Many think of genealogy research as a solitary activity. Often we are researching on our own, but sometimes we need a bit of help. We need help with transcribing or translating a record. We need help locating resources or a quick look up in a repository we cannot visit. We need a community of researchers!
Whatever our need, the genealogy community is a generous one!
Tapping into the MyHeritage Community
Israel Lisson ( 1856 – 1917) and his wife Dora Lisson (1863 – 1930) have been on my genealogy to-do list for quite some time. Israel and Dora Lisson immigrated as Jewish immigrants from Russia in the late 1880's and early 1890's and settled in Rochester, New York. As a genealogy researcher, I have been able to document their lives here in America.
As happens to most (if not all!) genealogy researchers, I eventually hit a brick wall in my research of the couple. I was unable to determine the parents of either Israel or Dora. My research into the Lisson family stalled here for quite a while.
Recently, I returned to my research and picked up the trail again when I found the photograph below on FindAGrave.com.
Israel & Dora Lisson, Britton Road Cemetery, Greece, NY (Source: FindAGrave used with permission)
This is great information for the researcher, but….. the back of the tombstone is where even more information was to be found. (You do check the back of your ancestors' tombstones, don't you?!)
(Back) Israel & Dora Lisson, Britton Road Cemetery, Greece, NY (Source: FindAGrave used with permission)
The back of the tombstone was engraved in Hebrew, and unfortunately, I do not speak or read Hebrew. I needed help to translate the back of the tombstone.
I turned to the community section of MyHeritage.
Source: MyHeritage
I uploaded the photograph of Israel and Dorothy's tombstone and inquired if anyone could translate the words on the stone. Within a few days, I had two gracious genealogy researchers responded with the translation of the stone.
And here's the exciting part……
In the Jewish tradition on gravestones, the Hebrew side gave the names of Israel's father and Dora's father!
Reply to Translation Request at MyHeritage
The MyHeritage Community quickly and generously assisted me in the Lisson research. I can now pick up the trail and move forward in my research of the Lisson ancestors.
Take Away For Your Research
Reach out to genealogy communities with your research questions as well as your genealogy answers to others' questions.
You can find active communities such as the MyHeritage Community on the major genealogy websites. Local genealogical societies often have active communities you can reach out to for help. Check locally where you live, and also, where your ancestors lived.
Note: Photographs of the tombstones are used with permission of Sandi (Grimm) Enright, FindAGrave contributor.
Learn more about MyHeritage through the many free MyHeritage series webinars!
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Lisa Lisson is the writer, educator and genealogy researcher behind Are You My Cousin? and believes researching your genealogy does not have to be overwhelming. All you need is a solid plan, a genealogy toolbox and the knowledge to use those tools. Lisa can be found online at LisaLisson.com , Facebook and Pinterest.
A little correction/addition about Dora’s father. The name on the gravestones is not Zeev Eliahu. It is Zeev HaLevi. HaLevi means that he was Levi (descendant of one of the people who worked on the temple in Jerusalem).