International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies
www.iajgs.org
Dear Synagogue Trustees,
The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), in partnership with JewishGen, has launched the Worldwide Memorial Plaques Indexing Challenge. The goal of the Memorial Plaques Indexing Challenge event is to preserve Jewish ancestral records and create a valuable source of local data for researchers and family members worldwide.
The IAJGS sponsors the annual International Jewish Genealogy Month (IJGM), which will take place this year between October 25th and November 22nd; corresponding to the Hebrew month of Cheshvan. This year, our chosen project for IJGM is to add tens of thousands of new entries to JewishGen’s Memorial Plaques Database, which collects information from memorial plaques found in synagogues throughout the world. Our goal is to recruit 5,775 volunteers to photograph Yahrzeit plaques from synagogues and collections worldwide.
JewishGen, a non-profit organization, began this database last year, and they have already added nearly 60,000 records from Synagogues throughout the United States, Canada, Israel and Morocco. The records can be accessed at no charge at: http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/memorial/
Please help the Memorial Plaques Indexing Challenge collect and preserve this data invaluable to discovering Jewish family history. We would like permission to visit your synagogue to take pictures of any Memorial Plaques you might have.
Once we have finished taking the pictures, the data will transcribed and submitted to JewishGen, who will make sure to give your Synagogue full credit, along with any other information about your Synagogue that you feel would be noteworthy.
To give you a sense of why this project is so important, please consider this:
1. Permanency. JewishGen is the premier online resource for Jewish genealogy. Thousands of people search its collections every day, and this database will serve as a permanent repository for memorial records for current and future generations to use.
2. Genealogical Information. Many of the plaques contain Hebrew patronymic names, the deceased and their father’s name. This information is very important to those researching their Jewish ancestors because it documents a link between two generations. That parental link may provide a clue to help a researcher trace their ancestors back to another country.
3. It’s a Mitzvah. Plain and simple, it's a mitzvah. In the figurative sense, it offers help to those who are concerned with preserving their Jewish past. Exodus 20:12 says, "Honor thy father and thy mother...", and Jewish tradition offers loving guidance through deepest grief and a gradual return to the living, through the mitzvot of comforting mourners and providing dignity to the deceased.
4. An Online Source for Yahrzeit Dates. Hebrew dates of death can be used for Yahrzeit observances. This database will make it easier for relatives to access Yahrzeit dates whether they are travelling or living throughout the world.
Some Other Points to Consider
1. Free and Available to All. JewishGen, the IAJGS or its members, or individuals participating in the Memorial Plaques Indexing Challenge will never charge anyone to use this database. Our interest is to provide useful information to those seeking their Jewish ancestors. The information will be available to anyone with an internet connection.
2. Paper to Digital Conversion Assistance. Once we complete the transcription, I/We would be glad to give you a copy of the records, which you can use internally to help find information on site.
3. Ownership of the Information. JewishGen, the IAJGS or its members, or individuals participating in the Memorial Plaques Indexing Challenge will use the information from the plaques on a non-exclusive basis. This means that your Synagogue will always maintain ownership of the data,
4. Privacy. JewishGen will not include information pertaining to living relatives that could impinge on someone’s privacy.
I/We would like to visit the synagogue on xxxxxxxxxxx 2014 to take the pictures, and I/we would greatly appreciate if someone could please let me know if I/we have your permission to do so. We will ask for your written authorization to make the memorial data accessible (see attached form.)
Thank you in advance for your consideration. I/We look forward to hearing from you.
[Name(s) of person(s) making the request]
[Contact Info for Person(s) (email and phone number)]
[Name of Organization being represented – e.g. JGS of Long Island]
[Website of organization]
attach:
Flyer
Donor Agreement Form
Press Release