remained for the duration of the War. In 1945 Henry joined the Jewish Brigade and fought briefly in Europe and then left for Palestine in 1946. He joined the fledgling Israeli Army and served during the War of Independence in 1948. In 1952, age 30, Henry emigrated to Canada where he has lived ever since. Henry will share his many experiences with us.
Also, Daniel Horwitz, on behalf of the Israel Genealogical Research Association, will outline genealogical resources in Israel covering the 1939-1952 period.
If you will be participating in person, please let us know by e-mailing program@jgstoronto.ca
If you will be viewing from home, to register, please go to JGStoronto.ca/register

You will then receive an immediate acknowledgement plus the link to access the event on 24 April.
The presentation will be recorded. It will be available to JGS Toronto members in the “Members Only” section of the Society website a few days after the event. It will also be available to non-member registrants for one week after the event in the “Registration” location.
www.jgstoronto.ca
Tel 647-247-6414 twitter: jgsoftoronto
facebook: Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto
Before the meeting attendees should download and read Henry’s personal story ESCAPE FROM VIENNA

JGS Toronto - Annual General Meeting - Virtual Only
2022-06-29 19:30 - 21:00
We encourage our Members to be sure to attend our Annual General Meeting as a new Board will be elected. This is a very important event as our executive and volunteers plan our programming, prepare our workshops and seminars, assist our newbies in getting started. As members of JGS Toronto you have a voice and your input is welcome. This will be a virtual event. Please login as a Member for more details.

JGST Virtual Event - Brick Walls and Breakthroughs
2022-06-22 19:30 - 21:00
Every year in June JGS Toronto invites 4 members to share their breakthroughs.
BRICK WALLS AND BREAKTHROUGHS
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:30 pm
Kenneth Golish, a lawyer, Bathurst Manor raised, lives with his family in Windsor. He has been working on his family tree for over twenty years. Kenneth has recently resolved the history of “The Sisters Kirszenbaum”. A returned letter addressed to a Harvey Wolman, dated 1946, was not found until long after the death of Ken’s father. This bittersweet discovery of previous relatives unknown, led to family who were living in London, England.
Ruth Chernia, is the current VP, Membership Services at JGS Toronto and is Editor of Shem Tov. She is a publishing consultant specializing in production editing. Ruth’s area of expertise is in non-fiction. “DNA to the Rescue”: Ruth’s husband’s maternal history has been complicated by a murder, separations and immigration to Canada in 1913. There are also no surviving records from their town. Ruth’s discovery of a 1920 Form 30A record provided the only clue for her husband’s grandmother’s family surname. Recent DNA testing led to the discovery of new found cousins.
Gerri C., a journalist, author and retired university professor, has been working on her family tree since the 1970s. She presents “DNA, Archives and Not Giving Up”, three stories of recent successes, entitled: Ukraine: The Mysterious Mark; Ukraine: Bluma Who?, and Poland: Samuel and the family business. Gerri shares her strategies and tools used in the research of her ancestors’ journey to the USA.
Register at www.jgstoronto.ca/register
Please keep the acknowledgement email when you receive it as it contains your personalized link to join the Zoom meeting.
The presentation will be recorded. It will be available to JGS Toronto members in the “Members Only” section of the Society website, a few days after the event. It will also be available to non-member registrants for one week after the event at jgstoronto.ca/register

JGS Board Meeting
2022-06-15 19:30 - 21:00
