Jewish Introduction

This set of Wiki pages introduces records and strategies that can help you learn more about your Jewish ancestors. It teaches terminology and describes the content, use, and availability of major genealogical records.

Using These Wiki Pages
These pages will help you evaluate various records and decide which records to search as you trace your Jewish ancestors. Records that are uniquely Jewish are listed, as are other general sources, that may contain the information you are searching for. These record sources are often created by the government or other organizations and list details about all people.

This outline discusses in alphabetical order many major topics used for genealogical research, such as “Archives and Libraries,” “Civil Registration,” and “Military Records.” “Church Records” are discussed because many churches, which were state churches of various countries, recorded information for Jews in certain time periods. Furthermore, where there were few Jews, Jewish births, marriages, and deaths were recorded by the local churches. At the end of this outline you will find a list of additional subject headings under “Other Records,” a short bibliography of sources under “Further Reading,” and a glossary.