BIALYGen – Bialystok Region Jewish Genealogy Group

I. Introduction

We welcome you to and thank you for your interest in BIALYGen

The primary function of this group is to facilitate discussion amongst Jewish researchers interested in the city of Białystok, Poland (coordinates 53°08' 23°09') and nearby towns and villages. BIALYGen has defined its geographic scope as those towns and villages currently in Poland that were part of Grodno Gubernia during the period from 1815 up to World War I. In addition, a few border towns now in Poland with strong connections to Bialystok will be included.

This Discussion Group is open to anyone with a genealogical or historical interest in Jewish Bialystok and nearby towns and will be the forum to discuss:

Sources for genealogical research
Sharing of research
Jewish history of the Bialystok region
Other topics relating to Jewish genealogy and history

This forum will also serve members of the BIALYGen to discuss the goals and projects of the organization.

Since Grodno Gubernia between 1815 and WWI was mostly in what is now Belarus, any discussion about towns currently in Belarus should be carried out on the Belarus SIG Discussion Group.

II. BIALYGen

BIALYGen was formed on July 23, 2003, when 40 researchers met at The 23rd International Conference on Jewish Genealogy in Washington, DC, USA and committed to developing a cooperative group with the following objectives:

Sharing research and experiences
Commemorating our Ancestors and their lives
Cooperating on projects of value to all researchers

The specific goals of BIALYGen as determined on July 23, 2003 are:

Gain access to Jewish records in the National Historical Archives of Belarus in Grodno, create an inventory, and create useful indices.
Translate and index vital records not yet indexed by JRI-Poland.
Acquire and index non-vital Jewish records available at the Bialystok branch of the Polish State Archives and other sources, e.g. Business directories, old newspapers.
Acquire maps and photos from NARA and other sources for shtetlach in BIALYGen region.
Acquire and index records of the Bialystok Hebrew Gymnasium.
Search repositories in Israel for records applicable to the BIALYGen region and index those records.
Indexing of Cemeteries in Poland and in other countries where Landsmanshaften burial plots exist.

Welcome aboard!

BIALYGEN AREA

POLISH TOWNS FORMERLY IN GRODNO GUBERNIA
		Distance from Bialystok
Town Name	Pre-War Population	KM	Direction	Coordinates		JGFF Researchers
Bialowieza	?	69	SE	5241	2349	2
Bialystok	39,602	0		5308	2309	over 1,500
Bielsk Podlaski	2,392	45	S	5246	2312	23
Bocki	725	56	S	5239	2303	6
Bokiny	?	18	WSW	5303	2255	1
Bransk	2,165	69	S	5244	2251	46
Choroszcz	450	13	W	5309	2259	8
Ciechanowiec	1,649	69	SSW	5240	2231	71
Czeremcha	25	75	SSE	5231	2321	0
Czyze	22	45	SE	5247	2325	0
Dabrowa (Bialostocka)	1,218	62	N	5340	2321	9
Drohiczyn	814	88	SSW	5224	2239	23
Goniazdz	1,135	45	NW	5329	2245	32
Grodek	1,508	35	E	5306	2340	19
Grodzisk	16	62	SSW	5235	2244	16
Hajnowka	41	56	SE	5244	2335	1
Jalowka	?	52	ESE	5301	2354	20
Janow (Sokolski)	1,027	45	N	5328	2314	11
Jasionowka	1,306	32	NNW	5323	2302	16
Kleszczele	621	62	SSE	5235	2329	6
Knyszyn	1,235	26	NW	5319	2255	40
Krynki	3,495	45	NE	5316	2347	61
Kuznica	450	56	NNE	5331	2339	10
Lapy	623	26	SW	5259	2252	9
Lupianka Stara	?	21	WSW	5303	2252	0
Malesze	14	45	S	5248	2258	0
Michalowo / Nezbodka	887	32	ESE	5302	2336	6
Mielnik	233	94	S	5220	2303	8
Milejczyce	648	75	S	5231	2308	10
Narew	419	38	ESE	5255	2331	3
Narewka (Mala)	758	50	ESE	5250	2345	19
Niemirow	149	94	S	5218	2309	1
Nowy Dwor	402	62	NNE	5338	2333	?
Nurzec	38	75	S	5229	2310	0
Orla	1,167	50	SSE	5242	2320	19
Sidra	455	56	NNE	5334	2327	10
Siemiatycze	3,718	82	S	5227	2253	64
Sokolka	2,821	45	NNE	5325	2330	69
Suchowola	1,262	56	N	5335	2306	52
Suprasl	390	19	NE	5313	2321	5
Suraz	120	26	SSW

BIALYGen – Bialystok Region Jewish Genealogy Group

I. Introduction

II. BIALYGen

POLISH TOWNS FORMERLY IN GRODNO GUBERNIA