* bissel (Yid.) little bit Recently I was reading Jen Baldwin's blog post “Know Your Family Medical History” [1. Baldwin, Jen. “Know Your Family Medical History.” Ancestral Breezes, 25 June 2012. http://www.ancestralbreezes.blogspot.com/2012/06/know-your-family-medical-history.html: 2012.] and it reminded me of the value of this knowledge. I don't know about you, but I do not think about the medical aspects … Continue reading A Bissel* of Knowledge Goes a Long Way
Audiobooks Inspire Me
Ever since I bought my house and my commute become a minimum thirty minute trip I have found all kinds of ways to make the time fly. In the morning I often switch between listening to the local NPR station and the Top 40 "Morning Zoo". It depends on my mood and the attention that … Continue reading Audiobooks Inspire Me
What a Mitzvah* is JewishGen!
*mitzah (Yid.) A good deed One of the single greatest resources I have come across is the website, JewishGen.org. This site is powered by a battalion of volunteers and a few staff members. Recently I was fortunate to meet Avraham Groll while attending the NGS conference and it was only then that I learned that … Continue reading What a Mitzvah* is JewishGen!
Getting Your Tuches* to the Archives
*tuches (Yid.) The part of the body which you sit upon. Rear end, bottom, backside, buttocks. As I mentioned in my last article, my recent trip with my mom included several genealogical research opportunities. In particular, I had called and emailed the St. Joseph County Archives to request that they pull probate records for a number of my … Continue reading Getting Your Tuches* to the Archives
Schmoozing* With the Local Jews
*schmooze (Yid.) to converse informally, to chat in a friendly way so as to gain favor, business, or connections Last month I wrote about shlepping to the cemetery and getting pictures of your loved ones' headstones. Little did I know that I would actually be doing just that on my latest vacation to Indiana! … Continue reading Schmoozing* With the Local Jews
Jen Alford 