CONFERENCE BASICS

The Annual Conference of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) draws presenters and attendees from around the world! Plan to join us in Fort Wayne, Indiana, this year, for more than 140 presentations on all aspects of Jewish genealogy. The Conference will include traditional lecture programs, workshops, a Family Journey Showcase, a Film Festival, and more! Find information below about the components of this year's Conference.   

Program

  • Revolving around our conference theme, "And We Settled Here... The Jewish Journey," more than 140 programs will be presented from Monday, August 11 through Thursday, August 14. Lectures will be one hour in duration with 30 minutes between sessions. For a more specific schedule, see the Program section of our website.
  • In addition to our lectures, Workshops are available through Registration.   For these programs, numbers are limited and there is an added cost.  
  • Eight "Breakfasts with the Experts" will be offered in the mornings, available through registration.
  • New this year, the Family Journey Showcase invites speakers to share a unique family story or journey in 15 minutes. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the showcase throughout the hour it is open, with each speaker presenting their story three times during the hour, and attendees invited to visit different mini-sessions of interest.
  • This year's Film Festival will feature over thirty rare and historically significant Jewish-themed films, shorts, and television programs spanning the very first films of the early 20th century to the modern era. Fiction, documentary, and experimental selections represent the breadth and diversity of the Jewish experience cutting across major themes of immigration, the Holocaust, and North American westward expansion. A highlight of the festival will feature a screening of the 4K restoration of Joan Micklin Silver’s 1975 Hester Street, celebrating the 50th anniversary of this landmark in feminist and American independent film-making. You can watch a trailer for the movie here.  The Festival is being curated by Steve Carr, Director of the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Showings will take place in the Allen County Public Library Theater, which is on the lower level of the library..  
  • Special Events include our Keynote Presentation on Sunday evening and our Gala Banquet on Wednesday evening. These events are in addition to the Conference registration.
  • Numerous Special Interest Groups (SIGs, BOFs, RDs) will hold luncheons and meetings throughout the Conference. Make sure to take advantage of these opportunities to meet attendees researching in a specific area.  
  • Our SHARE Fair will take place on Sunday, August 10th, featuring Jewish Genealogical Societies, Special Interest Groups, and more.
  • In addition to genealogical programming, other tours and events will be offered to attendees through registration. More information can be found in our Tourist Information section.  

Conference Spaces

  • The Grand Wayne Center will house the bulk of our presentations and exhibit spaces.  
  • The Exhibition Hall at the Grand Wayne Center will house the Exhibitors throughout the conference, and the Share Fair on Sunday.   
  • The Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center will serve as the conference Resource Center. Extended hours will be offered for conference attendees.  
  • The Allen County Public Library will host our computer workshops and Film Festival.
  • Our Hospitality Desk will be available in the lobby of the Grand Wayne Center. Local volunteers and representatives from Visit Fort Wayne will be there to answer your questions and direct you to local resources.  

Hours

This year's Conference will run from Sunday, August 10 through Thursday, August 14. On Sunday, the Exhibit Hall will open at 9:00 a.m. and the the SHARE Fair will run from 2:00 p.m.  The Exhibit Hall will be open through the entire conference. 

Lectures will be on Monday through Thursday and will begin at 8:15 AM. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, there will be evening sessions as well. Check on the website for details of the schedule as our opening date approaches.



 

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