Speakers: Yuri & Irina Dorn

Yuri Dorn and his wife Irina will present a brief history of Jewish Belarus, followed by a description of the different record types available for research in Belorussian archives. They will explain which records you can expect to find and suggest the best strategy for approaching one’s research. Keep in mind that your Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Polish ancestors may have migrated from Belarus to these other areas or vice versa. 

Yuri Dorn is a well-known genealogist, specializing in Jewish genealogy and ancestral tourism to Belarus. In 2002 he founded the Jewish Heritage Research Group, which consists of professional historians, genealogists and certified English speaking guides. In addition to their work in Belorussian archives and in arranging ancestral tours to Belarus, Yuri and his staff also put a lot of effort into the restoration and preservation of Jewish heritage in Belarus.