~,~ ow
SIiEM Tov
JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO
Volume VI - No.1
Discoveries
My seventh visit to Israel.
As usual, much time was spent meeting members of
a rather large family many of whom had settled there
prior to World War II. Three generations greeted me
at the airport, my father, my brother and my son. My
nephew's Bar Mitzvah was the focal point of the gath­
ering at which I was re-acquainted with the Israeli
relatives as well as a second cousin and her daughter
from Australia.
Research.
Of the three main institutions for genealogical re­
search in Israel, Yad Vashem, the Diaspora Museum
(Beith Hatefutsoth) and the Central Archives for the
History of the Jewish People, - time permitted me
only to visit the latter in Jerusalem where I was going
to consult their holdings on my ancestral town of
Gladenbach. Incredibly, there are some original
records of the Jewish community dating from 1778 ­
1800, as well as death certificates for the first half of
the 19th century. On most of the latter, the signa­
tures of my great-great grandfathers, Simon Lederer
and Wolf Schiff appear and I had photocopies made of
some of these OOcuments. The archives. with its ob­
vious space limitations for the visitor, can boost of an
extensive collection of German Jewish archival ma­
terial, not forgetting an efficient and most helpful
staff. The extensive records of the Hamburg Jewish
community (both Ashkenazi and Sephardi), a treasure
in itself, needed far more time than I hoo at my dis­
posal. This occasion permitted no more than a cursory
overview, a more systematiC inspection will have to
wait for the next visit.
In the archives I met a young German university
student who is writing a thesis on four Jewish
communities in South Baden (Gallingen, Randegg,
Wangen and Worblingen) and who has been ooing re­
search there for the past four months.
I made contact with Esther Ramon, presici3nt of the
Israel Genealogical Society and editor of SHARSHERET
HADOROT. We discussed items of mutual interest with
March 1990 - Adar 5750
respect to our own personal research as well as social
aspects.
One of the C)3nealogical highlights of my visit was
the ~uisition of a book printed in 1808, which is
J
inscribed as having been presented to the brother of
my great-great grandfather, Joseph Lederer, in 1835
in Glcmnba::h. The book, dealing with soap manu­
fecture, was given to my father last year during a
visit to Glaoonba::h.. Joseph Lederer, and in~ many
of his family, were very much involved in this tr~
after he arrived in the U~ in the 1840's. He died in
New Orleans in 1853 and his descendants live in Tex8S
tooay.
My father also gave me several 'Trauer Albums'
(Yizkor books) containing the civil dates of the
Yahrzeiten for my great grandparents who had passed
frWay 1n the 1920's and for my two grandfathers.
Regrettably no one had recorded any geneal(XJical in­
formation in these books, even though there are pages
provided for this. Omissions like these I<eep lEming
us to the reallzation that dating and inscribing 1s such
a vital task, one that we ought to remember ourselves,
for the sal<e of the researchers of the future.
Ageneal0'J1cal first...
While ~ing through passport control on leaving
Israel, the person in front of me asked to borrow my
pen for a moment. To my astonishment I happened to
notice that his boarding p8SS identified him 8S J. (for
Julius) Lederer! He is related to a Dr. Wolf Lederer
in california with whom I had corresponded in the
past, and whose ancestors stem from CzechoslovaKia,
where a ~ deal of my research has been concen­
tratoo recently. If we can trace bacl< our families far
enough - we may possibly be related...
Dr. Rolf LecErer
 At our meetings
The meeUng or February 28th was In the rorm or an
orientation tour to the Ontario Region Archives of the
Toronto Jewish Congress/Canadian Jewish Congress. Nearly
twenty members and several guests gathered in the
Archives' offices at the Lipa Green Bldg. of the JCC where
Dr. Stephen Speisman Hterally lead us from shelf to shelf
showing off with much pride whatlhe Archives had to offer
to a researcher in general and to the genealogist in
particular. Several members were able to glean information
on the spot. as it were, from items such as a Toronto Jewish
address book of the 1920's or Chazan Vladovskl's Mohel book
from 1912. written in Yiddish and complete with names and
addresses. - and prices charged ... (In the past, entries have
on occasion been used as legal proof of birth for persons
seeking pensions.) A file on Jewish internees in Ontario
during World War II revealed documentation on one of our
member's friends I We also learned that JIAS files of the
early 1950's were preserved here.
Founded in 1973. the Archives has been actively col­
lecting and preserving material recording the hislory of the
Jews of this province. Academics. students, journalists.
genealogists. television producers and others have drawn
upon i ls resources.
Collections
The wide variety of material preserved at the Archives
includes manuscript and printed documents (minutes, cor­
respondence, publications, financial and cemetery records of
Jewish organizations; personal papers, diaries, invitations.
posters, and newspapers), pictorial material, (photographs.
films. architectural drawings), sound and video recordings of
interviews and important events, and selected artifacts.
Preservation
Dr. Speisman stressed that the collections are housed
under optimum conditions of preservation. including acid­
free folders and boxes and an environmentally controlled
storage vault. Conservation techniques are employed to
prevent deterioration. This latter subject was expanded upon
in greater detail as many members showed great interest in
the proper preservation of their own documents.
Ora' History
A programme of tape"'i'ecorded memoirs is maintained.
Long-time Jewish residents of Ontario, as well as prominent
individuals, are interviewed.
Deposit or malerla'
Individuals and organizations are encouraged lo contribute
malerial relating to the Jews of Ontario and the archives
gratefully accepts gifts or loaned ilems to be copied and
returned, It is intended that collections will be available for
inspection by researchers. However, lhose who deposit
material may request that its use be reasonably restricted in
order to ensure the personal privacy of the donor or other
people.
Researchers are requested to caJJ for an appointment so
that maximum service can be provided: .
Dr. Stephen Speisman, Director,
Toronlo Jowfeh Congro~s/Canadian Jowl~h Congro~~
4600 Bathurst Street. WiJlowdale. Ontario, M2R 3V2
Tel. (416) 635-2883. Ext. 170
2 SHEAf TOY Volume VI - No.1 March 1990
New Members
We are pleased to welcome the ronowlng new members to
our socIety:
Ms. Fern Cooper. Ms. Pnina Spelgang. Ms. Sylvia Rayworth,
Mrs. Gladys Gould, Mr. David Goldberg, Mr. Sid Disenhouse
and Mr. Hershel Teilelbaum.
Miscellaneous
Czechoslovakian Research:
Genealogical research is now available in Czechoslovakia
at the Czechoslovak State District Archives. Although
inquiries for specific research requests are no longer handled
through the embassy in WaShington, D.C. (as was reported In
ROOTS-KEV, Vol.lX, No.4.), research can be done either tn
the form of a running account or in the form of Individual
vilal statislic records. with respect to documentation older
than 50 years; however. only records up to 1900 are
available in the Archives. This research is based on vilal
statistics regislers and can provide Information about names
of researched persons, date and death, information about
their parents. their profession (only on birth certificales),
names of their spouses and names of wllnesses to the
marriage. etc. The location to which information is sent
depends on whether the ancestor emigrated from Bohemia.
Moravia or Slovakia.
For research in Bohemia or Moravia the application should
be sent directly to:
Ministry of Interior and Environment CSR
Department of Archives and Internal Administration
Internal Administration
Obrancu miru 133
166 21 PRAG 6, Czechoslovakia
For research in Slovakia write directly to:
Ministry of Interior and Environment SSR
Department of Archives
Krizkova 7
811 04 BRATISLAVA, Czechoslovakia
Researchers will be advised of the costs of the research
by the Czechoslovak Embassy. For further information
write: Czechoslovak Genealogical Society, P. O. Box
16225, St. PaUl, MN 55116, USA. (please include S.A.S.EJ
(Newsletter of the Czechoslovak Genealogical Society, VoLlI.
No.1)
Holocaust material at the American Jewish
Archives
The World Jewish Congress archival collection held by the
American Jewish Archives. Cincinnati. OH, contains much
genealogical material of the Holocaust period, though it is
still in the process of being catalogued Much of this material
is listed in AVOTAYNU. Vol.V. No.4.
***
The Ytzkor Book for the Martyrs of Strzyzow near Rzeszow
was recently translated into English. For more information
contact: Harry Langsam. 745. N. Croft Ave., Los Angeles.
CA. 90069. Te1.(213)655-5896
 Professional genealogists Coloured slides of Lodz
ProfessIonal genealogIsts In Poland and Important addresses With more than 400 coloured slides of the Lodz Ghetto ­
for Russian and Czechoslovakian Research are discussed at known as Litzmannstadt during the Nazi reign -, one of the
considerable length in AVOTAVNU, Vol.v, NO.4 most terrible chapters of Jewish history will be highlighted in
.. . .
an exhibition at the Frankfurt Jewish Museum, begimlng on
March 29, 1990.
For a long period of time the origin of these slides consti­
"KOl BINA", Vol.VII, No.2, bullelin of Congregation BINA, an
tuted a great puzzle. Numerous other documents of daily 1.1fe
organization of Jews from India who sellied in the USA, has
in the Ghetto had existed al~eady for some time: offic141 CIld
been received by our society recenll'y and will add to our
secret photographs, documenting the horrific Period, where
collection of international news bu1l1etins.
between 1940 and 1944 approximately 160,000 Jews lived
.. .. . and died. However, these newly-found slides represent the
only colour photographs of that period. Two years ago they
Alan Simons, an 18th generation descendant who can surfaced at a second-hand book dealer in Vienna who offered
trace his family back to 1581, reports that the tri-annual them to the Austrian publishers Lokker, a company tMt
International Family Gathering of the GELERNTER Family concentrates on this particular subject matter. The Frankfurt
(SHEM TOV. VoI.IV. NO .2) will take place in Toronto from Jewish Museum in tum purchased the slides during a book
June 27. to July 1. 1990. fair.
.. .. tf Mr. Hanno Loewy, curator of the museum, regards the find
as "sensational·', being the only coloured slides of the Ghetto
in the world. Colour photography only beg«l to be practical in
Who knows one...? 1936, but was not used for print and publications. Viennese
historians began with painstaking detective work to estGblith
Four issues of SHEM TOV,
the authenticity of the s1.1des. Alas, they w.... indeed, with
part of a one-year membership in the
few exceptions, taken in the Lodz Ghetto. They cover the
Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto,
entire time span of the Ghetto, the second largest in occupied
make a splendid gift to a friend..1
Poland, and were obviously made with official sanctions. The
evidence, partioJly enriched by sometimes cynical ~itten
remarks on the margins of the slides, pointed to CI
.. .. ..
photographer in the circle of the administration, a man never
mentioned on the slides but often seen in the photographs:
"The Unbroken Chain" by Dr. Neil Rosenstein has just been
Walter Genewein of Salzburg was the then head of book­
published In its _second edition. containing additional material.
keeping in the Ghetto, an amateur. Incredible further
The 2-volumes are available for $69.95, plus $8.00 postage
evidence as to the authorship was then gathered in the Stat.
and handling from:
Archives in Lodz where Genewein's letters were found, in
The Computer Centre for Jewish Genealogy. 654 Westfield
which he complained to the AGFA Co. about the colo«
Avenue. Elizabeth. NJ . 07208. USA.
inconsistencies of the slides... Concrete confirmation came
.. . .
when contact was made with Genewein's widow who had long
been divorced from her husband before he died in 1972. No
Synagogue in Germany's 'no-man's land answer has yet been found as to how these slides came in the
Asynagogue, a wen kept cemetery and a mikvah were re­ possession of the second-hand book dealer.
cently discovered in the village of Berkath near Erfurt. The The slides document in detail scenes of life in the Ghetto:
area was, from the time of the erection of the Berlin Wall one shows Rumkowski, the Jewish elder in charge of factories
until the dramatic changes in East Germany, Q 'death strip', and works, on a horse-drawn vehicle on the cobble stone
preventing citizens to escape across the German/German pavement. Hated by many of his fenow Jews, branded as
border. collaborator by others, yet by his own motto "Our sol.
The cemetery contains 140 graves; the synagogue was last salvation is work", hoping that perhaps some of those
used as a warehouse and another building nearby has been imprisoned here might be spared in the long run. There are
identified as having been a former Jewish school. The scenes of the departing trains to Chelmo, mountains of
president of the Jewish community of ThUringen, Raphael clothes, starving children at work, arriving deport... from
Scharf-Katz, expressed the hope that the area will be pre­ the Reich, among them 10,000 Jews from Frankfurt,+1ain.
served as a museum. One sees slides of the demolished Synagogue, outdated fire
AUFBAU, Jan. 19, 1990 engines and scenes of a trial. The subtitle on one of the
tf tf tf
slides says"Jewish bath", bearing a gruesome resemblance to
those showers in the concentration camps.
"I was ever of opinion, that the honest man who married and This exhibition has many items on loan from Lodz,
brought up a large family. did more service than he who Warsaw, Jerusalem and private sources, itemtt such as
continued single and only talked of population .· odginal notes, printing presses and photo albums and bears
Oliver Goldsmith the title: "Unser einziger Weg ist Arbeit" ("Our sole salvation
1728-1774 is Work"),

SHEM TOY Volume VI - No.1 March 1990 I

 The Holocaust and Jewish
Genealogy
By Dr. Rolf Lederer
(Based on a talk given to the Jewish Genealogical Sociely of
Toronto. October 25. 1969)
We are all survivors. Even if we are forlunate to have
been spared the horrors. deprivations. degradations and
humntalions of the concentration camps, the events of the
Holocaust affected or altered the lives of the Jewish people.
and continues to affecl our lives loday.
Recently my own research has lead me to a book tilled
'Hi~lory of Gladonbach'. deaUng with tho hi~tory of the town
of my ancestors but also containing pertinent Information on
the Holocaust era. Numerous towns and cities in Germany in
particular have gone to great length in recent years to
document their own involvement during this period in history
and much of genealogical value can be gleaned from these
sources. In general it can be said that overseas' archives or
city hall officials are more than helpful in supplying material
of this kind to an inquiring genealogist.
Holocaust centre's two volumes stir

As far as genealogy is concerned. the paramount myth to vivid Images

be dispelled is the nolion that -records and documents dealing By Elaine Kahn

with the years of the Holocaust were destroyed because of

(CII1It11In Jewish News. February 26. 1990)

the destruction in Europe during WWW.This Is not so.

Many. If not most. vital statistic records were saved and In New York in December. I heard author Anne Roiphe say
are preserved to the present. and in many instances are ac­ that writers wrote for revenge. absolution and to feel like
cessible. With the advent of glasnost. hopefully more they exist.
records will be available to.researchers. I know I enjoy the feedback from readers that confirms
The second myth is that relatives 10st' in the Holocausl my existence. And it's fun. in a way. lo have people tell me
clMOl be traced. Regrettably. the vast majority did in fact they know all about me. even when all they know is whal
succumb. but over the years. a small minority have been re­ they read here which. quile properly, does nollel1 il all.
unUM with their families. Still, il is often lhe most personal moments that propel
The fate of individuals who perished in the Holocaust may me quickesl to my word processor. Sometimes I don't turn on
be obtained from the International Red Cross. Tracing the switch. It has taken me a week to decide to share the
Service, 0-3546 AROLSEN, Wesl Germany. fotlowing story.
Relationship to the person being traced must be stated, On Jan. 15. four days after reading about reading it in the
and as much information as possible should be provided (a Clnldiln .i8wish News, I kept a very special appointment at
person's birth dale. place of birth. last known address. etc.) Toronto's Holocausl Remembrance Centre to pore over a
A form from the tracing service requires these particulars newly donaled two-volume work. published by the West
on each person being traced. Illakes from 12 to 18 months German government. listing over 128.000 German Jews who
for the informaUon to be processed and the details can be were killed by the Nazis or who killed themselves rather than
gory and gruesome. I have obtained information on ca. 30 be deported.
members of my immediate family from this service. Those names fill 2,000 pages. Looking at the books. I
Vad Vashem, 'Pages of Testimony Dept.. P.O. Box 3477. could not conceive of a list of six million.
Jerusalem. Israel. maintains records on ca. 3 million When two hours had passed, I had found all but two of the
Holocausl victims. This instilution seeks testimony from almost three dozen relatives and family friends on my list
survivors and from surviving relatives. A 'Page of and my grandmother·s. ranging from toddlers to seniors. It
Testimony' should be fiUed out on all known victims. Vad was lime for my next appointment and I had to go. but it was
Vashem will search their records If requested to do so. very difficult. I didn't want lo leave those lists. didn't want
In 1986 the West-German Government (Bundesarchiv to leave the people listed.
Koblenz) published the 2-volume 'Gedenkbuch' (Memorial A name in print is very powerful.
book), (SHEM TOV VoI.V. No.2). The correlation between The books list people's names. the places they were de­
this work and the information available from the Red Cross ported from. and where they were deported to or where they
becomes apparent. though the latler is much more detailed. died. I found only a few of those psychologically necessary
Copies of the 'Gedenkbuch' are in the coUection of the JGS of dates of death, found mainly only where my people were
Toronto at the North York Public Library - Canadiana deported to.
Section. In the Robarts Library. University of Toronto as I'd spent the weekend psyching myself for my appoint­
well as al the Holocaust Centre at the JCC. ment with those lists. The antiCipation was sad. but mitigated
The other major source of information dealing with the by the sought of those death dates and the fuller. somehow
Holocaust and events leading up to this event are the several beUer. mourning they would bring.
hundred 'Vlzkor books' available, - a large number of which Instead, I was brought greater knowledge of the road lo
Ire in the Robarts Library of the University of Toronto. death. but no obliteration of the unhealthy fantasy that
Collections are also maintained by Vad Vashem. VIVO (N.V. somehow they escaped. that some of the younger ones will
City). and by the Library of Congress. Washington D.C .• who even show up one day.
have about a dozen volumes not housed anywhere else. The Still. the lists. and my grandmother's slories when I
Albert J. Latner Jewish Public Library in Toronto has a small related whall'd found. have rounded oul these relat'ives and
cOllecuon or ca. :so Ylzkor books and several locations friends. made me realJy try to vividly imagine their lives
throughout North America have collections. ('SEARCH' 1987. and living deaths. It woke me up from the hiatus from the
Vo1.7, No. 1). Holocaust books and films that I had not quite consciously
4 SIIEM TOV Volume VI - No.1 March 1990
 begun several years ago, unwillingly to face the images for a
white.
Now I sit and, nnally knowjng my father's first cousin
Ruth was sent to Auschwitz, I picture her in every horrible
story I've seen or read of young women in that place.
One of the family friends I looked for died in Maidanek at
age 15. Now all teenage boys I see in Holocaust films will for
me be named Martin, like him. All the old ladies will be my
great-great-great-aunt Johanna. dead in Theresienstadt at
age 80.
The closest relatives I lost were lwo great-aunts and two
great-uncles. From there, it gets more attenuated. Perhaps it
is a fair question to ask why. then. I care so much.
I care because I've been robbed.
And because my father and grandparents were robbed.
And because I canl do anything else.
Book Review
Jewish Woman Council House. Holy Blossom Temple and New
Biography of the Jews of WOnburg
Israel Yeshiva; a full page describing the T.J.C. (Toronlo
This book represents a unique project. "Biographic
handbook of the Jews of W'Urzburg 1900-19~5", researched
over many years by Rainer Strotz, is published by Schonig­
Verlag in WUrzburg. The introduction is by the WUrzburg­
born Prof. Or. Herbert Strauss who heads the 'Centre for
Research into Antisemitism' in Berlin, and who was the
initiator of this work.
In contrast to many other memorial books this 2-vol ume
work, published in German, is not restricted to the years of
the 'Third Reich' and its gruels. According to Prof. Strauss
"the aim was to show the Jewish community in its normality".
He feels that the German Jews of the Weimar Republic lead a
content life.
Before 1933 an estimated 2500 Jews lived in WUrzburg,
the fourth-largest Jewish community in Bavaria. Anyone
who had ever lived in the city longer than three years has
been included in this work; a total of 10,000 persons was
recorded, 3500 of them in lengthier entries. Members of the
former Jewish communHy are not simply listed alphabetically;
by cross-referencing parents, children and siblings, as well as
business partners and employers, an attempt was made to
uncover the social and economical threads by which the
Jewish community was interconnected and thus seemingly
connected solidly to the life of the city.
This research project, accomplished through numerous
conversations and the collection of questionnaires, letters and
files makes for fascinating reading.
AUFBAU,Feb.2,1990
"GERMANS TO AMERICA, lists of Passengers Arriving
at U.S, PortsN. a series of books covering the period 1859­
1890. Edited by Ira A. Glazer and William Filby.
Chronologically arranged by each ship's arrival, giving name
of ship. port of departure, port and date of arrival. and
complete list of passengers; with name index. 1850-1855:
9 volumes available now; current plans call for the release
of 4-6 new volumes each year.
- Scholarly Resources Inc" 104 Greenhil1 Avenue,
Wilmington, DE 19805-1897, USA: C3(2) 654-7713
SHEM TOV Volume VI - No.1
Ontario Jewish Resource Directory
This nifty booklet of approximately 130 pages was re­
cently published by the Canadian Jewish Congress (C.J.C'),
Ontario region. It presents a Kaleidoscope of Jewish life in
the Canadian province of Ckltario, at the beginning of the
t 990's . Naturally. about 100 pages are devoted to Toronto.
with the remainder containing entries for 29 other
communities. mostly single insertions (e .g.Barrie.
Brantford. Owen Sound etc.) and more material for the
larger communities of Hamilton. Kingston. Kltchener. London.
Ottawa. St. Catharines and Windsor.
The Toronto section has. according to the index. 14 broad
categories, but this is deceptive. since • 14 is a one-page
order form for the booklet and appears after the index for
the entire work. Following the order form on page 123 are
several non-paginated items, including photographs of Beth
Abraham Yosef of Toronto Congregation, Nalional Counei1 of
Jewish Congress) Endowment Fund; a ten-year calendar of
Jewish Holidays (t 990-1999). starting unconventionally
with Pesach (Pass~ver) April 10, 1990 and ending with
Sukkol (the 9th day of Tabernacles), Sunday October 3,
1999.The back page lists the dates for Purim and Chanukah
for the same decade.
The directory lists the myriad of organizations which
comprise the Toronlo Jewish Community, and in many in­
stances explains the composition and formal. Addresses and
phone numbers are Ifberally supplied. The work of the
Canadian Jewish Congress (Ontario Region) with its con­
stituent Committees is described in detail. . Other organi­
zations such as the Council of Jewish Federations, National
Budgeting Conference. Jewish Women's federation and
Toronto Jewish Congress are also adequately dealt with.
Social Service organizations, e.g. Jewish Communi tv Centre
of Toronto, Jewish Vocational Services among others are
also given ample coverage. The usual listing of Synagogues,
Jewish Schools. Restaurants. Camp and Youth activities is
provided. A list of Mohalim and Mikvaot is given, as well as
information on the Beth Din.
or specific interest to genealogists is a comprehensive
list of Landsmanshfln - Folk Groups - Societies, as well as
Fraternal Organizations (p.47-51). including addresses and
phone numbers. There is a wedding photograph on p.7 of
Leah and Abraham Cornfield, Toronto 1909 from the CJC and
TJC Archives, (related to anyone in Sacramento. CA or
Little Rock, AK?). Funeral Homes and Cemeteries are listed
on p.95.
The oldest Jewish cemetery in Toronto on Pape Ave. is
not mentioned, and alas and alack. neither does the Jewish
Genealogical Society of Toronto appear yet!
This publication (ISBN 0-9691264-5-X). edited by Edmund
Y. Lipsitz (with an introduction by Dr. Stephen Spelsman,
Archivist, CJC and TJC) may be obtained from Canadian
Jewish Congress. Ontario Region. 4600 Bathurst St.. ,
Willowdale, Onl. M2R 3V2, CANADA, ($4,95 + $2.00
postage and handling! - special price for orders over 100).
- Dr: R()!f L~d~r~r
I
 Onomastic:
Since we are here obviously dealinQ with a misprint or
( ...adj. [Greek: onomastikos. of naming]: "of or pertaining to,
clerical error Mr. Mark.reich·s assumption as to the correct
I

form of the name BONWITT is bound to be wrong. An excerpt

or consisting of, names or a name." - LLIEBSTER'S New
Collegiate Dictionary.)
Fascinating reading and essential to Jewish genealogy ...
This is the first in a new series of columns, - retrieved, with one T. I am unable to explain how the name came to be
correlated and translated from this veritable mine of in­
formation: "Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft fUr Judische
FamiIienforschung". Though more than six decades have
passed since a group of dedicated scholars in Berlin, headed lists contain a mistake.
by Dr. A. Czellitzer, began the study of genealogy in all
earnest. - there is essentially nothing new in our quest - we Hannover has been misprinted as ROSMAN BEHREND, his
still search for the origin and meaning of our names, the
answers may only sometimes be forgotten ...
Throughout the fourteen years of that quarterly publica­
tion, members were invited to submit questions and an­
swers. and as we may see from time to time, - the published
answers were enlightening. though occasionally confusing and
not alway~ totally satisfactory ...
Q.jesUon Nr. 9. Vo!. I. No.2. 1924.
"Request information about the origin and meaning of the
name BONWITT. The family lived for 200 years in Rodenberg
on the Deister. The name has most likely been used as a first
name in earlier times.
Berthold Bonwilt
Berlin, Prager Str. 32
Answer Nr. 1. Vol. I. No.3
In the 11th century there was a French Rabbi Joseph Tov
Elem = Gutkind. known in French as BONFILS. Hence the
derivation BONVET, BONWIT and BONWtTT.
M. Weigersheirner
Schweinfurl
from the birth register of the community of Rodenberg. in
my possession, authenticates the birth of my father on the
12th of September 1832 with the name BONWIT, here spelled
spelled with a double T though. In any case, since the form
BONWITT did exist officially long before the issuance of the
above mentioned Subscription Lists it seems clear that the
(InCidentally, the name of the agent for the printers in
name should read KOSMAN BEHREND!)
Berthold Bonwitt
Berlin. Prager Str. 32
In search of...
SHEM TOV's search column in which readers may advertise
their personal field of research in terms of names and
localities of families they are seeking. thus discovering others
in pursuit of similar or identical families.
A search ad in which you can list surnames, towns. geo­
graphic areas and other personal information may contain up
to 25 words at a cost of $ 5.00. each' additional word will be
charged at $ 0.25; abbreviations will be counted as words.
Your own name. address and Tel. No. are free of course.
Please submit your entry printed or typed, showing all
SURNAMES underlined in CAPITAL LETTERS
Cheques are payab'e to: Jewish Genealogical Society of
Toronto. P.O.Box 446. Station 'A·, Willowdale/Ontario, M2N
5T1. Canada.

Answer Nr. 2. VoL I. No.3 As a courtesy to others we strongly suggest to reDly to any
BONWITT or BONFED occurs oflen as companion name to written inquiry. even if not able to assist.
Benjamin or Samuel. Zunz sees a derivation from the
Portuguese F~ ::r fidelity, faith; thus close to the meaning of W-1/sp90

Benjamin. Others see a connection to BON (EN) FANT. More WAINSTEIM, Zv; V.

probable seems BONVIT = BONA VITA = Chayim tovim = good 48 Greyhound Drive,

life. W'illowdale, Ont., M2H 1K3

Rabbi Dr. Freudenthal (416) 494-6176

Nurnberg
Answer Nr. 3. vol. III. No.2
Regarding BONWITT in issue Vol. I. No.2. I feel compelled
to say that the postulation as to the Spanish derivation seems
to be wrong, despite the similarity in the sounding of
BONWITT and BONFED. 80 years ago the family name was
quite different: BONEWITZI I gathered this after perusing the
Subscription Lists of the Royal Bookprinters E.A. Telgener.
Hannover, when publishing the Pentateuch in the year 5603.
The above mentioned name is listed under the lown of
Rodenberg. the home town of the BONWITT family.
Max Markreich
Bremen
Answer Nr. 4
I refer to Mr. Markreich's statement pertaining Lo the
name BONWITT. and his explanation relating to the said
SubscrlpUon Usts.
8 SHEM TOY Volume VI - No.1 March 1990
...Seeking information on descendants of Zvi Weinstein,
married to Maika (maiden name: Reichman), brother of Duvid
Alie, Golda & Mincho Heinech. father of Sara Miriam, Shimon
Nisen, Vankov Shier. Esther & Feige (twins) and Majer
Nuchem. They lived in Poland, in Slupcy (Slupca), Province
of Poznan until the secon~ World War.
S-1/sp90
STARKMAN, Betty
1260 Stuyvessant Road
Birmingham, MI. 48010
(313) 646-0332
...Seeking information about Sefer Torah written before
1898, by Rabbi ISSACHAR YOLLES in Brzozdowce, Lwow,
Galicia. Sold to Mr. Ben-Zion in Brzozdowce. Ben-Zion
brought Torah to New York - Philadelphia and completed.
 Computerized Family Tree
By Howard Shidlowsld
( - The second in a series of artic1es on computers and ge­
nealogy by H. Shidlowsld; the following concentrates on
alternative ways lo record family data.)
You have a computer loaded with your favorite pro­
grammes - a word processor, a spreadsheet, a few games
and some utilities. Possibly a genealogy programme. Now you
need some way to produce a genealogical chart that looks like
a tree. Not one of those ancestor charts that go on for pages
and you canl follow past four generations. The pedigree
charts from the genealogy programme are clear, but you
want something that shows sibHngs, other spouses and in­
laws. No problem at all. .. In fact. you have two choices: your
word processor or your spreadsheet programme.
Let's say that you want a simple family tree. just name.
sex and marriages. No dales or place names. since you have
thal information stored somewhere else. Each page must fit
on a standard 8 x 11 inch page. Oecide on the symbols you
will use and create a page to display them. While some
symbols such as "M" or ifF" are easy to understand. a "II" to
indicate unknown sex, or a "?" for still born are more likely
to be misinterpreted. A simple one-page guide is easy to
maintain and should be included when you send copies of the
tree to family members.
Word processors.
You can do each page as you would do a letter. Create a
new file for the page and just start typing away. sdjusting
the spacing and layout on the page as you go along. When you
are happy with the format. save the file and use it as a guide
for the next one. A somewhat easier approach is to not enter
any names on the page, merely mark the spaces where
information should be entered. Saving this file means you
just read in this file or make a copy of it and fill in the
blanks. How you mark the spaces is of course entirely up to
you. You may want to use boxes, since this is easy to read
and gives a clean. neat chart. You could use a number of
small files, each holding a single template. For example, one
template would be for a person with a single marriage, one
for a person with two marriages, one for two children. one
for four children, etc. If your word processor supports
saved macros and you can figure them out. you will probably
want to use them instead of files of templates.
Spreadsheet programmes
Spreadsheet programmes also use templates. storing text
or numbers in the "cells" of the spreadsheet. Try a template
of twelve columns. each eleven characters wide. giving 132
characters across. A standard sheet of paper holds 60 rows.
If you use six rows per generation. you can fit ten
generations on a single page!
For a test enter your given name in C40 (row 40. column
C) and your family name in C41. leaving space for three
generations below you and six above you. Enter eleven
dashes in cell 040, your spouse's first name in cell. E40 and
family name in E41. Enter five spaces on either side of a
vertical line in cell 041. 042, 044. 045. Enter 047
respectively. For your second chUd, copy cells
C43 through C47 to 043 through 047. Correct the first
SHEM TOY Volume VI - No.1
name in 046 and modify cells C43 and 043 to inc1ude dashes
to connect you to both your chi Idren. To add a ~pou,e of the
first child. insert a new column between C and 0 and enter
the spouse just as you did for your own spouse . You wi11
probably want to define a set of macros to make entry
easier.
You can start at any point of the template. moving UP.
down and sideways to add family members. As your family
spreads out beyond the Hmits of the template section. just
call up the template. rename it in sequence and continue to
add individuals. Sections can be added forward or backward.
The lines connecting the sections are part of the template so
relationships are clear. You can also link trees by linking
spreadsheets or place a note in a cell directing the reader to
the correct tree. Rows and columns can be inserted to
accommodate new additions with no trouble and there is
virtually no limit on the size to which your family tree can
grow. A programme to print the spreadsheet sideways will
guarantee that the tree fits on a page, -just be sure that you
print them in order.
If you wish. you could use a form generator package .
However. few people have them. On the other hand. word
processors and spreadsheets are common programmes. If
you aod your relatives use the same programme. you only
have to tell them what formal you used. Otherwise plain text
\)ulput (ASCII) should cover most cases.
Whichever programme you use. updates are relatively
easy to do. Just type over the old information. This may
involve renumbering which can be quite extensive and lime
consuming. but no worse than doing so on paper. (Of course.
whether you use a spreadsheet programme or a word
processor. remember lo back up your work on a regular
basis.)
••••
BIAS to the help
By Peler Cullman
When I reported previously with great confidence that
there is indeed a future in the past. my optimism didn't go
far enough... Today I can say with a fa'ir amount of satis­
faction that there is also a NpresentN in the pastl
Lale last year. when most of my detective work was done
I had reached a stalemate in my quest of finding yel another
second cousin in the melee of Jews who had found refuge in
the USA a half a century ago; I once again sought the help of
HIAS. (Hebrew Imigrant Aid Society) .
The very day my wife and I were to leave for N.Y. to
meet numerous newly-found relatives, I received a letter
from HIAS. informing me that my cousin is well and living in
New York since 1938!
It took my cousin only four days to spot the HIAS search
ad. My search for her had begun four years agol ...
•••
In our next issue:
-"y return to • Lith••••• S..tetl·~ a moving account
of Mr. Mendel Kaplan's 1989 vlsillo Lithuania on behalf of
the World Jewish Congress and Jewish Agency.
March 1990 7
 SHEM TOY, the Quarterly newsletter, published by the The officers of the Society are:
Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto. is free to mem­ President: DR . ROLF LEDERER 922-5134
bers; single and back issues cost $4.00 . Membership fees Corresponding Secrelary : SELMA SACROB 223-0192
are $25.00 per calendar year. The Society was founded in Recording Secretary: SHERYL ERENBERG 482-3730
1985 and currently has over 50 members. Meetings are Membership Secretary: ZELLA GORDON 482-0455
held September to June. usually on the last Wednesday of Treasurer: ZELLA GORDON 482-0455
each month at 7:30 p.m. at Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue, Library: KAlLA CRAMER 731-5790
470 Glencairn Avenue. Toronto; notices of meetings are Editor: PETER CULLMAN 964-2196
also announced in the Canl1liian Jewish News (Miriam Hon. Life President: RAYZEL ROBINSON
Herman Column). Guests are always welcome.
The goals of the Society are to promote an awareness If you wish to submit an article for the summer issue of
among the Jewish community of the possibility of tracing SHEM TOY. please send typewritten material to the edi­
their ancestors, to foster an ongoing interest in our her­ tor: PETER CULLMAN. 99 Yorkville Ave.. Toronto/Ont..
ilage, to encourage the sharing of research techniques and M5R 3K5. Canada. Tel. (416) 964-2196.
to disseminate information on Jewish genealogical re­
search to family historians and professional genealogists Oeadline.· tkJ.y 3,,7, 1990
alike. Contributors to this issue were :
SHEt1 TOY is dedicated to publish articles of personal Elaine Kahn. Rolf Lederer. Howard Shidlowski. P. Cullman.
research experiences. inform its members of new and
tried pertinent research sources and act as part of a For subscriptions. membership or changes of address
growing international network for experienced family please conlact the secretary. SELMA SACROB. P.O. Box
historians and beginning genealogists. 446, Station 'A', Wi11owdale/Ontario. M2N 5T 1. Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publishers. All unsolicited
manuscripts will only be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. All manuscripts and photographs
will be handled with responsible care, however the publishers assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited material.
Views and opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of SHEff TOV or
the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto . Copyright ~ 1990 SHEtI TOV and Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto.
ISSN 0843-6924. All rights reserved.

Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto

P.O. Box 446, Station 'A'
\Villowdale, Ontario
M2N 5Tl
CANADA

8 SHEM TOY Volume VI - No.1 March 1990