Jewish Genealogy Research

Did you know?

 * Columbus took Jews with him in hopes they could translate Oriental languages.
 * Jewish births are sometimes listed in local church records.
 * Emma Lazarus, daughter of Sephardic Jews, wrote the famous poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses..."
 * Jews are the oldest group with their national identity and cultural heritage intact.
 * Celebrities with Jewish mothers: Geraldo Rivera, Fiorello Laguardia, Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, David Bowie, Robert DeNiro, Harrison Ford.

Key Internet Links

 * International Assoc. of Jewish Genealogical Societies over 75 groups
 * Sephardim.com for Sephardic genealogy / Jewish genealogy research
 * Yad Vashem - Israeli Holocaust Museum and database
 * Synagogue Scribes London Ashkenazi Synagogue records database
 * JewishGen databases and tools to help find family members
 * Federation of East European Family History Societies fosters research
 * American Jewish Historical Society books, photos, art and artifacts
 * Cemetery Scribes recording tombstone inscriptions in the UK
 * Ancestry.com Jewish Family History Collection world's largest online
 * Center for Jewish History databases, collections, guides, and events
 * EllisIsland.org NY passenger lists of 20 million immigrants. See also:


 * Searching $ New York (all: 1820-1957) Passenger Lists in One Step
 * Searching $ Hamburg Outbound Passenger Lists in One Step

Helpful Guides

 * How Do I Start? Simple steps to begin your family history.
 * Finding Jewish Records New! In-depth guide to tracing Jewish ancestors from the U.S. to Europe between 1850 to 1930. Follow the steps to identify a birthplace or place of origin.
 * Jewish Genealogy Research OutlineRevised as of Aug 2008! Helpful guide to records and research strategies focusing on Jewish family history.
 * State Research Guides Individual guides to finding records and indexes in each U.S. state.

Things you can do
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by: