Free Webinar on Conducting Oral Histories

Talking to relatives about their lives is one of the best ways to learn more information, especially great stories, about your family.  The Jewish Women's Archive is offering a free Webinar on how to lead an oral history project.  It will be primarily geared to working with students, but the description also mentions working with your community, so I'm sure the techniques discussed will be useful for almost any genealogist.

The Webinar will take place twice on Thursday, November 6, to accommodate more people's schedules.  You can attend from 10:00–11:00 a.m. or 5:00–6:00 p.m., U.S. Pacific time.  The registration forms have a handy little pull-down list that shows what times those are in pretty much any time zone.

Bringing More History into Jewish Family History Research

Ahuzat Bayit letter
c. 1909

The educational philosophy of the Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) includes the idea that historical documents such as photographs, letters, posters, and sermons can provide an entry point into any aspect of Jewish life.  It is easy to see how how this can apply to genealogy.  Primary sources can provide fresh perspectives and help show the historical context of our ancestors' lives.  Some historical sources are in English, which can make them more accessible.

JWA's Webinars are geared primarily toward teachers, and if you teach Jewish genealogy, you are a teacher!  But the information is often useful to researchers also, and the Webinars are open to everyone.  I find these Webinars to be interesting educational opportunities at a very reasonable price (free!).

The second Webinar in JWA's 2012-2013 series is "Historical Sources in Jewish Education."  Registration is free.  The Webinar is being offered at two times:  Tuesday, January 8, at 1:00 p.m. EST, and Wednesday, January 9, at 8:00 p.m. EST.  Register here.

The first Webinar in the 2012-2013 series was "Butchers, Babushkas, and Consumer Activism."  It was about the 1902 kosher meat boycott in New York City, which I had not heard of previously.  I was very surprised to learn that a bunch of immigrant Jewish housewives, many of whom did not speak English, organized a boycott.  A recording of the November 13 Webinar is available on the JWA Web site.

Butchers, Babushkas, and Consumer Activism: The 1902 Kosher Meat Boycott

On November 18 the Jewish Women's Archive is presenting a Webinar on an early and little-known story of Jewish immigrant activism.  In 1902 in New York City the price of kosher beef jumped 50% overnight, and immigrant Jewish women organized a boycott against the butcher shops.  Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, Director of Public History, and Etta King, Education Program Manager, will host this inaugural program in the Jewish Women’s Archive 2012-2013 education Webinar series.  The Webinar is being offered at two times, 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.  Registration is free.