Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) is a society for the study and encouragement of Jewish genealogy
in Great Britain
. The society is a member society of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies
.
of their Jewish ancestors. It encourages Jewish genealogical education and research and promotes the indexing , transcription and preservation of old records. It encourages research and promotes the preservation of Jewish records and resources, sharing information amongst its members.
The society also hosts meetings for Anglo-Jewish
, Sephardi
and Dutch, German, and Eastern European Jewish
special interest groups. Regional groups meet regarding the Jewish communities of South East London
, South West London
, East of London
and Essex
, Leeds
and Manchester
.
, including copies of many of the major Anglo-Jewish genealogy collections. The library also holds the largest collection of Yizkor (memorial) books in the United Kingdom.
There is a collection of genealogical magazines from societies all over the world, including Avotaynu
, the world's largest circulation magazine devoted to Jewish genealogy.
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...
in Great Britain
British Jews
British Jews are Jews who live in, or are citizens of, the United Kingdom. In the 2001 Census, 266,740 people listed their religion as Jewish. The UK is home to the second largest Jewish population in Europe, and has the fifth largest Jewish community worldwide...
. The society is a member society of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies
IAJGS
The IAJGS is the acronym for the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, an independent non-profit umbrella organization coordinating the activities and annual conference of more than 75 international, national and local Jewish genealogical societies around the world.The IAJGS...
.
Purpose
The society's mission is to promote and encourage the study of Jewish genealogy, and assist all those tracing the family historyFamily history
Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
of their Jewish ancestors. It encourages Jewish genealogical education and research and promotes the indexing , transcription and preservation of old records. It encourages research and promotes the preservation of Jewish records and resources, sharing information amongst its members.
Services
The society offers Family History workshops, training courses in genealogy, a library and computers for genealogical research, an online discussion group, and in-person support provided by mentors and a genealogical Enquiries Officer.The society also hosts meetings for Anglo-Jewish
History of the Jews in England
The history of the Jews in England goes back to the reign of William I. The first written record of Jewish settlement in England dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times...
, Sephardi
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
and Dutch, German, and Eastern European Jewish
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
special interest groups. Regional groups meet regarding the Jewish communities of South East London
South East (London sub region)
The South East is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark. The sub region was established in 2008. The south east has a population of 1,300,000 and is the location of 500,000 jobs...
, South West London
South West (London sub region)
The South West is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of London Borough of , Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Wandsworth. The sub region was established in 2008. The south west has a population of 1,600,000 and is the location...
, East of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Library
The society's Genealogical Resource Library contains information and resources including more than a thousand books relating to genealogy, computers and a selection of genealogical CD-ROMs and other genealogical databases. It also has a large collection of maps, leaflets, microfiches and microfilmsMicroform
Microforms are any forms, either films or paper, containing microreproductions of documents for transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about one twenty-fifth of the original document size...
, including copies of many of the major Anglo-Jewish genealogy collections. The library also holds the largest collection of Yizkor (memorial) books in the United Kingdom.
There is a collection of genealogical magazines from societies all over the world, including Avotaynu
Avotaynu Magazine
Avotaynu, The International Review of Jewish Genealogy is a publication that focuses on Jewish genealogy and family history published by Avotaynu Inc., in Bergenfield, NJ....
, the world's largest circulation magazine devoted to Jewish genealogy.