34th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, SALT LAKE CITY, JULY 27 - AUGUST 1, 2014

Sunday, July 27, 1:30pm-5pm SHARE Fair. Bessarabia Sig will participate.

Non-profit organizations involved in or supporting Jewish genealogy will be able to tell Conference registrants about themselves and answer questions from these registrants. For the organizations, it is a great way of linking up with potential new members and getting the word out about the great things each organization is doing. For the registrant it is great way to learn more about the support organizations which may facilitate their family research.

At Bessarabia SIG table you find new historical maps, ask questions, meet other fellow Bessarabians.

Merle Kastner and Yefim Kogan at the Bessarabian SIG table.

Monday, July 28, 3:15pm-4:30pm Jewish Life in Bessarabia as it is Reflected in Bessarabian Newspapers, 1850-1930. Alla Chastina, Kishinev, Republic of Moldova

Published in Russian, Romanian and Yiddish, the newspapers present all too often overlooked by genealogist's source of information of all the aspects of Jewish everyday life throughout the region. Virtually every page has data related to Bessarabian Jews. Bessarabian Provincial Gazette of 1884 published a list of Chisinau Jews subjected to conscription... Chisinau Voice in 1916 wrote about Jewish touring troupe ran by N. Spivakovsky performing in the famous Gorishteyn theater... Bessarabian Word wrote about singer Anna Gelber, actor Misha Fishzon, lecturer Davidzon performing in Ismail. About Joint allocating $13,000 to the needs of Jewish hospitals in Bessarabia... With Jewish merchants and pharmacists, rabbis and jewelers, cultural and financial institutions, charitable foundations and hospitals - the newspapers are 'time capsules' containing vast information of the once thriving and now all but extinct Jewish life in the historic Bessarabia.

Monday, July 28, 4:30pm-6:00pm FILM: Mamaliga Blues

In 1931, Abram Tolpolar and his wife, Rachel, immigrated from Bessarabia/Moldova to southern Brazil. Seventy-seven years later, their only child, Mauro Tolpolar, made the trip back. Accompanied by his two kids, who never had a chance to meet their grandparents, Mauro visited his parents? birthplace and also found answers to an unrevealed past. Having only one remaining photograph of a lost family grave, the Tolpolars drove through ancient villages, walked in the bushes of abandoned cemeteries and met locals, looking for what happened to their relatives who disappeared during the Holocaust and getting to know the current Jewish community in Moldova. (55 mins)

Update August 2014: Press release: [PDF]
Mamaliga Blues - Clip Reel

Tuesday, July 29, 7:30am-8:45am Bessarabian SIG Board Meeting.

Everybody is welcome to attend, bring ideas, suggestions, become involved in projects, start new projects.

Tuesday, July 29, 1:45pm-3:00pm Bessarabia SIG Meeting

The meeting is open to anyone with roots or interest in the region historically known as Bessarabia, an area now comprising the Moldova Republic and parts of Ukraine. At the end of the 19th century and before the War, Bessarabia had significant Jewish presence. The Bessarabia SIG was organized at the end of 2011 to help people in their Bessarabian genealogical research. This meeting will focus on our FUTURE plans, new projects, getting new records.

Update August 2014: This year at the Bessarabia SIG meeting everybody introduced themselves, talked about their family research and Bessarabia SIG in general. We have recorded the session: [MP3] [WAV] (warning: VERY LARGE FILE). Maybe someone can transcribe the record and we can put it at the website. Let me know.

Wednesday, July 30, 9am-10:15am Jewish Cemeteries in Bessarabia and Moldova: History, Current state, Indexing, Photographing, Yefim Kogan, Boston, MA

Recently I found that the most urgent research in Jewish Genealogy in Bessarabia is investigating, indexing and photographing grave inscriptions at the CEMETERIES! The reason is not only that the cemeteries deteriorating, but a grave in an existing cemetery, if not paid for, can be removed, and another placed instead! There are about 60-70 Jewish cemeteries currently in Bessarabia/Moldova. Detailed information on most of them will be presented from old maps, Russian/Moldovan websites, photos and more. Registry and some photographs from 15 of them are part of JOWBR now. There are also a number of already disappeared cemeteries from which we may know their location from an old map or even find piece of broken gravestone. What Jewish communities in Bessarabia/Moldova are doing for Jewish Cemeteries? You will hear what Bessarabia SIG is working on and planning for new future to preserve the names of Jewish people buried in Bessarabia/Moldova.

Wednesday, July 30, 1:30am-11:45am Ask the Experts: A Panel on the Geography, History, and Culture of Bessarabia / Moldova, Yefim Kogan - moderator. Panelists: Alla Chastina (Kishinev, Moldova); Alex Denisenko (Lviv, Ukraine); Terry Lasky and Yefim Kogan (USA).

There are many complex questions of geography and history a genealogist, whether a beginner or an expert, may encounter in the search for family records. In this panel you will get help from a knowledgeable group of experts who have lived, traveled, and conducted research in the Bessarabia/Moldova region. You will learn what is new at Moldovan Archives; what Internet sources for genealogical research in Bessarabia exist throughout the world and how to access them; and much, much more.
Transcription of the Panel Discussion.

Wednesday, July 30, 12:00pm-1:30pm $$$ Bessarabian SIG Luncheon with presentation Bessarabian Jewish Entrepreneurs in 1870 - 1917 by Alla Chastina, Kishinev, Moldova

National Archives of the Republic of Moldova holds vast collections of documents related to Jewish entrepreneurs in Bessarabia who owned numerous factories, shops, pharmacies, mills. They built synagogues, opened circuses, skating rinks, theaters, banks and many other businesses. First in Chisinau juice and wine producing company was founded in 1870 by merchant Eleazar Radelet, his father Yoyna Radelet - owned Chisinau distillery. First in Bessarabia steam brewery 'Bergshloss' owned by M. Kipervasser. Merchant from Soroca S.Gendler received permission to build a public bath in Ataki in 1891-1892. Ovshy Pagis from Benderi opens first traveling cinema theater... Consisting of information on Jewish enterprises as well as the names of their owners - Jewish entrepreneurs who heavily contributed to the region's development into one of the major economic and cultural centers, the collection presents a great interest to historians, professional genealogists and family researchers alike.

Update August 2014: The presentation can be found here: [PDF] [PPT].