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Using their work on the story of Rabbi Hirsh Frankel (a German Rabbi who was convicted of being a magician in 1712 and imprisoned for 2 years), Arline and Daniel Sachs will explain how to find the truth when presented with conflicting evidence. While knowing only prayer book Hebrew, Daniel translated a distant cousin’s book about their common ancestor Rabbi Frankel from Hebrew to English using the Internet. That book helped them correct long-accepted information that had been often quoted in other publications. Using other more recent examples of conflicting evidence, Arline will show that if you don’t critically evaluate evidence, you will never find what you need for your genealogical quest.
Daniel Sachs
Father, attorney and part-time religious school educator, Daniel was nagged by his Harry Potterl oving daughters to take an online profile test to determine into which magical house he would be sorted. Daniel refused, claiming that he was a “muggle” and wouldn’t be sorted. It occurred to him that as the direct descendant of a man convicted of practicing witchcraft, he wasn’t a “muggle” but a “squib.” This realization prompted him to find out more about 18th-century witch trials (Practical Kabbalah) and led him to his distant cousin’s book. With no English version of the book available, Daniel used his minimal understanding of prayer Hebrew and the internet to translate the book.
Arline Sachs
Former President of JGSGW and former board member of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, Arline also was the co-host of the television show “Tracing Your Family Roots” for 20 years (available online at tracingroots.nova.org).and has authored articles for Avoytanu, The International Review of Jewish Genealogy.
JGSGW Guest Attendance Policy
A non-member may attend the monthly JGSGW meeting as a Guest for a $5.00 fee payable at the sign-in table. The $5.00 Guest fee may be applied toward payment of annual JGSGW membership dues if dues are paid at the same meeting at which the guest fee was paid. JGSGW members requiring personal assistance at a meeting due to a health condition or disability may bring someone to assist them free of charge.
The Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington (JGSGW), an independent non-profit educational organization, is based in Rockville, Maryland. The society was founded in 1980. It is one of the oldest societies of its kind in the United States.
The society provides a common meeting place for those persons interested in tracing their Jewish ancestral roots and promotes genealogical education in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The Society is open to all those interested in Jewish genealogy.
