The Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA) has reached a historic turning point, expanding its searchable database to over 4 million unique records. Alongside its robust monthly schedule of in-person meetings and global webinars, this groundbreaking milestone provides researchers worldwide with unprecedented tools to uncover their roots, bridging historical Ottoman, Statehood, and Diaspora archives with modern digital accessibility.
This month IGRA’s AID collection added two new databases and updated another five, bringing over 26,620 new listings, many of them with images. The addition this month of members of Gdud Haavodah is an important document for the beginning of the Jewish labour force in Eretz Israel. The following preview will give you a good idea about our latest additions. We invite you to find your family records in our search engine. https://genealogy.org.il/AID/
Burials Sepharadim Jerusalem – (images available) update
This is the third installment of the collection in the Jerusalem Municipal Archives. There are two kinds of registries: the Parnas registries and the registries of the Sephardic Community Committee in Jerusalem. This installment includes 3,181 names buried during the years 1842-1858. The original registries were transcribed into modern Hebrew script by Efraim Levy.
Gdud Haavodah (Labour Battalion) 1921-1927 – images available
The Gdud HaAvoda was established on 25 August 1920 for the purpose of Jewish labor, settlement and defense in the land of Israel. This group of pioneers drained swamps, paved roads and worked in agriculture and construction and were the beginning of the Jewish labour force in Eretz Israel. A folder containing various lists with 1,159 names was found in the Lavon Institute Archive.
Marriages and Divorces 1921-1948 Palestine British – (images available) updated
Marriage and divorce certificates for 3,736 persons registered in the Ramat Gan area for the years 1934-1936. The documents are on the website of the Israel State Archives.
Freemasonry 1934-1949 – (images available)
The Masonic Order is a fraternal order that promotes the ideals of social brotherhood, mutual aid, charity and morality, as arising from a Higher Power. These pamphlets for lodges in Eretz Israel during the British Mandate were found in the Israel State Archives and include 3,272 names.
British Mandate Guards Force (Notrim) Collection 1936-1948 – (images available) update
The Notrim were Jewish auxiliaries, mainly police, set up in 1936 by the British in Mandatory Palestine during the 1936–39 Arab revolt. These ledgers are an everyday record of the administration of the guards through 1948 throughout the country. This month’s release includes 2,007 listings for family names starting with the letter Nun The documents are from the Israel State Archives
Telephone Directory Jaffa – Tel-Aviv & Western Palestine 1946 – (images available)
The 1946 Telephone Directory for Jaffa, Tel-Aviv & Western Palestine was a publication by the Government of Palestine, listing 5,666 residents and businesses with phone numbers. It can be found at the Israel State Archives and the National Library of Israel.
Students 1948-1965 – (images available) update
A collection of various lists naming 386 students in various streams of education in various settlements in various years. All the lists were found in the Israel State Archives.
Voters Local Authorities 1948-1953 – (images available) update
The municipal elections in the first years of the State of Israel, were not all held at the same time. This update includes the voters for the elections that took place in Givatayim (1950). The release includes 5,631 voters. The documents are from the Israel State Archives.
Residents Rosh Haayin 1948-1956 – (images available) update
This is the fifth release of the ledgers of the Yemenite residents of transit camps in Rosh Haayim. It includes 12,173 names from seven ledgers. These ledgers can be found on the website of the Israel State Archive.
Thank you to all our volunteers who had a part in making these databases available. Can you help us prepare additional databases? Write to us at [email protected]
