Spotlight - Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto

4 June 2026

Remembering Rolf Lederer

Dr. Rolf Lederer z”l It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Rolf Lederer z”l, a pivotal figure in the founding of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto and a cherished member of our community. Rolf passed away on 22 July 2024. Burial will be held in […]

22 April 2026

Remembering Gert Rogers

Gert Solnik Rogers z”l It is with profound sadness that we advise our members and friends of the death of Gert Solnik Rogers z”l on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, in Toronto. Gert had been a member of JGS Toronto since almost the very beginning, joining in November 1987. She served on the executive committee for many […]

7 August 2023

Congratulations Henry

Congratulations to our President Emeritus Henry Wellisch for receiving the IAJGS Lifetime Achievement Award! Henry is a former president of JGS Toronto and was integral to the startup of the Montreal JGS. His volunteer transcription efforts not only helped researchers with Toronto-based ancestors, but he has been – and continues […]

1 January 2023

Ontario Jewish Archives Celebrates 50 Years

In 2023, we will celebrate 50 years of the Ontario Jewish Archives! We invite you to help us mark this important community milestone. Throughout our special anniversary year, we will be highlighting stories from our rich and vibrant history. Together, we will explore individuals who made a difference, organizations that […]

31 August 2022

JGS Toronto Library Collection

JGS Toronto Library (Toronto Reference Library) Our library contains many volumes of local Jewish family history, Who’s Who in Canadian Jewry, genealogical research guides, titles on Jewish surnames, numerous Yizkor books, and chronicles of the Holocaust. In addition, items relevant to Jewish communities in Canada, United States, and Europe enhance […]

6 May 2021

Mass Grave Uncovered in Logoza Belarus

A mass grave of more than 1,000 Jews shot in the head by the Nazis during World War II uncovered in Belarus in 2019. Source: Screenshot. A mass grave of Holocaust victims has been discovered near the village of Logoza in Belarus. The grave included bones, clothes, and shoes of […]

24 April 2021

National Archives – Genealogy Fair

The (US) National Archives has presented a virtual genealogy fair since 2013 and last year due to the pandemic they canceled the virtual genealogy fair. This year, they announced several sessions to be held over different days in May and June. You are invited to watch and participate in real […]

19 March 2021

65 Thousand Gravestones digitized in the Łódź Jewish Cemetery

65,000 photographs of gravestones in the Łódź Cemetery are being digitized this year with details from the burial cards will be made available online later this year. This cooperative project is being undertaken by the Jewish Community, the State Archives in Łódź and the Cultural Heritage Foundation. The collection, the only […]

2 March 2021

A Motoring Tour of Jewish Northern Ontario

Author Robert Walker takes a motoring tour of Northern Ontario and discovers the vestiges of Jewish population that once existed is some very out of the way places. If you have connections to Northern Ontario and wish to start a conversation/dialogue on this subject you are welcome reply to this […]

9 February 2021

Huge Fire in Krakow Destroys Municipal Archives

A massive fire broke out its the Krakow City Archive over the weekend. 85 fire fighters took part in fighting the blaze in sub zero temperatures. Looks like the losses will be massive. Additional information from our man in Krakow: Just to confirm: the fire broke out at the Krakow […]

1 November 2020

GenTeam adds 500,000 New Records

GenTeam has placed 500,000 new records online. There are approximately 21.2 million records online in total. Go to: https://www.genteam.eu/ You need to register in order to access the records, but access to all data is free. If you are unsure about the exact spelling of the name of a person or a […]

14 October 2020

The Okopowa Jewish Cemetery – Warsaw

General view of part of Quarter 1 in the Okopowa St. Jewish cemetery, Warsaw. Photo: Foundation for Cultural Heritage The Okopawa Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw was established in 1806 and is the resting place of over 200,000 persons. It is the largest cemetery in Poland. Recently, archeologists discovered previously unknown […]