Yitzhak Berchunsky
ca 1880 |
Welcome to the Orange County Jewish Genealogical Society! The OCJGS is your resource in Orange County, California, for all things related to finding your Jewish roots.
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned expert, you will find our monthly meetings stimulating and informative. In addition to meetings, hands-on workshops, and special events, members also have access to an excellent library of books and magazines pertinent to Jewish genealogy. The Orange County Jewish Genealogical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are a member of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. Remember the Days of Old; Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will explain to you. (Deut. 32:7)
זכר ימות עולם בינו שנות דור ודור שאל אביך ויגדך זקניך ויאמרו לך פרשת האזינו |
Renew or Join TodayMembership runs through the end of 2026. Calendar of EventsWorld-Class Speakers!We have a lineup of truly world class speakers coming to you wherever in the world you are, from wherever in the world they are. We normally meet the 4th Sunday of each month.
Virtual meetings are via Zoom. You must register in advance by clicking the link for the meeting you want to attend. Registration only takes a few seconds. Attendance at virtual meetings is free to OCJGS members. If you are not a member, please consider joining. Otherwise, the charge for non-members is $5. Please visit the Membership page to join or pay your $5 fee. March 22, 2026 at 10:00 am (Pacific time zone)
Steve Jaron Exploring your Ashkenazi Heritage in the Netherlands 
Join Steve Jaron as he explores his Dutch roots within the Ashkenazi community of Amsterdam and across the Netherlands. Through stories of unexpected family connections and heartwarming reunions, Steve reveals how genealogy can uncover hidden histories and bring the past to life. Along the way, he’ll share practical research tips and tools to help you trace your own Dutch Jewish ancestry and make discoveries of your own.
Steve Jaron, a lifelong Pittsburgher, discovered his passion for genealogy through family stories, a college Spanish class, and uncovering his Dutch ancestry via a simple Google search. He currently serves as President of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh and holds additional roles within the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS). His personal research focuses on his Dutch, Galitzianer (western Ukrainian), German, non-Galician Ukrainian, and Belarusian roots, as well as the history of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh. Register in advance for this Zoom presentation. Click this link to register.
April 26, 2026 at 10:00 am (Pacific time zone)
Risa Daitzman Heywood They Arrived Via Canada: Tracing Canadian manifests and U.S. border records 
Most immigrants, 75 to 80%, entered the United States via the port of New York. However, many destined for the Midwest or seeking a less expensive option chose to go through Canada. This presentation will explore strategies for researching Canadian passenger manifests, related documents, and U.S. border entry records. Because the records went through many iterations, as the Canadian and U.S. governments worked together to close immigration loopholes, they can often be challenging to work with. The records you seek can differ depending on the time period, immigrant’s final destination, and amount of time spent in Canada. This presentation will tease out the many record collections that recorded immigrants’ journeys to and through Canada.
Risa Daitzman Heywood, CG is a professional genealogist, writer, and presenter. She has over 25 years’ experience researching Jewish families, particularly from the Russian Empire. Risa is a director on the board of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) and a member of the Association for Professional Genealogists (APG). She is American and lives in Lisbon, Portugal. Risa holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Register in advance for this Zoom presentation. Click this link to register.
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Services offered by our members
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