As the High Holidays approach, many of us begin to prepare for the special customs of the season. These include special foods, visiting the graves of our ancestors, hearing the blast of the shofar every day, and sending Rosh Hashanah greeting cards. Although this latter custom is not as popular as it once was, studying Rosh Hashanah cards of our grandparents and great‑grandparents will open up a window into their robust, tumultuous world. Please join JewishGen Chief Genealogist, Caitlin Hollander Waas, as she explores the politically charged, whimsical, and sometimes hilarious Rosh Hashanah cards in the collection of JewishGen and in other collections. Moreover, Caitlin will show how these cards can help unravel genealogical mysteries.
About the Speaker:
Caitlin Hollander Waas is JewishGen’s chief genealogist, as well as being on staff at the Peter and Mary Kalikow Jewish Genealogy Center at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. She has been a professional genealogist for over a decade, beginning in the world of forensic genealogy specializing in high value estate cases, as well as researching for private clients and consulting for books. In addition, her citizenship reclamation work has been featured in Family Tree Magazine, The Times of Israel, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, among other publications. She holds a degree in Anthropology, as well as additional certificates in Jewish Studies and Holocaust and Genocide Studies.