JewishGen Learning Center
Basic Courses

Basic 1: Explore the JewishGen Website

JewishGen is the Essential Jewish Resource.

Want to learn to navigate your way through the maze of Jewish data collections?

This workbook is a series of exercises that will take you on a guided tour of the paths and byways that make up the JewishGen massive website. You will visit the links that connect the composite databases, projects, SIGs and open up the wonders of JewishGen. Newbies, dabblers and serious researchers can benefit by using is resource.

This class workbook contains 12 lessons in PDF format.

Not a value-added member? Cost is $25.

Basic 2: Search Strategies Using Google

Want to use the Internet for Genealogical Searches?

Google is a fabulous search tool. Knowing tips and tricks to make it work for you will make your searches faster and more productive. This class is an introduction to using Google for Genealogy.

This class workbook contains 15 lessons in PDF format.

Not a value-added member? Cost is $25.

Basic 3: Organizing Your Genealogical Research

This course is a series of lessons that will introduce you to forms of systematic record keeping and includes saving your collected records, recording searched databases, archives, internet sites and saving email and discussion group and social media correspondence. It will help you create your own personal system to find, index, sort and analyze data.

This class workbook contains 19 lessons in PDF format.

Not a value-added member? Cost is $25.

Basic 4: Explore the Belarus SIG Website

The Belarus SIG was established in 1998 to promote Jewish genealogical research in Grodno, Minsk, Mogilev and Vitebsk Gubernias as well as the Lida and Vileika uyzeds (districts) of Vilna Gubernia.

The website offers easy access to primary and secondary records to help you find your ancestors, search for records, and to learn more about your town.

This class is no longer being offered. Instead, the 14 lessons in PDF format are now available on the Belarus SIG Website.

Basic 6: Cite Your Sources

This course is not currently available, as it is being updated.

Basic 6 presents the proper way to cite your sources so that those you share your research with, now or in the future, can replicate your research. A citation takes the "hearsay" aspects of documentation to fact-based. Mark Howells writes in "A Cite for Sore Eyes": "As the detectives of our family histories, we have accepted a responsibility in our research which goes beyond merely finding our ancestors. Besides the finding, there is the recording of what we have found out about our forefathers. It is within the recording portion of our efforts that we have a serious responsibility."

This class workbook has 15 lesson in PDF.

Not a value-added member? Cost is $25.