Genealogy
Researching your family history can be a rich and rewarding experience. The best way to get started is to begin with what you know about yourself and your immediate family. Ask your relatives what information they have about the different branches of your family.
Unless your family has donated their personal records to the OJA in the past, you will likely need to rely on the records of other organizations and individuals to help locate information on your relatives. This may include the records of rabbis and mohels, synagogues, sick benefit societies and social service organizations. You may find a direct link to your family within these collections, or, they may prove useful in providing insight into the time and place of your ancestors, which can help give context to their lives.
For more information on Jewish genealogical sources at the OJA and at other institutions, please follow the links below.