The Australian Jewish Genealogical Society is an organisation established to encourage and assist those with Jewish ancestry to research their family histories. It is dedicated to the collection, preservation and dissemination of genealogical information

Genealogy

Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...

 of particular relevance and interest to members of the Australian Jewish

History of the Jews in Australia

The history of the Jews in Australia dates back to 1788, when a number of Jews were among the convicts brought to the country aboard the First Fleet to establish the first European settlement on the continent, on the site of present-day Sydney. Today, an estimated 120,000 Jews live in Australia...

 community.

The Society was established in Sydney in 1993.http://www.actjewish.org.au/AJGS_AJHS.html A Victorian branch was established in 1995, which incorporated as a separate Society in 1998,http://friedlan.customer.netspace.net.au/ and presently has about 150 members. AJGS represents member researchers in the Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

 and Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

. There are several members in Canberra, some of whom are members of the ACT Jewish Community. The Society is affiliated to the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), which comprises over 80 national Jewish Genealogical Societies.

The Society maintains library resources of Jewish genealogically relevant reference books, maps, newsletters and journals. The Victorian library collection (which includes material belonging to the Australian Jewish Historical Society

Australian Jewish Historical Society

The Australian Jewish Historical Society was founded in 1938 in Sydney. The first president was Percy J. Marks. At the first business meeting of the Society, the then president of the Royal Australian Historical Society K. R...

http://www.ajhs.info/arc/access_vic.htm) is housed at the Makor Jewish Community Library. It also provides online and personal information as to where various types of lists are available and holds seminars and other educational events.

The Sydney Society has since 1993 produced a quarterly magazine called The Kosher Koala, and the Victorian society produces a newsletter called Jewish Genealogy Downunder.

Rieke Nash is the current president of the NSW Society.