## *FINDING JEWS IN JAMAICAN ARCHIVES*## *WITH TONI PITOCK AND MARINA DELFOS HARRIS*## *SEPHARDIC WORLD, SUNDAY 22 MAY 2022*Jamaica has an important place in Sephardic history. In 1882 most of the Jewish records were lost in a fire that destroyed a large part of Kingston, the capital. For years this has been a huge barrier in researching not just Jamaica but also the Caribbean and early community in the United States. There are resources that can fill the gaps, but they are not well known and sometimes difficult to access. ***Toni Pitock*** and ***Marina Delfos Harris*** discuss the institutions that hold records, what is available, and how to access the material.***Toni Pitock*** is a Board Member of the Jamaican Jewish Cemeteries Preservation Fund (JJCPF). She holds a Ph.D. in American history and teaches History and Jewish Studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She has published articles in Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography and American Jewish History and is working on a manuscript that explores the economic lives of Ashkenazi merchants and traders in colonial Philadelphia.***Marina Delfos Harris*** is a Board Member of the Jamaican Jewish Cemeteries Preservation Fund (JJCPF) and founder of Falmouth Heritage Walks. Her walking tour operated for 10 years (2011 – 2021) in the historic town of Falmouth on Jamaica’s north coast and included tours of the over 200 year old Falmouth Jewish cemetery, which she continues to maintain on behalf of the United Congregation of Israelites.The meeting is on Sunday 22 May 2022 at 11am in LA, 2pm NYC, 7pm London, 8pm Paris/Amsterdam and 9pm Jerusalem. Patrons can join us on Zoom. The link is shared on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/sephardi Everyone is welcome to join us on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/SephardicGenealogyAndHistory PLEASE subscribe to the YouTube channel. It helps us a lot and costs you nothing.You can now watch last week's talk on Dutch Sephardim: An interview with Professor Bart Wallet. He was an excellent, enthusiastic, and entertaining guest. https://youtu.be/GL2SKtaBumoAlso, see our previous guests from the JJCPF discuss Jewish Cemeteries in Jamaica. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoiWK4o2GhQ&list=PLmVEojTkF-DPooNu-_Jzi4I4t23P0PwebOver the last two years, Sephardic World has become the leading forum for learning about Sephardic history and genealogy. We have no commercial sponsorship or public funding. There is no charge to attend our meetings or to view our content. If you are not a patron and can afford it, please consider supporting our work.*Best wishes**Ton and David**Sephardic World**Image: A megillah, a scroll of the Book of Esther, at the Institute of Jamaica, Kingston *