Israel Societies
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In other languages: עבריתGenealogical Societies
Israel has several genealogical societies with a wealth of records and resources. Most of these societies focus on Jewish genealogy, however, resources for other communities living in Israel (such as Arab and Christian) can be found within some databases, particularly census' and civil records.
Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA)
Israel's largest genealogical society with access to the All Israel Database, a collection of over 3 million records, including census records, vital records, civil records, military records, and many other record types. IGRA focuses on providing a wide variety of documents and material uniquely available in Israel, spanning from the Ottoman period through the British Mandate period and into the modern Israeli era. IGRA also offers online classes, webinars, blogs, and a variety of resources for genealogical research in Israel.
You must be logged in to search the databases. Accessing search results requires a paid membership (about $45 annual fee).
- Website (in English or Hebrew)
- List of databases included
- Professional research services
Israeli Association for the Study of Family Roots (ILAM)
Formerly known as the Israel Genealogical Society, ILAM specializes in researching and preserving family histories in Israel with an emphasis on Jewish genealogy. Their society offers a searchable database with approximately 400,000 records and 20,000 surnames, as well as lectures, tutorials, digital libraries, and opportunities to connect with the community.
The database is free to search, but accessing details requires a paid membership ($50 annual/$75 two-year, or a 48 hour access pass is $16)
- Website (in Hebrew)
- List of databases included
- Search engine
The Central Zionist Archive (Jerusalem)
This archive centralizes documentation of the Zionist movement and contains valuable resources for genealogical research, particularly for Israel. It serves as the historic repository for several key organizations, including the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency, the Jewish National Fund, the United Israel Appeal, and the World Jewish Congress. Some of the resources include legal and illegal immigration to Palestine from 1919-1974 and a Jerusalem census on the eve of WWII, however, many of the records are not available online and must be accessed in person or requested.
The website is free to browse and some scans of records can be requested. Using their professional research service is approximately $54.
Other Genealogical Societies
JewishGen
JewishGen is the largest repository for Jewish family history information and offers a unified database search of millions of records worldwide, including the Jewish Online Worldwide Burial Registry (3 million cemetery records), Family Tree of the Jewish People (over 9 million entries from Jewish family trees), and the Communities Database with information for about 6,500 Jewish communities in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. JewishGen also offers online classes, webinars, and community discussion groups.
You must be logged in to access search results. Membership is free, but donations are encouraged.
Ancestry
- Message board - Genealogical discussion forum for Israel.
- For more information on Jewish genealogical research, visit the Jewish Genealogy page.
FamilySearch
- Arab Genealogy Research (أبحاث الأنساب العربية) - Active community forum for Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa
National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy (NSAB)
- Fosters genealogical research for Arabs and Arab Americans by encouraging education, research, writing & recording family histories and preserving records.
- Website
- Facebook
Historical Societies
The Jewish History Resource Center in Jerusalem has tremendous resources.
The Historical Society of Israel
- Website
- Jewish Genealogy - Index - A project of the Jewish History Resource Center with an index of resources about Jewish genealogy by geographic region.
American Jewish Historical Society