Ambassador’s search for his roots
ISRAELI Ambassador Yuval Rotem will describe his search for long-lost relatives in Australia when he addresses a Jewish Genealogy conference next month.
PETER KOHN
ISRAELI Ambassador Yuval Rotem will describe his search for long-lost relatives in Australia when he addresses the second Australian National Conference on Jewish Genealogy next month.
The 50-year-old diplomat, who took up his Canberra post in 2007, has family members living in Melbourne, and found them via his passion for genealogy.
Rotem discussed his family connections in Australia at the first Jewish genealogy conference in 2008, which, at the envoy’s instigation, the Israeli embassy hosted in Canberra.
During a reception at the event, the ambassador spoke of the research he’d conducted into his family tree, attracting a lot of interest from guests.
His anecdotes led to a request from the Australian Jewish Genealogy Society (AJGS) for him to speak at this year’s event.
AJGS Victorian secretary Lionel Sharpe said the conference’s theme, “Our Jewish Roots”, will look at ways genealogists -— from budding beginners to long-time experts —- can use today’s resources most effectively.
“One particular area [of research] is the Holocaust, where there are new sites coming online all the time, and archives becoming more accessible,” Sharpe said.
“People don’t know this. Those who were doing research 10, 20 or 30 years ago, tell me ‘I’ve already looked and I couldn’t find’. What we’re going to say [at the conference] is ‘start looking again, but through different glasses’.”
Sharpe said four international speakers would add zest to the family-tree talkfest, which is to be held in Melbourne this year.
The guest list includes American genealogist Dr Sallyann Amdur Sack-Pikus, who chairs the International Institute for Jewish Genealogy, and Tel Aviv’s Schelly Talalay Dardashti, who specialises in online searches for family members.
A line-up of 15 speakers also includes writer and lecturer Arnold Zable, who will examine the use of the media as a resource for finding family members, and Melbourne-based researcher Krystyna Duszniak, who will take a close look at locating relatives in Poland.
Journalist and filmmaker Daniela Torsh will address genealogy in the Czech Republic and Austria. Jenni Buch, who has interviewed Holocaust survivors, will speak about Belarus, while Gary Luke will examine the Australian Jewish colonial period.
The Second Australian National Conference on Jewish Genealogy will take place March 7-9 at the Beth Weizmann Centre. Information: sharpe@aapt.net.au