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They got into this work for various reasons. One had heard he was a descendant of Polish royalty. Another wanted to find and warn relatives about a rare, possibly fatal (if not detected) genetic trait they might be carrying. A third couldn't help but wonder if he was related to the actor who played George on "Seinfeld."

No matter their motivations or current religions, the tie that binds approximately 600 people who will gather in Salt Lake City is an interest in tracing their Jewish roots. The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies convenes Sunday for its 27th annual conference, which runs through Friday. Attendees will gather from more than 17 countries to meet with experts and archivists, attend workshops on cutting-edge research, tap into the resources of the LDS Church's Family History Library, enjoy a film festival, mingle and swap tips.

Offering more than 200 presentations, the conference is designed to cater to different levels of experience and interests, organizers say. Programs vary from discussions about military records of Algerian Jews who served in the French army, political jurisdictions in Galicia and coroner reports, to helpful hints on restoring old photographs, tracing orphans and, as one session is titled, "Navigating the New York Census with Fewer Tears."

Longtime genealogists have set out to dispel myths, such as this one: The Holocaust wiped out not just people but also the ability to learn about them. Not true, they say. Census records go back hundreds of years. Towns people thought were obliterated still stand.

"The Germans were excellent in destroying Jews, and in typical German efficiency they left lots of records," says Michael Brenner, a conference co-chairman based in Las Vegas.

The key is knowing how to approach the research. When detective work is done right, the rewards are many.

Neil Rosenstein, a conference presenter who founded the first Jewish Genealogical Society in New York and can trace his own family back to the 16th century, sees the value in helping others unearth their histories.

"I've helped a lot of people to be proud of where they came from," he says

Some people have become more religious after learning they were descendants of great rabbis, he explains. Other veterans speak of the relationships they've forged with new relatives the globe over, the increased understanding of family medical histories and the findings that have helped identify bone marrow donors.

But many genealogists point out that perhaps the greatest gift comes in the priceless stories they glean on their genealogical journeys.

The great-grandfather who fled from the czar's army. The great-uncle's wife who ran a brothel. The grandmother who was a bootlegger.

While Brenner was once going through historical archives of The New York Times, he hit upon a gem of a 1920 front-page headline: "Aaron Brenner captured by bandits." Turns out his grandfather's first cousin, a fur trader, had been abducted - and later released - in China.

"That's the funnest part," says Brenner's co-chairman, Hal Bookbinder, of Los Angeles. "The names and dates, you have to get that," but the best information comes when you learn "the texture of real people."

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* JESSICA RAVITZ can be reached at jravitz@sltrib.com or 801-257-8776. Send comments to the religion editor at religioneditor@sltrib.com.

Interested in attending the

27th IAJGS International

Conference on Jewish Genealogy?

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE: Full details about the conference program, which runs Sunday through Friday, can be viewed at http://www.slc2007.org. The conference is at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 S. West Temple. On-site registration is available. Cost is $275 for the whole conference, or $75 per day.

MORE INFO:

To get involved with or learn more about the Utah Jewish Genealogical Society, which meets bimonthly, visit http://www.ujgs.org.

Sunday evening's keynote address

Paul Shapiro, director of the Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, will offer Sunday evening's keynote address at the Jewish genealogy conference. He helped pry open the International Tracing Service archives, holding information related to the fates of 17.5 million people affected by the Holocaust, in Bad Arolsen, Germany.