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05 May 2026 7:30 PMFrom the convenience of your home device
| Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois |
Welcome!
Exploring Jewish family history is about more than research—it’s about connection. The Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois (JGSI) has been helping people uncover, understand, and preserve their Jewish roots, with a focus on Chicago-area ancestry, since 1981. Our membership of over 330 people from more than 28 states includes both newcomers and experienced genealogists, supported by our affiliation with the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. JGSI offers engaging programs, informative speakers, personalized guidance, and valuable resources to make your family’s story come to life. Whether you join us for monthly live presentations or become a member to access our archives, past events, and exclusive meetings, JGSI has something for every family history enthusiast.
Suzanne Hoffman to speak on early history of Jews in Illinois for May 17, 2026, JGSI hybrid meeting
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“Early Jewish Settlement in Illinois” will be the lecture topic of genealogist Suzanne Hoffman for the Sunday, May 17, 2026, Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois hybrid meeting. Her talk will begin at 2 p.m. CDT via Zoom and at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Illinois, where she will be speaking in person. The JGSI meeting facilities at Temple Beth-El will open at 12:30 p.m. CDT for those who want to use genealogy library materials, get help with family history websites or ask genealogical questions before the main hybrid program begins at 2 p.m. CDT.
More details and registration information are on the Events page.
JGSI offers varied schedule of informative online genealogy discussions for members
In addition to our free monthly meetings open to everyone, among the many benefits of joining the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois is a series of exclusive online genealogy talks and discussions. They feature informative short talks by expert genealogists and plenty of time to ask questions, share discoveries and just chat about our family histories. These coming events include the following:
- May 5, 2026: Artificial intelligence in Jewish genealogy members only online discussion at 7;30 p.m. CDT.
- June 9, 2026: “Central Illinois Jewish Communities Archives” by Amanda Riggenbach for members only online program at 10 a.m. CDT.
- June 25, 2026: Genetic Genealogy Open Discussion for DNA Questions and Answers for members only at 7 p.m. CDT.
If you haven't already done so, join JGSI for as little as $25 so that you can participate in these great events!
THERE’S MORE TO JGSI THAN THE ZOOM LINK
While the programs usually stream on Zoom, attending in person offers a richer experience. Come to Temple Beth-El at 12:30 p.m. to browse the research library, ask questions at the Genealogy Help Desk, meet other researchers, and enjoy homemade pastries and sweet treats before the 2 p.m. program. The speaker is only part of the afternoon. The conversations and connections matter too.
More details and registrations for JGSI events are on the Events page.
JGSI member benefits include huge collection of informative Jewish genealogy video recordings
Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois members can access dozens of recordings and handouts from past JGSI events. To view them, log into this website, click the EVENTS tab, and select PAST EVENT RECORDINGS AND HANDOUTS. Then choose the program you want, download the handout if one is available, and click the video to watch it. To watch faster or slower, click the settings icon at the bottom right of the video screen and choose a different playback speed.
THE LATEST UPDATES |
Upcoming eventsMark your calendar now for our future events, which are listed on the Events page of this website. Also, the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) has a worldwide searchable online calendar of Jewish genealogy events at Jewish Roots Events.
| NEWSResearch Updates As of April 2026, JGSI has over 141,000 records in 89 Collections of Names (JJCD) and Subjects (JCRP). New collections include Memorial Plaques from 7 congregations – including Danville IL. Updates include over 25,000 JUF Obituaries, Marks Nathan Jewish Orphan Home records and Newsletters & Videos from JGSI and CJHS (Chicago Jewish Historical Society). Find everything in Research. JGSI member Abby Schmelling has announced the December 2026 publication of "A Guide to Jewish Waldheim Cemetery: Stories of a Chicago Community" – an informative guidebook to this cemetery located in Forest Park, Illinois, with nearly 200,000 burials dating back to 1875. Abby combines local research, on-site visits, and conversations with Chicago Jewish history experts with their stories and photographs, and others who have friends and family buried at Waldheim. Purchase information will be available closer to the book's release date. | Brides of WaldheimSee all the Brides of Waldheim as mentioned in the Summer Morasha click here.
MYSTERY PHOTOSMystery Photos... If you would like to help us identify these people, please click here.
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