JewishGen Merges with the Museum of Jewish Heritage The following is a joint announcement from JewishGen and the Museum of Jewish Heritage: (New York, NY) - Effective January 1, 2003, JewishGen, a world renowned Jewish Genealogy website, will become a division of the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City. The Boards of the Museum and JewishGen approved the plan in December. An Internet pioneer, JewishGen was founded in 1987 by Susan E. King and has grown from a bulletin board with only 150 users to a major grass roots effort, bringing together hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide in a virtual community centered on discovering Jewish ancestral roots and history. On JewishGen, researchers share genealogical information, techniques, and case studies. With a growing database of more than seven million records, including some material from previous centuries, the website is a forum for the exchange of information about Jewish life and family history and has enabled thousands of families to connect and re-connect in a way never before possible. "For many Jews, knowledge of their family history perished in the Holocaust; JewishGen fills in the missing pieces of the puzzle," said Dr. David G. Marwell, Museum Director. "Our Museum allows visitors to identify with the themes of 20th century Jewish history and has helped our public to identify with Holocaust survivors and opened new doors of understanding. With JewishGen, we will be able to take our message worldwide." "Genealogy research is much more than just searching for names, dates, and places," said Susan King, founder of JewishGen. "It is vitally important that researchers also understand the details of Jewish heritage and history; the Museum provides context for the lives being researched. That's what makes this relationship so exciting. Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will also allow us to professionalize what has been an all-volunteer effort." Ms. King, who will report to Dr. Marwell, will be the Managing Director of JewishGen and will remain in Houston, where JewishGen is based. Among JewishGen's features are the Family Tree of the Jewish People, containing data on more than two million people; the Yizkor Book Project, an ongoing effort to translate memorial books which contain previously inaccessible information on the fate of Jewish communities and their inhabitants affected by the Holocaust; and the Holocaust Global Registry, a central database of and for Holocaust survivors and their families. The Holocaust Global Registry is already responsible for re-connecting several families after more than 60 years of separation. The Museum is located on the waterfront of Lower Manhattan in Battery Park City. The Museum's core exhibition is organized around three themes: Jewish Life a Century Ago, The War Against the Jews, and Jewish Renewal. With more than 2,000 photographs, 800 artifacts, and 24 original documentary films on display, the Museum uses personal stories and artifacts to present 20th century Jewish history and the Holocaust in a context of universal truths that speak to people of all ages and backgrounds. The Museum is in the middle of an 82,000-square-foot construction project that will contain a theater, classrooms, and special exhibition space, among other facilities. The East Wing, set to open in fall 2003, will enhance the Museum's mission of remembrance and education. Sally Rolls Pavia Sun City, AZ [email protected] List Owner: [email protected] "Without genealogy, the study of history is lifeless." All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus 2002 .