JGSI to hold in person genealogy help session April 19 at Temple Beth-El in Northbrook

“Breaking Brick Walls Together” will be the focus of the Sunday, April 19, 2026, Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois in person meeting at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Illinois. Sign-in begins at 12:30 p.m. CDT, and the main event will start at 1 p.m. CDT.

Join your fellow genealogists to share experiences and ask questions on topics of mutual interest. No specific expertise is  required, but you'd be surprised how valuable your own ideas might be to others.

Please register/RSVP for this in person event by clicking the button at left.

Bring your successes as well as your brick walls. Be ready to help your fellow genealogists with your positive experiences and ideas, while asking questions of your fellow JGSI family historians who might be able to help find answers to your brick wall quandaries.

Bring along paper to take notes, trees to share, documents to provide context, and computers, etc.

We all have at least one brick wall!

Possible questions you might be seeking to answer in your family history research could include some of these:

• Do you have a relative you hesitate to call?
• Do you need to organize your research and don't know where to start?
• Do you have an interesting DNA match who hasn’t written you back?
• Do you have a missing maiden name on your tree?
• Is your grandmother from Russia-Poland but you can’t figure out the town?
• Are you searching for living cousins?

Bring your questions! Inspire and encourage your fellow genealogists by sharing strategies, resources and successes.

Participants will work together at tables on challenges in the following areas:

• Searching for Ancestors
• Finding and Learning about Living Relatives
• Navigating and Connecting with DNA Matches
• Organizing and Preserving your Family Histories and Research

Facilitators will be stationed at each table, and participants can visit multiple tables throughout the afternoon. Homemade baked goods, and fruits and vegetables will be provided.

Help your fellow genealogists understand your quandaries and questions by bringing your research and family information, whether on paper or computer.

We look forward to hearing about your brick walls as well as your knowledge and experiences.

JGSI meeting facilities at Temple Beth-El, 3610 Dundee Road, Northbrook, Illinois, will open at 12:30 p.m. CDT for sign-in and snacks before the main program begins at 1 p.m. CDT.

Free books: At this special in-person only event, we will be giving away books on a variety of topics from the JGSI library as we are streamlining it to be a more focused reference collection. You'll find local and general Jewish histories, biographies, genealogy handbooks, and more. You may even find that special book you've been searching for!