Genealogical Institute of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada

We currently do not have meetings on a regular basis. If we can find people interested in coordinating monthly or bi-monthly meetings in Winnipeg for our Society, we would be happy to begin having regular meetings.

We also do not have a Newsletter of our own – but include information from time-to-time in the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada’s Newsletter.

Membership in our organization is included as part of the membership of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada.

Activities of our Society

Our upcoming events are listed here.

Genealogy Workshops

From time-to-time, we hold workshops on Jewish Genealogy. These include:

1. Jewish Genealogy Workshop for Beginners – This workshop will be for “absolute rookies” who are just beginning their search or for those who have gathered some basic family information. It will deal with the basics of genealogy. A general presentation is followed by one on one help to try and sort out the information you probably have on little pieces of paper.
2. Jewish Genealogy on the Internet – A hands-on “trip” through a variety of websites relating to general genealogy and specifically to Jewish Genealogy. Registrants will have an opportunity to explore searchable databases, Jewishgen and Manitoba’s own Jewish Genealogy website to name just a few of the resources to be reviewed. Learn to use the Internet to do genealogical research.

Holocaust Insurance Claim Project

In cooperation with the Holocaust Awareness Committee, we will be beginning a program to assist non-genealogists in preparing a family tree for the purposes of tracing Holocaust victims to their next-of-kin. This will allow proper identification and appropriate honour to be given to those who were massacred in the War, and provide documentation to release unclaimed Insurance Policies and Swiss Bank accounts.

Marriage Record Data Entry

We have received approval from some of the synagogues in Winnipeg to document the entries in their marriage registers for the purpose of Genealogical research. We need volunteers to help with this worthwhile endeavour.

Our Cemetery Photography Project

The Genealogical Institute’s Cemetery Photography Project was completed in October 1998. The 54 albums containing over 15,000 photos from 8 cemeteries in Manitoba are available as a resource at the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada Offices. In addition, an index of the names is available at the JHCWC, and is also available at the Manitoba Genealogical Society on St. James Street in Winnipeg. The data has also been submitted for inclusion in the the Association of Jewish Genealogical Society’s Cemetery Database Project.

For detailed information, see our  Cemetery Photography Project Final Report.

Other Sites With Related Information

• The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada is our parent organization and holds a vast number of resources of use to Jewish Genealogists. Our extensive archives are a valuable resource for Genealogists. There is an online surname index of some of the primary surnames found in the Jewish Heritage Centre’s archives.
• An Introduction to Jewish Genealogy in Manitoba is a brief overview outlining how to begin and what to pursue in your Genealogical quest.
• The Manitoba Genealogical Society has very useful resources and an extensive library. Our societies share whatever we have with each other.
• The East European Genealogical Society Inc. of Winnipeg is a very active organization with monthly meetings and a library that is maintained at the University of Winnipeg.
• The Provincial Archives of Manitoba has much archival information from Manitoba of Genealogical interest.
• The Manitoba Department of Vital Statistics makes available birth, death, and marriage records – for a somewhat large fee. But be sure to get all the records you really need from them.
• The National Archives of Canada is Canada’s storehouse of information.
• The Jewish Genealogical Society of British Columbia is an active organization in Vancouver, B.C.
• The Jewish Genealogical Society of Southern Alberta is centred out of Calgary, Alberta.
• The Jewish Archives & Historical Society of Edmonton and Northern Alberta has their own archives and Heritage Newsletter.
• The Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada (Toronto) is a very active society with a large membership.
• The Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal in the province of Quebec serves a Jewish population of 100,000.
• Jewish Winnipeg Links will take you to sites with content about Jewish Winnipeg.
• Jewish Genealogy Links will take you all the other resources for Jewish Genealogy on the web.