research dossier

JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY INC

BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 222191492 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · NTEE A83Z · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · jgsny.org

revenue

$132K

expenses

$30K

net assets

$213K

employees

—

mission · from form 990

TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, AND DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION WITH REFERENCE TO JEWISH GENEALOGY. TO ENCOURAGE INTERESTED PERSONS TO PURSUE AND PRESERVE GENEALOGICAL DATA. TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SHARING OF JEWISH GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION. TO AIM TOWARD THE PUBLICATION OF WORTHY MATERIAL IN THE FIELD OF JEWISH GENEALOGY AND TO COOPERATE WITH SUCH OTHER SOCIETIES OR ORGANIZATIONS IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Jewish Genealogical Society, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn, NY dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing knowledge related to Jewish genealogy. It supports individuals researching their Jewish ancestry by providing educational programs, publications, and opportunities for collaboration. The organization promotes the preservation and dissemination of genealogical data and collaborates with similar groups worldwide.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Dorot

Publication produced under the oversight of the President and Communications Vice President, containing genealogical research, findings, and society updates

KehilaLinks

Online web pages hosted via JewishGen that document ancestral towns and communities; JGS members coordinate and contribute to pages such as those for Nyasvizh, Belarus and Kupel, Ukraine

Monthly Educational Programs

Presentations and lectures organized by the Programming Vice President featuring guest speakers on topics related to Jewish genealogy

activities · 3 groups

What they do

Jewish Genealogical Research Services 5 activities
- Coordinates international genealogical research projects
  
  Coordinates research initiatives including KehilaLinks pages for towns in Belarus, Poland, and elsewhere; supports global sharing of genealogical data through internet technologies and collaborates with JewishGen on research and content development.
- Hosts educational events and workshops
  
  Organizes monthly meetings, lectures, field trips to cemeteries and archives, and educational workshops on Jewish genealogy topics. Also hosts an annual seminar and provides speakers upon request to external organizations.
- Leads and supports genealogical societies and conferences
  
  Serves as a model for over 90 global Jewish genealogical societies; co-chaired multiple IAJGS conferences; managed virtual conference sessions; holds leadership roles in IAJGS and NYG&B; sponsors summer conferences and seminars since 1981.
- Maintains specialized genealogical databases and online resources
  
  Operates a public website hosting unique databases including indexed Brooklyn naturalization records, a searchable database of Jewish burial society plots in the New York metropolitan area, and the New York Landsmanshaftn database; launched online indexing projects in 1997.
- Provides research assistance and member support
  
  Offers research help to members via email and internet; maintains member-exclusive communications through platforms like Facebook; volunteers at the Center for Jewish History to support genealogical research and preservation.
Holocaust and Genocide Remembrance Education 1 activity
- Administers educational funds and grants
  
  Established the Lucille Gudis Memorial Fund to support educational lectures and genealogical seminars; provides financial support for monthly programs and grants for archival research projects focused on Jewish historical documents.
Local History Publishing 1 activity
- Produces and publishes genealogical research materials
  
  Produces and publishes the quarterly journal Dorot and other reference works, including updated editions of Genealogical Resources in New York, which document holdings in libraries, archives, and repositories across New York City and Albany.

financials · form 990EZ · fy2025

revenue

Total revenue$132K

Contributions & grants$131K99%

Program service revenue——

Investment income$1K1%

Other revenue—

expenses

Total expenses$30K

Program expenses—

Admin / overhead—

Fundraising—

Salaries & benefits—

Grants paid out$2K

balance sheet

Total assets$213K

Cash—

Investments—

Liabilities—

Net assets$213K

1 years on record · 2025–2025

relationships · 19

Who they work with

92nd Street YM-YWHA Partner — Co-hosts a lecture series with the JGS since 1997.
American Jewish Historical Society Partner — Co-chaired the American Jewish Historical Society conference in New York in 1993.
BBC Partner — Continues to work as a researcher for the BBC TV show.
Center for Jewish History Partner — Volunteer engagement at the Genealogy Institute and Conservation Lab.
Dorot Partner — Collaborates on publications, as indicated by the link to Dorot back issues.
Friends of Jewish Genealogical Society Partner — Offers members discounts through Friends of Jewish Genealogical Society.
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Partner — Co-chaired the 2006 International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Conference.
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Partner — Leadership and collaborative involvement, including service as President and conference coordination.
Jewish Historical Society of New York Partner — Lucille Gudis was an officer and worked closely with the organization’s founder.
JewishGen Partner — Consulting and project coordination role with the Kalikow Center and KehilaLinks initiatives.
Jewishdata.org Partner — Provides members with special access to databases at Jewishdata.org.
Linda Cantor’s family Partner — Notified of memorial donations made in honor of Linda Cantor.
Museum of Jewish Heritage Partner — Hosts the JewishGen Kalikow Center where Chaya Sara Herman serves as a consultant.
NBC Partner — Collaborated as a researcher for the TV series "Who Do You Think You Are?"
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Partner — Board membership and collaborative engagement.
New York Public Library Government — Cited "Genealogical Resources in NY" as one of the outstanding reference works in 1989.
New York Public Library Government — Cited the organization's publication as one of the outstanding reference works in 1989.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations Government — Restricted to distribute assets only to organizations recognized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in the event of dissolution.
YIVO Partner — Indexes Landsmanshaften records from YIVO for genealogical research.

strategies · 2

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

Community-Driven Knowledge Building

methodology: collaborative_information_sharing
By leveraging member expertise and fostering collaborative learning, the organization advances Jewish genealogical research because shared data and peer-led education create a self-reinforcing ecosystem of discovery and capacity building.
Systematic Knowledge Preservation and Dissemination

methodology: knowledge_preservation_and_dissemination
By systematically collecting, publishing, and updating reference works and research techniques, the organization enables broader access to Jewish genealogical knowledge because durable, authoritative resources increase research accuracy and lower barriers for new researchers.