Virtual Gombin Archives

Virtual Gombin #13 – DNA and Family History – Michael Shade

Virtual Gombin #13: February 26, 2023: DNA and Family History – Michael Shade Michael Shade is a British genealogist and a member of the Gombin Society Board.  He has contributed extensively to genealogical research related to his family from Gombin and elsewhere in Poland and Belarus, and has spoken at Conferences of the International Associaltion of Jewish Genealogical Societies. See some of his presentations and posts at:  https://bit.ly/217Talks . His Gombin ancestors include: Frankensztajn, Zegelman, Szczawinski and Chern,… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #12 – Update from the Annual Members’ Meeting – 100 years of the Gombin Society.

January 29, 2023– Anita Greenbaum Brush: “President’s report”; Bernie Guyer: “Historical context for Gombin Society’s 100 years”. If you missed attending the 2022 Members Meeting in Washington DC in November, 2022, you now have an opportunity to view the zoom recordings of two presentations: Anita Greenbaum Brush will report on the exciting new Society activities and in Gąbin and introduce our new partners in Poland.  Bernie Guyer will briefly review the work of the Gombin… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #11: “Live” from Gąbin: 80th Anniversary of Life and Destruction of Gombin’s Jewish Community

On Sunday, April 24, 2022, Virtual Gombin #11, was hosted from Gąbin by members of the Gombin Society who traveled to Poland to participate in several days of activities related to the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the destruction of the Jewish community in 1942. Anita Greenbaum Brush, Vicki Fingeroot, Marlene Rifkin, and Michael Shade hosted a Zoom call, along with Wojtek and Karen Wasilewski and our partner organizations, reviewing the activities at the… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #10: What does Jewish Gombin mean to us today?

Why does Gombin, 80 years after Jews last lived there, still have a hold on the memory and hearts of several generations of Gombin descendants? Anita Greenbaum-Brush and a panel of Gombin Board members- Vicky Fingeroot, Elissa Klinger, Lindsey Max– will explore what Gombin means to them.  This will include questions like; what did they learn about Gombin from their family? what did they hope to find in seeking information about and connection to Gombin?… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #9: Bella’s Dream by Dana Boll

 Join us for a Virtual Gombin where Dana Boll will discuss her play, nearly 10 years after its premiere in New York City. Bella’s Dream is a play with dance inspired by the true survival story of Dana’s grandparents, Bella and Raymond Boll. For a limited time, you can access the full production video here: https://vimeo.com/183734569 Password: Gombin Poland 1939. This is not your typical Holocaust story. A foreboding dream and a leap of… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #8: “We Go on Living”

Gombin Rabbi and Mayor during the Gombin Marker unveling cermeony on June 9th, 2021 in Gąbin, Poland.

Gombiners, whether you missed the unveiling of the memorial in Gabin last week, or want to see the highlights again, please join us for a zoom presentation and discussions with our friends in Poland- Wojtek Wasilewski, Michal Sroka, and Karen Forth. This is our chance to learn how they created the marker, implemented this spectacular event, and navigated the complexities. We can honor their many contributions to the Gombin Jewish community, worldwide. PLEASE JOIN US… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #7: Unveiling the Historical Marker Ceremony in Gabin

This extraordinary “hybrid” event will be held June 9th at 4pm in Poland (3pm in UK, 10am EDT, 7am Pacific, 5pm in Israel). A live event will take place in Gąbin with the Mayor and Polish guests. Comments from other Polish and International friends will be on-line. A video link will be available, and instructions will be sent in early June. More information to follow. Please RSVP by contacting us at secretary@gombinsociety.org and plan to… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #6: Lindsey Max

   In Virtual Gombin Tour #6, Lindsey Max talks about “History Lost and Found: Tracing My Gombiner Roots Through the Jewish Diaspora”, an article she wrote for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. In personal and authentic language, Lindsey describes the genealogical journey that took her to discover her Gombiner roots. That journey took her around the world, to the Gombin shtetl in Poland and back to New Jersey, where she delved… Read More »


Virtual Gombin #5: Virtual (Passover) Seder

Join fellow Gombiners to remotely, but enthusiastically, celebrate the Passover. Vicky Fingeroot and others will lead a brief version of the seder with candle lighting, blessings over the ritual seder plate, matzoh, wine. Will include excerpts from the Haggadah, poetry, remembrance of Passover in Gombin, and a chance for Gombiners to chat and interact, remotely, of course.


Virtual Gombin Tour #4: “They call him ‘Gąbinski’; 200 years of migration: Part 1 – Town and Country”

  Gombiner Michael Shade from Brighton U.K. presented at the 4th Virtual Gombin tour. Michael is an experienced genealogist and historian of Jewish families in the Mazovian region of Poland, having studied his own family and helped other Gombiners work on theirs. He has spoken at the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, to high school students in Gabin, and at Gabin’s commemoration of the start of World War II. In this Virtual Gombin, Michael… Read More »