Forbes library also has a fantastic section for those who are researching local genealogy. WMJGS holds many of its meetings at Forbes. Heritage Quest Online and Ancestry.com are excellent databases that are available for FREE use at Forbes Library! Heritage Quest Online may also be accessed remotely if you have a Forbes Library Card.
With the support of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, WMJGS has been able to establish a small collection of Jewish genealogy reference works at the Forbes Library in Northampton. The first part of this collection will be for reference only, but we hope to add circulating books over time. As of December 2005, the holdings are:
A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames From Galicia Alexander Beider Avotaynu, Bergenfield NJ 2004 600pp ISBN 1-886223-19-X Lists 25,000 surnames used by Jews in Galicia, giving the districts within Galicia where the names appeared, variants on the name, and etymology (meaning of the name.)
A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames From the Kingdom of Poland Alexander Beider Avotaynu, Teaneck NJ 1996 570 pp ISBN 0-9626373-9-4 A compilation of 32,000 Jewish surnames with origins in that part of the Russian Empire known as the “Kingdom of Poland.” Surnames are listed alphabetically, and indexed with the Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex.
A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames From the Russian Empire Alexander Beider Avotaynu, Teaneck NJ 1993 760pp A compilation of 50,000 Jewish surnames from the Russian Pale of Settlement, showing etymology, variations, and where the names appeared. Surnames are listed alphabetically, and indexed with the Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex.
Avotaynu Guide to Jewish Genealogy Sallyann Amdur Sack and Gary Mokotoff, Eds. Avotaynu, Bergenfield NJ 2004 608 pp ISBN 1-886223-17-3
Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy. Periodical. Sallyann Amdur Sack and Gary Mokotoff, editors. Avotayno, Inc. 155 North Washington AV, Bergenfield, NJ 07621. Subscription beginning 2005.
The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust Shmuel Spector and Geoffrey Wigoder, eds. New York University Press, New York & Yad Vashem, Jerusalem 2001 3 volume set ISBN 0-8147-9376-8
Following the Paper Trail: A Multilingual Translation Guide Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman. Avotaynu, Inc. Teaneck NJ 1994 241 pp ISBN 0-9626373-4-3
From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Personal History. Arthur Kurzweil. Jossey-Bass San Francisco 2004 367 pp ISBN 0-7879-7051-4 A good beginner’s guide, with a personal approach to each step.
How to Document Victims and Locate Survivors of the Holocaust Gary Mokotoff. Avotaynu, Inc. Teaneck NJ 1995 194 pp ISBN 0-9626373-8-6
Jewish Cemeteries of Western Massachusetts, with errata Rabbi Edward A. Cohen & Lewis Goldfarb, Godfrey Memorial Library, Middletown CT 2005, 202 pages
Jews in the Russian Army: Through the Military Towards Modernity (1827--1914) Yohanan M. Petrovsky-Shtern, PhD dissertation Brandeis University, 2001, 434 pages
Morton Allan Directory of European Passenger Steamship Arrivals Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc. Baltimore 2001 268 pp ISBN 0-8063-0830-3 For the years 1890-1930 at New York and for the years 1904-1926 at Phildelphia, Boston and Baltimore.
Sourcebook for Jewish Genealogies and Family Histories. David S. Zubatsky and Irwin M. Berent. Avotaynu, Inc. Bergenfield, NJ, 2005. 378 pages. A guide to over 22,000 published and manuscript genealogies in archives and libraries worldwide, surnames are listed alphabetically, with a Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex index. ISBN 1-886223-03-3.
There Once Was a World: A 900-Year Chronicle of the Shtetl of Eishyshok
Yaffa Eliach 800 pp. 1998. A history of this shtetl, with elaboration of shtetl culture in general in 19th century Eastern Europe, and with a narrative of the survival and fate of the author’s family. ISBN 0-316-23252-1
Where Once We Walked - Revised Edition A Guide to the Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust. By Gary Mokotoff and Sallyann Amdur Sack, with Alexander Sharon. Avotaynu, Inc Teaneck, NJ 2002 704 pages. ISBN 1-886223-15-7. Completely revised and updated from the 1991 edition to reflect the changes in the political geography of Central and Eastern Europe. This is a gazetteer of over 23,500 Central and Eastern European localities, including 17,000 alternate names, map coordinates, and Jewish population prior to the Holocaust. It is arranged alphabetically and indexed phonetically by Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex, with references for each locality.
Boston Public Library
On-line registration for a Boston Public Library eCard is
now available to anyone individual who lives, works, attends
school, or owns property in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and is at least 13 years of age. With this
eCard you can have access to 140 on-line databases with
innumerable publications, including several resources of
local genealogical interest.
US Census 1790-1930, fully indexed
(except 1930 partially indexed)
Historical Boston Globe, 1872-1924
Historical New York Times, 1851-2004
Obituaries from the Globe and the Herald (limited years)
Family from Philadelphia? Full text search of the
Philadelphia Inquirer 1860-1922. Many other historical
newspapers from all parts of the US.
To register: http://www.bpl.org/general/circulation/ecards.htm
HeritageQuest.com access: www.bpl.org/electronic/biography.asp
Another library of interest is the Godfrey Library in Middletown CT. As of 2006, these were some of their holdings:
Book ID Title Type Author Year Place
1 American Passenger Arrival Records IM Michael Tepper 1988 US
2 Ancestry Family Historian?s Address Book REF Juliana S. Smith 1997
3 Beginner?s Workshop in Jewish Genealogy BAS Eileen Polakoff 1994
4 Bible Almanac REF ed. Packer. et al 1980
5 Book of Life; Directory of Hebrew Names and Dates NAM Martha Marenof 1958
6 Bravest Battle:Warsaw Ghetto Uprising HOL Dan Kurzman 1976 POL
7 Candles In the Night FIC ed. Joseph L.Baron 1940
8 Captain Dreyfus HX Nicholas Halasz 1955
9 Connecticut City Directories:Bristol REF CT
10 Connecticut City Directories:Durham REF CT
11 Connecticut City Directories:Guilford REF CT
12 Connecticut City Directories:Hartford REF
13 Connecticut City Directories:Manchester REF
14 Connecticut City Directories:Meriden REF
15 Connecticut City Directories:Torrington REF
16 Connecticut City Directories:Torrington-Winsted REF
17 Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Poland NAM Alexander Beider
18 Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russia NAM Alexander Beider
19 Do People Grow on Family Trees BAS Ira Wolfman 1991
20 Documents of Our Ancestors REF Michael Meshenberg 1996
21 Encyclopedia of Jewish Genealogy REF Arthur Kurzweil & Miriam Weiner 1991
22 Every Day Remembrance Day HX Simon Wiesenthal 1986
23 Finding Our Fathers BAS Dan Rottenberg 1986
24 Fifty Year Almanac-Hebrew & English Dates REF
25 Frequently Asked Questions by Warren Blatt BAS
27 Geneal Resources in the New York Metro Area REF Estelle Guzik 1989 NY
28 Genealogist‘s Address Book REF Elizabeth P. Bentley 1995
29 German Minority Census of 1939 REF Thomas Edlund 1996 GER
30 Golden Heritage:Fed of Jew Phil of NY (1917-1967) HX 1969 NY
31 Guide To Archives in the Whitney Museum REF Ottilia Koel 1988 NY
32 Guide to Research in the National Archives REF 1985 US
33 Hamburg Passengers from Poland & Russia IM Geraldine Moser 1996
34 Hartford Jews 1659-1970 REF Rabbi Morris Silverman 1970 CT
35 History of Connecticut Vol. II REF Harold Bingham 1962 CT
36 History of Jews in Cologne HX Adolf Kober 1940 GER
37 History of Jews in London HX Elkan Adler 1930 ENG
38 History of Jews in Regensburg and Augsburg HX Raphael Straus 1939 GER
39 History of Jews in Rome HX Hermann Vogelstein 1941 ITA
40 History of Jews in Venice HX Cecil Roth 1930 ITA
41 History of the Modern World REF R. Palmer 1962 GEN
42 How We Lived HX Irving Howe 1979
43 In Search of Your European Roots REF Angus Baxter EUR
44 Internation’l Vital Records Handbook 3rd Editon REF Thomas Jay Kemp 1995 INTL
45 Jewish Genealogical Family Finder - Feb 1994 REF JGS Inc.
46 JewishGen Family Finder ? June 1998 REF JewishGen, Inc.
47 8th Summer Seminar ? Philadelphia 1989 BAS
48 9th Summer Seminar-Los Angles 1990 BAS
49 10th Summer Seminar? Salt Lake City 1991 BAS
50 11th Summer Seminar? New York City 1992 BAS
51 12th Summer Seminar? Toronto 1993 BAS
52 4th International Seminar? Jerusalem 1994 BAS
53 15th Summer Seminar? Boston 1996 BAS
54 5th International Seminar- Paris 1997 BAS
55 Jewish History Atlas REF Martin Gilbert 1976 INTL
56 Jewish Genealogy BIBL David Zubatsky & Irwin Berent 1984
57 Jewish Times PER Howard Simons 1988 LITH
58 Jewish Revision Lists-Lithuanian Archives REF Harold Rhode 1996
59 Jewish Genealogy BAS David Zubatsky and Irwin Berent 1984
60 The Jews;Origins, America, Connecticut HX Sally Klitz 1980 CT
61 Jews in New Haven HX Jonathan Sarna CT
62 Jews In New Haven Vol. III HX Barry Herman 1981 CT
63 Krakow PIC Edward Hartwig POL
64 Kristallnacht HOL Anthony Read 1989
65 Lifeboat is Full HOL Alfred Hasler 1969 SWIT
66 Lithuanian Jewish Holocaust Survivors HOL LITH
67 Main Cities of Europe ? Michelin Guide 1989 REF EUR
68 Migration from the Russian Empire Vol.1(1875-1882) IM-NC Ira Glazier ed RUS
69 Migration from the Russian Empire Vol. 2(1882-86) IM-NC Ira Glazier ed RUS
70 Migration from the Russian Empire Vol. 3 1886-87) IM-NC Ira Glazier ed RUS
71 Migration from the Russian Empire Vol. 4(1888-89) IM-NC Ira Glazier ed RUS
72 Migration from the Russian Empire Vol. 5(1889-90) IM-NC Ira Glazier ed RUS
73 Migration from the Russian Empire Vol. 6(1890-1) IM-NC Ira Glazier ed RUS
74 Morton Allan Directory IM 1987
75 My Jewish Roots REF David Kranzler 1979
76 National Geographic Index 1947-83 REF
77 New Canaan Historical Society Yearbook (1943) HX CT
78 New Canaan Historical Society Yearbook (1951) HX CT
79 One Remains HX Stewart Perowne 1954
80 Our Crowd HX Stephen Birmingham 1967
81 Pioneers in Service HX Barbara Solomon 1956
82 Polish Jews PHO Roman Vishniac 1975
83 Poor Cousins IM Ande Manners 1972 RUS
84 Resources for Jewish Genealogy-Boston area REF Warren Blatt 1996 MA
85 Sourcebook -Jewish Genealogies & Family Histories REF David Zubatsky 1996
86 Standard Jewish Enclopedia REF Cecil Roth 1959
87 Synagogues in Connecticut REF Jewish History Society of Greater Hartford
88 They Came In Ships IM John Colleta 1993
89 Translation Guide to Polish Documents REF Judy Frazin 1989
90 Voyage of the Damned HOL Gordon Thomas 1974
91 The Wall FIC John Hersey 1981 POL
92 Where Once We Walked REF Gary Mokotoff and Sallyann Sack 1991 EUR
93 Who?s Who in American Jewry:1938-9 REF John Simons US
94 Who?s Who In the Bible REF George Barr 1975
95 Yesterdays Streets FIC Silvia Tennenbaum 1981
96 The Ceiling:Chodorow, Galicia VID Beth Hatefutsoth POL
97 Jews of Poland:Bialystok, Lvov, Vilna, Warsaw VID POL
98 Avotaynu JOU
99 1991-2 Guide to International Jewish Research REF Bloom & Schafler
100 Diary of Friedrich Zinner (1856-1933) PERS
101 Discovering Your Jewish Ancestors BAS Barbara Krasner-Khait 2001
102 Encyclopedia..Life Before and During the Holocaust HOL Shmuel Spector(ed.) 2001
103 The Family Orchard FIC Naomi Eve 2000
104 Genealogy Correspondence Resource Guide REF
105 Getting Started In Jewish Genealogy BAS
106 Jewish Cemetery in Burghaun Germany (1609-1941) REF GER
107 Jewish Genealogy Yearbook 2000 REF IAJGS
108 The Jews of Khazaria REF KHAZ
109 The Kielce Radom Special Interest Group Journal J POL
110 Portraits of Our Past HX
111 U.S. Vital Records REF US
112 Jewish Forum with Joey Russell VID January 2, 2001, Show 1 & 2 2001
113 Auswandererhafen Hamburg Emigration IM by Jorg Berlin 2003 GER
114 Dictionary of Ashkenazic Given Names NAM Alexander Beider 2001
115 Discovering Your Jewish Ancestors BAS
116 The American Jews REF US
117 Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion REF
118 The Grandees, America?s Sephardic Elite HX
119 Hartford Connecticut and Vicinity REF CT
120 The 1910 Federal Population Census REF US
121 The 1920 Federal Population Census REF US
122 Connecticut City Directories:Avon 1974-5 REF CT
123 Connecticut City Directories:Goshen 1950 REF CT
124 Connecticut City Directories:Hartford 1929 REF CT
125 Connecticut City Directories:Hartford 1941 REF CT
126 Connecticut City Directories:Hartford 1942 REF CT
127 Connecticut City Directories:Hartford 1950 REF CT
128 Connecticut City Directories:Hartford 1971 REF CT
129 Connecticut City Directories: Litchfield 1950 REF CT
130 Connecticut City Directories:Meriden 1986 REF CT
131 Connecticut City Directories:Meriden 1987 REF CT
132 Connecticut City Directories:New Britain 1967 REF CT
133 Connecticut City Directories:New Britain 1968 REF CT
134 Connecticut City Directories:Norfolk 1950 REF CT
135 Connecticut City Directories:Torrington 1914-5 REF CT
136 Connecticut City Directories:Torrington 1950 REF CT
137 Connecticut City Directories:Waterbury 1987 REF CT
138 Connecticut City Directories:Winsted 1914-5 REF CT
139 Connecticut City Directories:Winsted 1950 REF CT
140 History of the Jews in Poland and Russia HX 2001 RUS
141 Holocaust in Lithuania 1941-1945 HOL LITH
142 Footsteps of Columbus, Jews in America 1654-1880 HX US
143 The Jewish Almanac, Traditions REF
144 Jewish Genealogy Beginner?s Guide BAS
145 Jewish Exodus from Iraq 1948-1951 HX IRAQ
146 Jewish Prague Guide to the Monuments REF CZEC
147 Jewish Surnames in Prague (15th-18thCenturies) NAM CZEC
148 The Jews of Eastern Europe HX EUR
149 My Romanian Ancestor Quest PERS ROUM
150 Old Country Tales FIC
151 Old Jewish Cemetery and the Klausen Synagogue REF CZEC
152 Pictorial History of the Jewish People HX
153 Portal To America:The Lower East Side (1870-1925) HX NY
154 ..., The Rise of America?s Eastern European Jews HX EUR
155 The Russian Consular Records Index and Catalog REF RUS
156 Spanish and Portuguese Jewry:Bef & after 1492 HX SPAN
157 Vilniaus Phone Book 1997 REF LITH
158 WOWW Companion, a Guide to the Communities REF
159 The Yuter Family PERS Elinor V. Yuter 1996
160 Jewish Forum with Joey Russell VID January 2, 2001, Show 1 & 2
161 The Arizonian-Arizona-Phoenix N Arizona-Phoenix AZ Vol. 1 (2000-
162 Chronicle N Arizona-Tucson AZ Vol. 10 ? (1993
163 Roots Key N California-Los Angeles CA Vol. 9- (1994-
164 Shorashim, Avi Avot, Vol. 6-7(1990-1,3-7,(1994-7) N California-Orange County CA
165 Nizkor, CA Vol. 6-7(1990-91Vol. 2 ?1989) N California-Sacramento
166 Discovery N California-San Diego CA Vol. 4- (1989-
167 Zichron Note Vol. 9- (1989- N California-San Francisco CA
168 Chai N Colorado-Denver CO Vol.1-2 (1996-98)
169 Poe Sham, Vol. 1 (1998-99) N Colorado-Colorado Springs CO
170 Mishpacha N D.C. DC Vol. 8- (1988 -
171 Branches N Florida-Miami FL Vol. 1- (1989-
172 Etz Chaim N Florida-Orlando FL Vol. 1- (1991-
173 Scattered Seeds Vol 1-(1992- N Florida-Palm Beach County FL
174 Mishpochology N Florida-Sarasota FL Vol. 1- (1996-
175 Yichus Y?all N Georgia GA Vol. 1- (1994-
176 Search N Illinois IL Vol. 9-11
177 Morasha N Illinois-Chicago IL Vol. 4- (1986-
178 Illiana March 88 ?90, Summer 1994- N Illinois-South Chicago Suburb IL
179 Bayou Branches Vol. 1 (1995)Vol. 3 ? (1997 N Louisiana LA
180 Mass-Pocha N Massachusetts MA Vol.1- (1992-
181 Generations Vol. 8(1992) Vol.10- (1994 N Michigan MI
182 Generations Vol. 1 (1995) Vol.3 ? (1997- N Missouri MO
183 Family Legacies Vol. 1 (1998) N Nevada NV
184 Newsletter Vol. 4(1990) Vol. 6-10 (1992-6) N New Mexico NM
185 The Gatherers Vol. 1- (2000- N New Jersey-Bergen County NJ
186 Yichus Vol.4-5 (89-91)Vol. 9 (‘94) Vol.11-12 (1996-7) N New Jersey-North Jersey NJ
187 Mekorot Vol. 4- (2000- N New York-Buffalo NY
188 Dorot Vol. 10- (1989- N New York-New York City NY
189 Lineage, Vol. 1- (1988- N New York-Long Island NY
190 News, Vol. 1-5 (1992-1998) N New York-Rochester NY
191 Ancestree, Vol. 1-4 (1993-6) N Ohio-Cincinnati OH
192 Cleveland Kol- Vol.1-5 (1987-1991) Vol.8- (1994- N Ohio-Cleveland OH
193 Reflections-Ohio-Columbus, Vol. 16-17 (1997-98) N Ohio-Columbus OH
194 Shalshelet, Vol. 3(1992)Vol.5-8 (1994-7)Fall 1999- N Oregon OR
195 Dor to Door-Texas, Vol. 1 ? (1995- N Texas TX
196 Av Va Em-Virginia, Vol 2 N Viriginia VA
197 Newsletter-Washington State, Vol. 1 (1999) N Washington State WA
198 Family Finding-Wisconsin, Vol. 1-10 (1990-9) N Wisconsin WI
199 Kosher Koala Vol.1-4 (1994-7) Vol. 6 -(1999- N Australia AUST
200 Geracoes/Brasil, Vol.1 (1994- N Brazil BRAZ
201 Shem Tov Vol. 5- (1989- N Canada CAN
202 Stammbaum, various N Germany GER
203 Shemot Vol. 2- (1994- N Great Britain ENG
204 Sharsheret Hadorot, Vol. 3- (1989- N Israel ISR
205 Moreshet, Vol.1-2 (1994-5) N Israel ISR
206 Misjpoge Vol. 3 (1990) N Netherlands NETH
207 Maajan Die Quelle, various N Switzerland SWIT
208 Pathways & PassagesPolish Genealogy Society of CT N CT various
209 Genealogical Resources in the New York Metro Area REF 2003 NY
210 Erensia Sefardi N Sefardic SPAN
211 Articles About Indiana Jews HX 1982 IN
212 Congregation B'Nai Torah-50 Years-Indianapolis HX 1973 IN
213 Indiana Jewish Historical Society HX 1976 IN
214 Indiana Jewish History HX 1977 IN
215 Indiana Jewish History #22 HX 1987 IN
216 Record of Service HX Mrs. Robert Schwab 1974 IN
217 History of the Jewish Community of Columbus, IN HX 1978 IN
218 John Jacob Hays-Fort Wayne. IN PERS Joseph Levine 1973 IN
219 Memoirs and Reflections # 17 HX 1983 IN
220 Indiana Jewish History #23 HX 1988 IN
221 Jewish Life in Indiana HX 1980 IN
222 Emergence of a Jewish Community-Richmond HX 1981 IN
223 Indiana Jewish History-Hammond, Ft. Wayne #26 HX 1990 IN
224 Indiana Jewish History #24 HX 1988 IN
225 Indiana Jewish History #20 HX 1986 IN
226 Indiana Jewish History #25 HX 1989 IN
227 Israel Elkin-Autobiography PERS 1980 IN
228 The First Hundred and Twenty-Five Years HX Ruth G. Zweig 1973 IN
229 From Peddlers ro Merchants HX Joseph Levine 1979 IN
230 Indiana Jewish History #19 HX 1985 IN
231 Indiana Jewish History #21 HX 1986 IN
232 Indiana Jewish History # 27 HX 1991 IN
233 Biography of Minette Braun PERS Harriet Miller 1975 IN
234 Indiana Jewish History #30 HX 1994 IN
235 Jewish Experience?Before the Civil War #6 HX W. William Wimberly, II1976 IN
236 Hoosier Rabbinate HX Rabbi Morris Feuerlicht 1974 IN
237 A Vanished World PHOT Roman Vishniac 1983 EEUR
238 Yizor Books-Index REF 2004
239 Chronicles, Vol.6- (1987) N Philadelphia PA
240 From Generation to Generation BAS Arthur Kurzweil 2004
241 Avotaynu Guide to Jewish Genealogy REF Sack and Mokotoff eds 2004
242 24th IAJGS International Conference-Jerusalem CD 2004
243 Genealogy Shareware for Internet AYD Edward Rosenbaum 2002
244 World of Our Fathers HX Irving Howe 1976
245 Connecticut City Directories-New Britain-1971 REF CT
246 Connecticut City Directories-New Britain-1978 REF CT
247 Connecticut City Directories-Hartford-1959 REF CT
248 Family History Made Easy REF Loretto Dennis Szucs 1998
249 A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia REF Alexander Beider 2004
250 Connecticut Jewish History JOU Jewish Hist Soc. Of Gr Hartford 1990 CT
251 Montreal Forum, Sep 2005 vol 1 N JGS Montreal
252 Jewish Home for the Elderly Family Photo Album PER
253 The Jews in Shanghai HX Pan Guang 1995
254 The Jews in China HX Pan Guang 2001
255 The Litvaks HX Dov Levin 2000 LITH
256 IAJGS Conference-Las Vegas CD 2005
257 Jews Of India HX Benjamin J. Israel INDIA
258 Encyclopedia of New Haven Jews Vol. I REF Werner S. Hirsch 2006 CT
259 Encyclopedia of New Haven Jews Vol. II REF Werner S. Hirsch 2006 CT
260 Tell Then We Remember HOL Susan D. Bachrach 1994 EUR