My great-great grandfather, Isaac Bickstein, from what I have been able to find out was a cigar maker in New York City, immigrated from Spitalfields, England in 1870 (where he was also a cigar maker) and was born in Holland/Amsterdam (abt 1829). From a general perspective I am interested in learning more about the history of Dutch Jewish Cigar Makers, but also could use some help in tracking down Holland/Amsterdam birth records. Bickstein has, as you can imagine, been spelled a multitude of ways - from Bekstean to Bickostein. Thank you for any information, direction and encouragement! I am fairly new at this research, but am have fun and am hooked! Tamara