Research resources of JRI-Poland to be lecture topic for Nov 15, 2026, JGSI hybrid meeting

“Using JRI-Poland to Find Forests AND Trees for Your Eastern European Ancestors” will be the lecture topic of genealogist Robinn Magid for the Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026, Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois hybrid meeting. Her talk will begin at 2 p.m. Central Time at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Illinois, and online via Zoom.

The JGSI meeting facilities at Temple Beth-El will open at 12:30 p.m. CST for those who want to use genealogy library materials, get help with family history websites or ask genealogical questions before the main program begins at 2 p.m.

Register/RSVP by clicking the button at left.

Robinn Magid, president of JRI-Poland, will join us in-person for a lively presentation and discussion of how JRI-Poland's website can help you find information about families, communities and towns (the “forest”) and individuals (the “trees”).

After about 30 minutes of presentation, Robinn will demonstrate the JRI-Poland website using your questions and answers as examples. Bring questions about how to research your family in areas that are now or used to be Polish territories; how to understand and interpret search results; and search strategies to find what you are looking for. JRI-Poland provides extensive resources, links to scans of the original documents where possible, and volunteers, articles and newsletters to help you find both the forest and the trees! Come join us!

Robinn has volunteered for JRI-Poland since 1995 and has served as the Lublin Area Research Coordinator since 1998. Robinn was born in Chicago. Her parents and American grandparents were all born in Chicago and she says “melk” and “pop” to prove it. Robinn holds an IAJGS Lifetime Achievement Award and served as the chair of two landmark IAJGS Conferences: Warsaw, Poland, in 2018 and the first virtual International Jewish Genealogy Conference in 2020 during COVID.

She has been honored by her immigrant grandmother’s hometown of Lublin, Poland, with a medal, on the occasion of that city’s 700th birthday, for her work with the city to promote Jewish heritage and memory. Robinn and her husband live in Berkeley, California, and have four adult children and five grandchildren.

Be sure to come to our pre-meeting on Nov. 15, 2026, from 12:30 through 1:45 p.m. CST: Free consultations for JGSI members and non-members alike! Wondering how to begin your family tree search? Have a brickwall? Need assistance with a DNA test—which company to test with or need help interpreting results? Need help navigating a website such as Jewishgen? Need assistance in writing your family history? Several of our experts will be on hand to assist you.

Let us help. Prior to our scheduled 2 p.m. Sunday program at Temple Beth-El, we will meet from 12:30 until 1:45 to devote our attention to you and your situation. Located in the social hall, lower level.

For more information about JGSI, visit our website. For more information about membership benefits, click here.