JewishGen, Inc.
12 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1100
Houston, Texas 77046
Fax: (713) 522-7599
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JULY 1998
JewishGen to Host Web-Based Version of The Family Tree of the Jewish People
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JULY 1998
JewishGen to Host Web-Based Version of The Family Tree of the Jewish People
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Susan E. King (susan.king@jewishgen.org) (713) 522-7599 (FAX)
Over the past many months JewishGen has been in development with Lineages, Inc. and Palladium Interactive, producers of the Ultimate Family Tree genealogical software program, to establish the capability to provide an online product which will be of value for preserving and searching files of the family trees created by Jewish researchers.
It is now with great excitement, pleasure and pride, that we announce an agreement in principal has been reached to exchange data between JewishGen, the Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (AJGS) and Beth Hatefutsoth in bringing the Family Tree of the Jewish People (FTJP) to the largest readership possible. Based on discussions held earlier this year and with the support and generous sponsorship of Lineages Inc. and Palladiam Interactive, JewishGen will take on the role of bringing the FTJP to the Internet.
The concept simplifies submissions of family tree data by designating JewishGen as the single source of distribution while still allowing each submitter to identify which of the three participating organizations is to receive the information. All researchers who have previously submitted family trees to either AJGS or Beth Hatefutsoth will be asked by the respective organizations if they want to participate in the JewishGen online version. Similarly, all who submit their family trees to JewishGen will be able to choose whether or not to have the data placed with the other two organizations.
Taking into consideration all the previously expressed concerns with making family data public, and before placing data on our website, JewishGen will utilize specially designed software enabling the removal of all information from living persons--living being defined as born within the past 100 years for whom there is no death information. For deceased individuals, only dates and places will be displayed. Additionally, no source information or notes will be displayed for any individual at any time in the JewishGen online version. The tree will then retain the integrity of demonstrating family relationships but will not invade the privacy of people who do not wish dates of births, marriages, or deaths revealed. We wish to emphasize that while submission in GEDCOM format is still a requirement, only certain extracted data will be made available.
Additional provisions have been put in place to insure maximum security of the data to the highest degree possible. In order to search the database for a surname of interest, researchers will need to register first, using their JewishGen Family Finder (JGFF) researcher code number and password. Since the system will not be retaining the originally submitted GEDCOM files, the only way to retrieve additional information will be by contacting the submitter similar in fashion to the way the JewishGen FamilyFinder is structured.. This is just one other protective feature which has been built into the JewishGen online search engine.
All access to the FTJP will be carefully monitored to insure that the same level of privacy afforded other successful JewishGen projects (the JGFF and the JewishGen Holocaust Global Registry), will be part of the online version. The sponsors of this effort, Lineages and Palladium Interactive will have no rights to distribute the data and will only have a link from their sites to the JewishGen site. Therefore, the JewishGen online database will in no way be used for commercial purposes.
For the untold numbers who have previously sought to place their complete family trees online with JewishGen, we can only say "hold that thought"... we're almost ready to say, "yes, can do!"
If you have any questions please address them to: < ftjphelp@jewishgen.org > - Your questions will be the basis of the FAQ still to be written and when completed will appear on the test site presently being fine tuned. There is much work going on behind the scenes to get this information online and available as quickly as possible so we can only say ...stay tuned folks. To any JewishGenner out there experienced in, and having FTP capability coupled with knowledge of GEDCOM, please consider volunteering some time to this effort.
Broadening the base by joining with other organizations in this collective effort to assist Jewish researchers is just one more way JewishGen is accomplishing its long range vision...providing Jewish continuity to our generation and future generations to come.
JewishGen, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporaton. The JewishGen website averages over 1,000,000 hits a month. Tens of thousands now utilize the internet services of JewishGen, spanning all continents.
For more information: http://www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen/FactSheet.htm.