Saturday, June 30, 2012

Crohn's Disease


Apparently my Gamzu/Gamson family line has individuals who are suffering from Crohn’s disease. We are searching for distant (and close too) cousins who have (or previous generation who had) Crohn’s disease.
I know there are over 20 Gamzu family lines which we are trying to connect from Plunkyan. If any of your ancestors or current relatives has Crohn’s disease, please let me know. It is a genetic disease, and is especially found in people of Eastern European Jewish descent.

Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disorder and its exact cause is unknown. People with Crohn's disease have chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. There are different types of Crohn's disease. The disease type depends on which part of the body is affected.
Crohn's disease usually occurs in people between ages 15 – 35 but may occur at any age. Your genes and environmental factors play a role in Crohn’s disease, as well as those whose body over-reacts to normal bacteria in the intestines.

People who are more likely to get this disease are those who:
*      Have a family history of Crohn's disease (at least 10 times that of the general population)
*      Jewish
*      Smoke

Symptoms depend on what part of the gastrointestinal tract is affected. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods of flare-ups. The main symptoms of Crohn's disease are:
*      Crampy abdominal pain
*      Fatigue
*      Fever
*      Loss of appetite
*      Weight Loss
*      Pain with passing stool
*      Persistent, watery diarrhea

Other symptoms may include:
*      Constipation
*      Eye inflammation
*      Fistulas (usually around the rectal area, may cause draining of pus, mucus, or stools)
*      Joint pain and swelling
*      Mouth ulcers
*      Rectal bleeding and bloody stools
*      Skin lumps or sores (ulcers)
*      Swollen gums

Other Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Diseases are:

*      Tay-Sachs Disease

*      Gaucher Disease – Type 1

*      Cystic Fibrosis

*      Canavan Disease

*      Familial Dysautonomia

*      Niemann-Pick Disease – Type A

*      Fanconi anemia – Type C

*      Bloom Syndrome

*      Mucolipidosis IV

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (4 to 5 times more likely to develop IBD than the general population)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Amdorsky Family


Today I found the 1930 and 1940 census reports for Michael and Sarah (Friedman) Amdorsky and their family. I remember my paternal grandma telling me that Herbert was her favorite cousin and he was so handsome in uniform. They lived in Rochester City, New York, but at two different addresses. Michael owned his home at 1314 Park Avenue #10, Rochester City. They lived there until 1933 or 1934. Michael's Meat Market/Grocery was on Emerson in 1935. In 1940 the family lived at 420 Normandy #144, Rochester City. Between 1948-1949 they lived at 76 East Blvd, Rochester City. 

Herbert was the manager of Chili Avenue Quality Market, 497 Chili Avenue, Rochester City in 1939. The family lived at 234 Croydon Road, Rochester, Monroe County, New York from 1937-1939. He lived in Massachusetts from 1946. Herbert died 26 Oct 1973 in Brookline, Massachusetts. 

In 1968, Herbert’s daughter, Victoria Amdorsky, lived at 151 Tremont Street Apt 11R, Boston, Massachusetts. Herbert’s wife, Evelyn lived at 439 Dedham St # A, Newton, Massachusetts after he died until 2002. She had a second home in Palm Beach, Florida where she died (31 Dec 2003).

I know that Sarah Amdorsky lived at 30 Goodman Street, Rochester City after her husband, Michael, passed away. From the Rochester, New York, City Directories. Michael died in 1949.  Both Michael and Sarah are buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Rochester City, New York.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

1940 Census are out!


It has been very frustrating for me to find 1940 census reports. I first started searching when none of the census reports were indexed. Now only DE, DC, ME, NV, and NY are currently searchable by name (indexed). I’ve been able to make some progress.

Nathan Samuel Schiff was listed as single and head of household. Living with him at that time was his mother, Rose (Steuer), his sister Sue (Sadie) and her husband Joseph Cohen and their two sons, Elliott and Morton and a maid.  They lived on 112 Lafayette Place, Hempstead, Nassau, New York.  Nathan owned his home and had his own medical practice.

Minnie Steuer Levine and her son Jerome are still living with her parents, as well as her sister Lillian (Steuer), in 1940. Aaron L Steuer, Virginia and their children Max D, James Clark and Lynn were living at 888 Park Avenue (New York City) in 1940. Aaron also had a nurse, cook, laundress and waitress living in their household.

Bertha (Steuer) and Abraham J Unger and their two boys, Leonard (23) and Irving (14) were living with them in New York City (E 15th Street) in 1940. Abe was a dentist, in his own office and Leonard was an attorney.  Abraham’s father, Solomon, and his grandparents were all born in Koschow, Slovakia. We all know the borders changed quite a bit and Slovakia was a part of Hungary.
Henry Laber, his wife Jean (Perlman) and their son William were living with her parents and brother in the Bronx in 1940.