Helen Bersten, Archivist for the Australian Jewish Historical Society will be the guest speaker at the first Hawkesbury Family History Group meeting for 2003. Helen will be looking at the History of Jews in Australia, concentrating on the Sydney & NSW community. Jewish convicts arrived on the First Fleet in 1788, with some serving time as indentured labour in the Windsor area. The first free settlers arrived from 1828 & the Sydney community was established in the early 1830s. With boom times some moved to country areas squatting on the land and others became merchants in country towns while maintaining their membership of the Sydney synagogue. Many suffered financially in the depressions of the 19th century. Communities were established in other capital cities & country towns throughout the 19th century with arrivals from England & Europe during the gold rush & periods of unrest in the late 19th century. As well as the overview Helen will look at sources to use for undertaking research. The meeting will take place on Wednesday 12th February 2003 at 10am in the Tebbutt Room of Windsor Library, Dight Street. Anyone interested in family and local history is welcome to attend and there is no fee. Contact mnichols@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au for further details. _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral