Hebrew and Yiddish Newspaper Lists
¹
A valuable genealogical source, particularly for Eastern European
families is to be found in the three major Hebrew newspapers which were
distributed in the Russian empire from the mid-nineteenth century. Whilst
there were other newspapers and journals which appeared from time to time,
those which are of most use in genealogical research were Hamelitz
(1860-1904), Hamaggid (1856-1903), and Hatsefirah (1862-1931).
The information available in these sources captures a vivid cross section of
Jewish life and is a treasury of material for the genealogist.
In Jerusalem in the “Old Yishuv” (F2)
appeared a number of
newspapers which provide rabbinical information such as Halevanon for
which Yad Ben Tsvi prepared an index. For the period of the new
settlement of Israel useful newspapers are Hator, Hahed, Hayesod,
Hatsofeh, Shearim, Hamodiah and Yeted Neeman. Important Galician
newspapers were Makhzikei Hadaat (1879-1912) and Hamitzpeh
(1894-1921). (F3)
Research in these newspapers is a painstaking task as material is
generally unclassified. Some bound collections may include periodic indices
by town or major personalities. Otherwise one has to peruse every page in
the hope of finding material relative to one’s research. Several
newspapers ran regular articles which carried reports from particular
communities. Obituaries of scholars and rabbis may provide genealogical
information.
Extensive lists of charitable donations were a feature. Usually these
were grouped by town, although they were rarely alphabetical. In many cases
the rabbis were listed at the beginning of the lists. From time to time
special articles included rabbinic biographies and genealogies of prominent
families.
Donor Lists
It was the custom for societies that collected charitable donations for a
variety of causes to publish lists of the donors and sometimes of the
recipients. Since such lists usually indicated the residence of the donor,
they are a useful genealogical tool.
A fascinating source of this type is the published records of donations
to the old Yishuv community in Jerusalem, covering the period
1884-1924.
This Eretz Yisrael source was researched extensively by the late
Rabbi Shmuel Gorr, noted Jerusalem genealogist. It included the records of
the grants ("Khalukah") distributed to the Jews of Eretz Yisrael
by a committee known as the "Vaad Haklali" whose function it was to
allocate to the needy donations received from overseas. Whilst many Jews
living in Jerusalem were able to support themselves by engaging in crafts,
the size of the community and the restrictions placed on it by the Turkish
authorities made economic conditions harsh.
The community was divided into groups known as Kollelim
according to their place of origin. These were accordingly supported by
their compatriots overseas. Rabbi Gorr found and surveyed the reports
of the Vaad haklali which were printed as "Shemesh Tsedakah."
These lists are a valuable source for both Eretz Yisrael families and
Diaspora communities. The yearly report is recorded in two sections:
Income: lists of donations, grouped by city. These provide personal
information of individuals living in many European and American communities.
Expenditure: lists recipients in Eretz Yisrael, usually by town of
origin overseas.
These two aspects of the lists provide certain cross-sections of
communities in a similar fashion to prenumeranten lists and can be
used to trace individuals living at the time.
Chaim Freedman
Petah Tikva, Israel
Footnotes
1. Excerpted from: Freedman, Chaim. Beit
Rabbanan: Sources of Rabbinic Genealogy. Petah Tikva, Israel:
self-published, 2001. Used with permission. (return)
2. “Old Yishuv” refers to the Jewish community that settled in
Eretz Yisrael prior to the modern Zionist immigration. (return)
3. Wunder, Meir - recommended sources. (return)
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