Course Spotlight: Back to the Old Country: Genealogy of Ashkenazic Jews of Galicia (Austrian Empire) and the Russian Empire

Do you have Jewish genealogy roots in the Austrian or Russian Empires? Have you ever wanted to learn more about their language, community, government, or customs? Back to the Old Country: Genealogy of Ashkenazic Jews of Galicia (Austrian Empire) and the Russian Empire, offered at SLIG 2022, is designed to help students learn about the history and records of people of the Jewish faith who lived in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (commonly known as Galicia or Austrian Poland) and the Pale of Settlement (created by the Russian Empire to contain their Jewish Population).

Historical Context and Culture for Intermediate Students

This course, taught by experts in the field, is designed to provide important historical, cultural, and contextual information as it pertains to Jewish genealogy. Students should have intermediate research skills, but the course does not require in-depth preparatory knowledge of Jewish research or languages from this region of the world. Familiarity with the Genealogical Proof Standard will be helpful, and students should come prepared to learn how to apply the GPS to Jewish records and research. This foundational course is equipped to take students to the next level.

Incorporating DNA Results

Attendees of this course are encouraged to take an autosomal DNA test with one of the major testing companies and have access to the results for either themselves or someone of Ashkenazic heritage. Come prepared with either a laptop or other device to access and view DNA test results and matches. DNA exploration in the course will cover strategies for working with Jewish DNA and in-depth looks at endogamy in Jewish families.

The full schedule for this course, faculty bios, and course details can be found here.

Join us for SLIG 2022

Held January 9-14, 2022, in Salt Lake City, the 27th annual Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy promises the in-depth, advanced educational opportunities SLIG has become known for. SLIG offers high-intermediate to advanced education and includes courses on methodology, standards, regional or ethnic group research, recordsets, and research tools like DNA. Visit our website to view a full selection of available courses.

Learn more about SLIG 2022. Registration opens on August 14th, 2021, at 10:00 am MDT. Create a registration account today! If you have any questions, please reach out to the UGA registrar: registrar@slig.ugagenealogy.org.