JGST Virtual Event – Breakthroughs and Brickwalls

3 of JGS Toroto’s members describe how they each were able to breakdown a brickwall in their family research.

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.

Click here to see this presentation that was held on June 22, 2022.