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Genealogy Guide: Canada

Resources at the Center for Jewish History

In addition to general histories of the Jews in Canada, both the American Jewish Historical Society and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research have library and archival resources containing genealogical information about Jews in Canada. Additional resources are available in the Genealogy Institute.

                                                 

Books and Periodicals

Belkin, Simon. Through Narrow Gates: A Review of Jewish Immigration, Colonization and Immigrant Aid Work in Canada (1840-1940). Montreal: Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Colonization Association, 1966. American Jewish Historical Society   JV 7500 .B3

Canadian Jewish Chronicle (Montreal, 1930-1976). The national Jewish weekly of Canada. YIVO Library   01503811

Canadian Jewish Review (Toronto, 1921-1966). The national weekly review of Jewish social events. YIVO Library   00001063

Cohen, Zvi, ed. Canadian Jews: Prominent Jews of Canada: A History of Canadian Jewry Especially of the Present Time through Reviews and Biographical Sketches (Toronto: Canadian Jewish Historical Pub. Co., 1933).    American Jewish Historical Society    F 1035 .J5 C1

Dor L’Dor.  Journal of the Jewish Genealogy Society of British Columbia, 1999-2002. Genealogy Institute

Eker, Glen. Jews Resident in Ontario According to the 1851 to 1901 Censuses of Canada (Toronto: Ontario Genealogical Society, 2002).   American Jewish Historical Society   CS 88 .O6 .E44 2002 

Glicenstein, Ze'ev. Roots and Remembrance: Explorations in Jewish Genealogy. Toronto: Ontario Genealogical Society,  2006. Genealogy Institute  CS88.A1 G58 2006

Gottesman, Eli. Who’s Who in Canadian Jewry (Montreal: Jewish Institute of Higher Research, Central Rabbical Seminary of Canada, 1965).  American Jewish Historical Society   F 1035 .J5 .G65

Grossman, Vladimir, ed. Canadian Jewish Year Book. Vols. 1-3 (Montreal, 1939-1942). Includes articles and statistics about the Jews of Canada and the world. Lists Jewish organizations, histories of the organizations (including some discussion of individuals), and books published that year.  YIVO    535368185 and YIVO   015001229        

Hart, Arthur Daniel. The Jew in Canada: A Complete Record of Canadian Jewry from the Days of the French Régime to the Present Time (Toronto and Montreal: Jewish Publications, 1926).   American Jewish Historical Society   F 1035 .J5 .H32

Jewish Residents in the Canadian Censuses (Teaneck, NJ: Avotaynu). Montreal & Quebec City (1871-1901); Toronto (1861-1901); Western Canada (1870-1901); Canadian Maritime Provinces (1871-1901); Greater Quebec Province (1871-1901). Alphabetical listings within districts. Genealogy Institute   Avotaynu’s Microfiche Box CS 88

Joseph, Anne. Heritage of a Patriarch: Canada's First Jewish Settlers and the Continuing Story of These Families in Canada (Sillery, Quebec: Septentrion, 1995). American Jewish Historical Society   CS 90 . J67 1995

Kage, Joseph. With Faith and Thanksgiving: The Story of Two Hundred Years of Jewish Immigration and Immigrant Aid Effort in Canada, 1760-1960 (Montreal: Eagle Pub. Co, 1962). YIVO   000065512

Der Keneder Odler [Jewish Daily Eagle] (Montreal: Eagle Publishing Co., 1907-1988). Montreal’s longest-running Yiddish newspaper. YIVO Library   01500981

Montreal Forum. Quarterly publication of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal, 2005-2009. Online and Genealogy Institute  F 1054 .5 .M89 J5 (2005 only)

Nayland (Montreal: Idishen Imigranten Hilfs Fereyn in Kanade [Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada], 1926-).  Monthly Yiddish journal. YIVO   015000175

Rome, David, ed. Canadian Jews in World War II (Montreal: Canadian Jewish Congress, 1947-48). American Jewish Historical Society   D 810 .J4 C25 and YIVO   000073376

Rosenberg, Louis. Jewish Mutual Benefit & Friendly Societies in Toronto, The First Fifty Years, 1896-1944 (Montreal: Canadian Jewish Congress, 1946). Does not mention individual names, but provides a demographic overview of Jews in Canada and the societies in Toronto.  American Jewish Historical Society   F 1059 .5 .T68 R5

Shem Tov (Willowdale, Ontario, 1988-2004). Journal of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto.  Genealogy Institute   CS 87 .J4 S54

Shorashim-Roots (Alberta, 2000-2002). Newsletter of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Southern Alberta.   Genealogy Institute

Tapper, Lawrence F. Archival Sources for the Study of Canadian Jewry (Ottowa: National Archives of Canada, 1987). English and French. American Jewish Historical Society    Z 6373 .C3 T15a    

Tapper, Lawrence F. Biographical Dictionary of Canadian Jewry, 1909-1914: From the Canadian Jewish Times (Teaneck, NJ: Avotaynu, 1992). Genealogy Institute   F 1035 .J5 F76 1992

Archival Collections

Baron de Hirsch Fund. The Baron de Hirsch Fund was established in 1891 to aid new Jewish immigrants through port work, temporary aid, land settlement, training in agriculture and trades, and general education. Material includes documentation on the agricultural colonies started or subsidized by the Fund in Canada. American Jewish Historical Society   I-80

Industrial Removal Office. The Industrial Removal Office was established in 1901 to aid new Jewish immigrants in finding employment and settling into North American communities outside of the major urban ports of entry. From 1901 to 1922, the IRO distributed approximately 79,000 individuals throughout the United States and Canada. Material includes correspondence regarding individual cases and immigrant records. American Jewish Historical Society   I-91

National Jewish Welfare Board, Bureau of War Records. Includes individual service records on Jewish soldiers who won awards, were wounded, were taken prisoner, or died during World War II. American Jewish Historical Society   I-52

United HIAS Service, Main Office, N.Y. Collection includes materials on Jewish Immigrant Aid Society, Canada. Consult the finding aid, which will help locate correspondence and some immigrant lists from specific European countries to Canada for the period of 1944-1962. YIVO Archives   RG 245.8

Forthcoming Resource

The Jewish Canadian Military Museum is currently working on digitizing and indexing Canadian Jews in World War II (Parts I and II). It will be searchable and viewable in pdf format.

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