In The Footsteps of Zalman Tzoref

In the Footsteps of Zalman Tzoref: Tracing 200 Years of Litvak Family History and Legacy
Venue: Walt Disney World Swan Resort

26 July 2017 5pm
Room: Swan 2
At the last two IAJGS conferences a movie about Tzoref was shown. This presentation follows in the movie’s and Tzoref’s footsteps and goes beyond! In 1811, Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref, inspired by the Vilna Gaon, left Keidan, Lithuania for Jerusalem where his mission was to rebuild the Ashkenazi community in the Old City. Tzoref was murdered in 1851, but the story certainly does not end there. We reflect on Tzoref’s life and achievements through his 20,000 strong Salomon descendants, who for 200 years have made their mark as part of his enduring legacy. In 2011, exactly 200 years after Tzoref left Keidan, I return to the town, now called Kedainiai, and re-establish my family connections with his birthplace. Within a few years, I have become active in building bridges in this town in a most unusual way!
Topic or Category
Ashkenazi Research
Methodology
Organizing, Recording, Preserving and Publishing Family History
Technology In Support of Genealogical Research
Type of Session – Presentation

Eli Rabinowitz

Speaker Biography
Eli Rabinowitz, born in Cape Town, has lived in Perth Australia since 1986.
An economist by profession, Eli is involved in a wide range of Jewish community activities, including filming events, research, education and arranging exhibitions.
Eli writes and manages 75 Kehilalinks websites for JewishGen, and blogs on Jewish life, his extensive heritage travel and photography.
He lectures and educates about the importance of Jewish cultural heritage, family history and the shtetl.
He arranges customised Litvak heritage tours for small family groups. His stories have been published in Virtual Shtetl, Shemot, Geni JewishGen.org and Avotaynu Online and other genealogical publications.

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