THE LIFE AND AND TIMES OF CONGREGATION KESHER ISRAEL

The Story of the Synagogue at 4th & Lombard Streets, Philadelphia and its surrounding neighborhood

A New Book by

Harry D. Boonin

JGSGP Founding President

South Street's "Old Curb Market'" ca. 1930

Book is 190 pages with 80 new black & white photos in soft cover

Price is $29.95 plus tax and shipping

Book now available

Order Now

Click here for brochure and Order Form

Steve Bouloff

David Brill

Bernard Cedar

Al First

Joan Gross

Helen Gusoff

Martin Gusoff

Ruth Kurschner

Michael Levin

David Mink

Tracey Rich

Joan Rosen

Steve Schecter

Harold Waitsman  

Dear Members:

The Rosenbaum Bank Passenger Order Records Database can be found at: http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/USA/PhilaRosenbaum.htm.

In the port cities on the east coast of the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th century, there were "ethnic" or "immigrant" banks - commercial enterprises where recent immigrants could save money and arrange to purchase steamship tickets to bring their families to the U.S.

Today, the record books of three of these banks are housed at the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center (PJAC).  In addition to information about the immigrant, these records usually contain the name and address of the person who paid for the tickets, the port of entry (usually, but not always, Philadelphia), and intended final destination (again, not necessarily Philadelphia).

Through the collaboration of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center, and JewishGen, the records of the Rosenbaum Bank have been indexed. This database contains information on 82,979 passengers for whom tickets were purchased between 1890 and 1934.

Thanks to JGSGP members and volunteers Selma Neubauer (the Project Leader), Eileen Bobman, Al First, Joan Gross, Harriet Kasow, David Mink, Joan Rosen, and Steve Schecter.

JewishGen is very pleased to announce that JewishGen.org, the premier resource for Jewish genealogy, and Ancestry.com, the largest online resource for family history information, have entered into a cooperative agreement.

Basics of the agreement:
  * JewishGen will make some of its databases available on the Ancestry website.
  * Ancestry will provide hardware and network support for the JewishGen website.

Benefits of the agreement:
 * JewishGen will be able to provide more robust and functional resources to genealogists throughout the world.
 * Specific and immediate improvements will be seen in the speed of the JewishGen website, along with greater accessibility when searching databases.
 * More people will be exposed to Jewish genealogy and have access to a greater range of resources to assist in researching family history.
 * JewishGen’s comprehensive records and information, contributed by volunteers from around the world, will continue to remain freely available on JewishGen.org.

Details of the agreement:
 * JewishGen remains an independent non-profit organization, affiliated with the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.
 * There will be no change to the JewishGen management team, structure or affiliation with the museum.
 * This new agreement, combined with the generosity of our donors throughout the world, will allow us to continue offering all of JewishGen’s extensive resources for no charge.
 * All of the JewishGen data licensed to Ancestry will be freely available on the Ancestry.com website without charge.
 * Privacy of personal information for JewishGen users is of key importance to us.  Information about JewishGen registrants will *not* be shared.
 * Personal information stored on JewishGen, such as data in the JewishGen Family Finder (JGFF) and the Family Tree of the Jewish People (FTJP), will *not* be shared with Ancestry.
 * JewishGen will continue to independently administer the JewishGen website, mailing lists and affiliates.
 * There will be no changes to the content of the JewishGen website, or any of JewishGen's programs or mailing lists. JewishGen remains an independent non-profit organization.

Further information, including Ancestry's press release, is available at the JewishGen blog.

A FactSheet about the agreement is being prepared. We welcome your questions and concerns.  *All* questions will be answered on the JewishGen blog.

Warren Blatt
Managing Director, JewishGen

(R to L) David Marwell, Director of Museum of Jewish Heritage;

Warren Blatt, JewishGen Managing Director; Michael Tobias, JewishGen V.P.

announce and explain deal with Ancestry.com