About
Established in 1985 as a registered charitable organization, JGS Toronto provides a forum for the exchange of genealogical knowledge and information through this website and also via its newsletter, Shem Tov, its collection of books at the Toronto Reference Library, regular monthly presentations, workshops, and Special Interest Groups.
In 2025, we celebrated the Society's 40th anniversary with a gala celebration. You can view the legacy video which was shown at the gala on our YouTube channel.
What's New
In this continuation of Ralph Cilevitz‘s presentation of 01 June 2025, he tells the story of Jewish immigrants who journeyed from the cities and shtetls of the Pale of Settlement to the cities and dorpies at the southern tip of Africa. Most arrived young, alone, and with little more than their determination and quiet strength. Ralph explores how thousands of Jewish families built new lives and preserved their faith and hope while adapting to unfamiliar places and languages. He offers a vivid look at courage, migration, resilience, and community. Whether you’re interested in genealogy, Jewish history, or human endurance, this presentation brings the past to life in a way that is deeply personal and richly human.
Date: Sunday 21 December 2025
Time: 10:30 AM ET
Location: Online via ZoomAll are welcome to attend; advance registration is required. There is no charge for attendance at this program.
It's Not Too Late!
Did you miss the first session of JGS Toronto’s Unlock the Power of AI in Jewish Genealogy course? It’s not too late to participate! Here’s what one participant had to say after attending the first session:
“Getting people to be comfortable experimenting with and providing venues to share those experiments (both what worked and what didn't) is so critical to learning to harness AI. This is very different from learning the process and basic principles of Jewish genealogy which is relatively static. We thought genetic genealogy was moving fast as we were trying to learn it. AI technology and platforms are changing orders of magnitudes faster and the way we can evolve to take advantage of the changing toolkit is with initiatives like you are leading - never more important to foster learning from each other.” – Marlis H.
Discover how artificial intelligence can transform the way you research and share your family history! Join us for an exciting five-session online series designed to help you use AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity AI, to take your genealogy research to the next level.
In this engaging, hands-on online course, you will:
- Learn how to organize, analyze, and document your family tree using AI
- Explore AI-assisted search techniques for JewishGen, Ancestry, MyHeritage, and other genealogy databases
- See how AI can help interpret DNA results and uncover hidden family connections
- Gain practical tips on writing and sharing your family story with AI support
Taught by Jerry Scherer and Arthur Sissman, with their AI assistants ChatGPT, Copilot, and Perplexity AI.
Register now and you’ll be able to review the recording and other materials from the first session, and then participate in the future sessions. Zoom links will be sent the day prior to each session.
Spotlight
For forty years – since March 1985 – the members of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto have been gathering to share stories and to assist one another in discovering their own family histories. Along the way, they have shared research techniques, discovered sources of information, and have documented their Jewish family histories that contribute to the worldwide collection of Jewish genealogical data.
In 2011, on the occasion of the Society’s 25th anniversary, we published Tracing our Roots, Telling our Stories. Forty-four of our members shared stories of family, migration, cousins, loss and discovery, and life in the old country and in their new home, Canada.
This year, as we celebrate our fortieth anniversary, we’re pleased to share more accounts from our members of the results of their family history research: Tracing Our Roots, Telling More Stories. Thirty-six authors have shared personal stories that will hopefully inspire each of us to trace our own roots and tell our own stories.
Copies of Tracing Our Roots, Telling More Stories are available for purchase for $40 each. The books can be picked up at a future JGS Toronto in-person event or can be shipped to you (additional charges apply).
Shem Tov
Shem Tov is our award-winning quarterly newsletter, published since our inception in 1985. Past issues are accessible to all our visitors. Current issues are available only to members of JGS Toronto and can be accessed from the Members page.
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Upcoming Events
The History of the South African Jews – Part 2
From The Pale to Pretoria … Carrying a Small Suitcase Filled with Courage, Faith and Hope - Part 2 In partnership with Classi Lectures In this continuation of Ralph Cilevitz's presentation of 01 June 2025, he tells the story of Jewish immigrants who journeyed from the cities and shtetls of […]
DNA Special Interest Group
Our DNA Special Interest Group (SIG) offers an interactive forum where participants can learn how to use DNA as a tool for Jewish genealogy. Each session is self-contained and focuses on real case studies, practical tips, and guidance from our experts. Whether you’re just getting started with DNA testing or […]
Unlock the Power of AI in Jewish Genealogy – class 3 of 5
Discover how artificial intelligence can transform the way you research and share your family history. Date Session Subject 19 Nov 2025 1 Getting started with AI in Jewish genealogy 03 Dec 2025 2 Smart organizations of your genealogy 14 Jan 2026 3 Exploring genealogy databases and tools with AI 11 […]
Researching the Jewish Story in Soviet-Occupied Poland, 1939-42 – Latest Available Resources
speaker: Steven Turner, genealogist and president of Gesher Galicia, a town leader for JRI-Poland, and a member of the board of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Long Island. On Zoom only FAQs for this program: Who may register for this program? Public Is it being recorded? Yes Who may view […]
Unlock the Power of AI in Jewish Genealogy – class 4 of 5
Discover how artificial intelligence can transform the way you research and share your family history. Date Session Subject 19 Nov 2025 1 Getting started with AI in Jewish genealogy 03 Dec 2025 2 Smart organizations of your genealogy 14 Jan 2026 3 Exploring genealogy databases and tools with AI 11 […]