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Jewish Genealogy Society
of Cleveland

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Public Resources for Genealogy  research

STARTING YOUR GENEALOGY

What is Genealogy?

Genealogy is the study of family ancestral lines.  Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship or pedigrees of its members. The results are often displayed in charts or written as narratives.  Some scholars differentiate between genealogy and family history by limiting genealogy to direct descendants and applying family history to all ancestors with broader life details and historical context.

Introductory Guides and Genealogy Forms

Terminology

GETTING TO KNOW "OLD" JEWISH CLEVELAND

Jewish Cleveland Immigration and History


Landmarks and Resources

    Cemeteries and Obituaries

    JEWISH CLEVELAND TODAY

    CLEVELAND AND CUYAHOGA COUNTY

    National and International Resources


    USA Government Sites


      Additional Resources

                Commercial Genealogy Sites

                These resources offer both free and enhanced subscription services. Some may also be freely accessible from a library. Visit a listing’s home page or ask about genealogical resources at your local library for more information.

                  Print Material

                  JGSC Authors

                  • Books by JGSC Members - a bibliography of books written and/or edited by members of JGSC
                  • Vigil, Vicki Blum, Cemeteries of Northeast Ohio: Stones, Symbols, and Stories, Gray & Co, 2007.
                  • Vigil, Vicki Blum, Finding Your Family History in Northeast Ohio, Gray & Co, 2003.

                  JGSC Speakers and Books

                  • Copeland, Libby, The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Upending Who We AreHarry N. Abrams, 2020.
                  • Gross, Rachel B, Beyond the Synagogue: Jewish Nostalgia as Religious PracticeNYU Press, 2021.
                  • Klam, Julie, The Almost Legendary Morris Sisters: A True Story of Family FictionRiverhead Books, 2021.
                  • Neumark, Heidi, Hidden Inheritance: Family Secrets, Memory, and Faith, Abingdon Press, 2015.

                  Other Book Recommendations

                  • Rabinowitz, Richard, Objects of Love and Regret: A Brooklyn Story, Belknap Press, 2022.
                  • Shapiro, Dani, Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2019.

                  Magazines

                  • American Ancestors
                  • Family Tree Magazine
                  • Internet Genealogy
                  • National Genealogical Societal Quarterly
                  • Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
                  • Your Family History
                  • Your Genealogy Today

                  Copyright 2024.  The Jewish Genealogy Society of Cleveland, Inc. (JGSC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 34-1648203).  All Rights Reserved.