Sallyann Amdur Sack, PhD

Sallyann Amdur Sack, PhD, is the only genealogist listed in Jewish Women in America. She was instrumental in founding the International Institute for Jewish Genealogy, Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Washington, International Associaiton of Jewish Genealogical Societies, and Avotaynu. Dr. Sack has chaired or co-chaired six of the annual conferences on Jewish Genealogy, authored seven books of use to genealogists and has consulted on numerous projects.

• Genealogical Accomplishments

  Chair, Founding Committee, International Institute for Jewish Genealogy and Paul Jacobi Center (affiliated with the Jewish National and University Library, Jerusalem) (2005- )

  Founder and first President,  Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington (1980-8?)

  President, International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (1997-98)

  President and Co‑founder, Avotaynu, Inc., publisher of works on Jewish genealogy (1985- )
   
  President, Avotaynu Foundation, a non‑profit, 501(c)(3) corporation designed to publish meritorious, noncommercial genealogical reference works (1998- )

  Editor, AVOTAYNU, the International Journal of Jewish Genealogy (1985- ). This journal is widely regarded as the "voice" of Jewish genealogy, is the world's largest circulation publication devoted solely to Jewish genealogy.

  Chair, Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Washington, 1981

  Co-chair, International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Jerusalem, 1984

  Chair, Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Washington, 1988

  Co-chair, Annual Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Salt Lake City, 1991

  Co-chair, International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Jerusalem, 1994

  Co-chair, International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Salt Lake City, 2000

  Member, Advisory Board, Douglas E. Goldman Genealogy Center, Beth Hatefutsoth, Tel Aviv, Israel (1986-89)
  

  Member, Advisory Committee on Russian-American Genealogical Archival Exchange (RAGAS) which established the first exchange of genealogical data between the U.S. and Russia. (1989-1994)
  
  Co-editor Avotaynu Guide to Jewish Genealogy. (Bergenfield, N.J.: Avotaynu, 2004)

  Co-author Where Once We Walked, a Guide to Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust. (Teaneck, N.J.: Avotaynu, 1991). Winner of Best Reference Book of the Year of the Association of Jewish Libraries. Revised Edition: (Bergenfield, N.J.: Avotaynu, 2004)

  Co-editor Jewish Genealogical Research in Israel (Teaneck, N.J.: Avotaynu, 1987, revised edition Bergenfield, N.J.: Avotaynu: 1997)

  Co-editor Russian Consular Records Index and Catalog (New York: Garland, 1987)

Co-author Jewish Vital Records, Revision Lists and Other Jewish Holdings in the Lithuanian Archives (Teaneck, N.J.: Avotaynu, 1996)

Co-author Some Archival Sources for Ukrainian Jewish Genealogy (Bergenfield, N.J.: Avotaynu, 1998)

Co-author Search for the Family (Self-published, 1980)

Initiated and organized project to create Holocaust‑era assets database and locate living heirs (date?)

Initiated and organized project to microfilm and computerize confiscated Russian consular records held in the U.S. National Archives (date?)

Only genealogist listed in Jewish Women in America by Hyman and Moore (American Jewish History, 1998.

Speaker, teacher and consultant on Jewish genealogy, including a week-long seminar in Moscow under the auspices of the Jewish Vaad (1992)

Professional and Educational Experience

Harvard University, Radcliffe College: A.B. Magna Cum Laude, 1957. Phi Beta Kappa

George Washington University,  Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, 1972

Recipient: National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Research Fellowship

Post‑doctoral research candidate: Baltimore‑District of Columbia Institute for Psychoanalysis: 1975-1979

Full time private practice of clinical psychology since 1972




---

Send comments to: sallyannsack@avotaynu.com