The Call for Proposals is now open for the 45th Annual IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, to be held in Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 10-14.
Deadline for submission is Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 11:59 pm (U.S. Central Standard Time).
- Presentations will be scheduled for 45 minutes of lecture, followed by 15 minutes of questions and answers, for a total presentation time of 60 minutes.
- Panels that group speakers with varying views on a shared topic are encouraged by the Program Committee. They are typically scheduled for the same time slots as sessions but may be longer. A panel proposal should be submitted by the main presenter or moderator. When you are prompted to “Review the Submission”, there will be an icon to “Add an Additional Presenter”, which allows the additional presenters to be attached to the proposal.
- Computer Labs/Workshops (hands-on) will be 1½ hours in length and limited to 20 paying participants
- Family Journeys Showcase 15-minute family story presentations with 5 minute Q&A
Suggested topic themes include:
- Journeys to the Midwest and Beyond Theme: How did we get here? How did our ancestors get there? What made people migrate? Did they settle in the Midwest? Were they pioneer Jews? Did they escape Europe or Arab lands? And how did they end up at their destination of all places?
- Wide World of Experience Theme: Jews are a diverse people. Sephardim, Mizrahi, Iraqi, Persian, Yemeni, and Asian are just some of the many identities and ethnicities that we carry. Sessions in this category seek to explore that diversity and genealogy.
- Citizenship Theme: Wherever they lived, what did citizenship mean in terms of rights, privileges, and obligations and how did our ancestors obtain citizenship? In today’s nations, whether it is for nostalgia, jobs, or personal safety, what is the documentation we might need to obtain citizenship?
- Cultural Heritage Theme: Everyone has a story and genealogy provides a framework for understanding our family stories. Sharing the broad human and cultural dimensions of our family history engages us and those around us.
- Methodology and Archives Theme: Methodology consists of using best practices for developing, conducting, implementing, and evaluating effective and successful research. These presentations will cover the development of a methodology and accessing latest resources available to the genealogical research community, as well as often lesser-known databases to address genealogical questions.
- Tools and Technology Theme: Employing tools such as innovative photography analysis, genetics, AI, or other innovative tools enhances the next steps of genealogical research by using advanced computer technology. Tools and technology that were unavailable years ago but are now entering regular usage are the core of these sessions
- Fundamentals Theme: For those who consider themselves new to Jewish genealogy, have never attended an IAJGS conference, or just feel a need to step up their skills in basic areas, these lectures offer guidance and a path to begin research.