Family History Today: Jewish Students, Medical Globetrotters, and Persevering Women

At first, aspiring Jewish men from Galicia, Lithuania, and elsewhere ventured to Padua University to study medicine when other schools across Europe refused their admission. Then, from the end of the eighteenth century onward, Jews from Galicia attended Habsburg universities—from Lemberg/Lwów and Kraków, to Vienna, Pest and Prague. Many nineteenth-century Jewish medics influenced Galician life beyond their profession, advocating educational, religious and civic reforms. At the turn of the twentieth century, Jewish women were at the forefront of newly won access to university education, changing societal and family norms.

This presentation will take us across the countries and continents, with genealogical information illustrated by unique archival records, newspaper accounts, and maps. You don’t have to have medical practitioners among your ancestors to find this topic interesting and helpful in your family history research.

About the Speaker: Andrew Zalewski is a former professor of medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He is the vice president of Gesher Galicia, a non-profit organization devoted to genealogical and historical research on Galicia. Andrew Zalewski has also authored two books on Austrian Galicia: Galician Trails: The Forgotten Story of One Family and Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots.

An ASL interpreter may be made available if requested in advance.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Ticket Info: $10 general; $5 CJH/Partner members, seniors, students at zalewski.bpt.me or 800-838-3006