Reconnecting Relatives, LLC

01/31/2024

DNA Painter users are doing a happy dance today. Jonny Perl released a sneak peek of "What are the Odds?" version 3.

First, titles! We can name our DNA trees. In prior versions, the title defaulted to the name of the subject of the hypotheses. This all by itself is worth an update.

And hypotheses! A hypothesis will now be the unknown parent or grandparent instead of the test taker. This will improve the user experience, especially for beginners.

And structured research questions! Lots of room for information here, including birth years, sexes, which parent you are looking for, and whose DNA is being used.

Be sure to read the whole blog post so you are ready for when version 3 is released sometime in February and hopefully in time for RootsTech!

https://blog.dnapainter.com/blog/what-are-the-odds-v3-sneak-peak/

The new version of What are the Odds? (WATO) will be released in Feburary. in this tool I explain some of the features you can expect to see.

01/09/2024

Did you know there is an Association of Professional Genealogists? I have been a member since 2009. Visit my profile to learn more about how I can help you build your family tree. https://www.apgen.org/profiles/jennifer-shoer.

I created Reconnecting Relatives®, LLC, to help clients trace their Jewish and Eastern European families back to their old countries. Genetic (DNA) and forensic genealogical research experience enable me to find relatives thought lost in the Holocaust, identify their relationships with the clie...

01/09/2024

I am looking forward to learning about BanyanDNA - a new tool for analyzing DNA in endogamous populations. If you have Jewish DNA, this will help you to determine where your matches fit in your family tree.

07/09/2023

I am on Threads!

This month’s Crossroads, the UGAGenealogy - Utah Genealogical Association journal, has a comprehensive article by Vera Ianova Miller about the ongoing digitization efforts in war-torn Ukraine archives. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum FamilySearch Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center Alex Krakovsky and many volunteers!

05/02/2023

Exciting news! I'll be spending the next four days in Springfield, Massachusetts, diving deep into the world of genealogy and connecting with fellow family history buffs. If you have any questions about researching your own family history or need advice on hiring a professional genealogist, feel free to DM me. And if we're not already Facebook friends, you can always send me an email at jshoer@reconnectingrelatives.com. Can't wait to share what I learn with all of you!

Check out the event information via Whova event app

03/07/2023

If you have thought about DNA testing, this presentation will answer many of your questions. Diahan Southard explains what to consider before testing and what you will learn if you do. RootsTech

There are five different genetic genealogy testing companies and a slew of other websites offering some kind of DNA analysis. Do you need more than one? What are the factors to consider? How to you begin to keep track of all that data if you have tested in multiple companies?

08/30/2022

From my inbox:

The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies has bestowed the Outstanding Resource Award to Jean-Pierre Stroweis for his online searchable database - "Memorial to the Deportation of Jews from France."

Storweis's database is based on the published work of the same by Serge Klarsfeld together with the Association of the Sons and Daughters of Jewish Deportees from France (FFDJF). The first edition was published in 1978 and updated with later editions.

https://www.fondationshoah.org/memoire/memorial-de-la-deportation-des-juifs-de-france-serge-klarsfeld

Credit to Prof. Daniel H. Wagner, Chairman of the International Institute for Jewish Genealogy. https://www.iijg.org/

Learn more and search the database here:
steve morse .org/france

IAJGS Jewish Genealogy

Cette nouvelle édition présente les noms et les lieux d'arrestation des Juifs déportés de France durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Grâce au nouveau classement par ordre alphabétique et par adresse, il est plus aisé de retrouver les déportés d'une même famille.

08/29/2022

From today's inbox:

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is now offering free remote genealogical research sessions on Thursdays.

"The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is pleased to announce the launch of remote research sessions with a YIVO archivist. Researchers will have the opportunity to meet with a YIVO archivist to develop research plans for their projects.

You can make appointments at this link. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to reference@yivo.org.

Sessions will typically be available during business hours (ET) on Thursdays. Please note that this is a pilot project, so your patience is appreciated. We ask that you book only one session to begin with. If more time is needed, the reference archivist will arrange for next steps or for a follow-up appointment."

https://www.yivo.org/Remote-Research-Sessions

03/16/2022

Thanks to a little legal pressure from Reclaim the Records, New York City has TODAY published a website with vital record images for the years1855-1949 (not all years). This is huge for people whose ancestors or relatives were born, married, or died in N.Y.C. Reconnecting will be so much easier!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here is the death record for my great, great grandmother Sarah Murtagh Grace, daughter of John and Sarah Murtagh. She was pregnant when she died from placenta previa. Her daughter, my great grandmother Catherine Grace, was one year old, an only child.

https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov/