Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois

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Members Helping Members Since 1981

Are you researching Jewish family history and looking for a Chicago area network of experts and enthusiasts?

We help members collect, preserve, and perpetuate the records and history of their ancestors and serve as a resource for the worldwide community to research their Chicago area Jewish roots.

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois (JGSI) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization established in 1981 and now with over 300 members.

NEW!

Since 2011 IGRA has been building databases of which 14% deal with immigration to Eretz Israel. This includes 211,548 listings which contain information indicating when a person immigrated to Palestine/Eretz Israel/Israel. It spans the period from before World War One to after the founding of the State of Israel. See Resources

Upcoming events

17 Nov 2019 12:30 PM • Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Ill. - Registration and networking, 12:30. Guest Speaker 1:00 pm
26 Jan 2020 12:30 PM • Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Ill. - Registration and networking, 12:30. Guest Speaker 2:00 pm
23 Feb 2020 12:30 PM • Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Ill. - Registration and networking, 12:30. Guest Speaker 2:00 pm

“Using Periodical Literature for Genealogical Research” and “More than Surname Surfing: Best Practices for Using the Internet for Genealogy” will be the topics of two presentations by genealogy library manager Curt B. Witcher at the Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019.

For this meeting only, the JGSI library and help desk will not be available. 

Curt B. Witcher is manager of the Genealogy Center of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Newspapers and other periodical publications can be a wealth of family history information. “Using Periodical Literature for Genealogical Research,” which starts at 1 p.m., should be of interest to anyone conducting genealogical research.

While many family history documents remain on paper in archives and government offices, increasingly such genealogical research resources are being put online. In the second presentation, “More than Surname Surfing: Best Practices for Using the Internet for Genealogy,” which starts at 2:30 p.m., Curt will share tips for effective use of online genealogical resources. more

“Online Resources for Jewish Genealogy in Chicagoland” will be the topic of a talk by genealogist Mike Karsen on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, 10 a.m. in River Forest, Ill.  more

JGSI Dinner At IAJGS Conference Cleveland