DOING YOUR FAMILY GENEALOGY DELAWARE SYNAGOGUES A RESOURCE GUIDE TO DELAWARE Doing your family genealogy is somewhat like putting together the pieces of a large puzzle. It can be a very rewarding and Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth Congregation JEWISH GENEALOGY challenging task. Unlike definite size of a puzzle, a family tree Washington Boulevard and Torah Way is always growing and changing. Many people work on their Wilmington, Delaware 19802 family history for a lifetime. Others tackle only a certain (302) 762-2705 portion or a specific period of time. No matter which path you http://www.akse.org/ choose to pursue, a special experience awaits you. To help you Temple Beth El begin your journey, the Jewish Historical Society has prepared Compiled by Julian H. Preisler 301 Possum Park Road helpful and basic guide. Newark, Delaware 19711 (302) 366-8330 Some basic rules to remember when beginning your family www.tbede.org research: Beth Emeth Congregation • Talk to as many living relatives as you can - they are an 300 West Lea Boulevard important source of information. Wilmington, Delaware 19802 (302) 764-2393 • Be sure to verify important information with www.bethemeth.com documentation. Beth Shalom Congregation • 1801 Baynard Boulevard Purchase a few good Jewish genealogical books. Wilmington, Delaware 19802 (302) 654-4462 Two recommended books are: www.bethshalomwilmington.org From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy Beth Sholom of Dover and Family History by Arthur Kurzweil, Elie Wiesel. (Jason Queen & Clara Streets Aronson, revised edition, 1994). Dover, Delaware 19901 (302) 734-5578 The Encyclopedia of Jewish Genealogy: Sources in the United States and www.cbsdover.com Jewish Historical Society of Delaware Canada (The Encyclopedia of Jewish Genealogy , Vol. 1) by Miriam 505 Market Street Weiner. (Jason Aronson, 1997). Machzikey Hadas Congregation c/o B’nai B’rith Building Wilmington, Delaware 19801 EXPANDING YOUR RESEARCH 8000 Society Drive Phone (302) 655-6232 Claymont, Delaware 19703 Delaware, being midway between New York City and (302) 762-2637 Washington, D.C., provides access easy to world-class Jewish research institutions. Institutions in Philadelphia and Baltimore Jewish Historical Society of Delaware 505 Market Street are easy commutes. Wilmington, Delaware 19801 Phone (302) 655-6232 Updated by Gail Pietrzyk May 2003 Open by appointment. RESEARCH RESOURCES University of Delaware Historical Society of Delaware Morris Library The following institutions in Delaware have resources of 505 Market Street Mall Newark, Delaware 19716 help to genealogists: Wilmington, Delaware 19801 (302) 831-2965 (302) 655-7161 Jewish Historical Society of Delaware ¾ Library contains a number of excellent books on Jewish 505 Market Street Mall [email protected] genealogy, general genealogy, Jewish studies, and Wilmington, DE 19801 ¾ Contains family history files, biographies & genealogies, Holocaust resources. (302) 655-6232 census & immigration lists, city state directories, [email protected] genealogical reference sources guides, and a Genealogical Wilmington Public Library ¾ Contains synagogue records, a biographical file, Surname File 10th & Market Streets photograph collection, family collections, and genealogical Wilmington, DE 19801 reference books. The Church of Jesus of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon Church) (302)-571-7400 Family History Centers ¾ Indexed Delaware published materials. Delaware Public Archives Wilmington Dover Newark 121 Duke of York Street 143 Dickinson Lane Rt 10 between 13 & 500 W Chestnut Hill Dover, DE 19901 Wilmington, DE Rt 113A Rd. 302-654-1911 Dover, DE Newark, DE “Remember the days of old. (302) 744-5000 302-697-2700 302-456-9301 Consider the years of ages past.” [email protected] Note: Family History Centers do not respond to mail inquiries. Out-of- Deuteronomy 32:7 The Delaware Public Archives operates a research room state researchers should contact a FHC in their area. which is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., ¾ These branch facilities of the Family History Library in Monday through Saturday with evening hours on Wednesday DELAWARE JEWISH CEMETERIES Salt Lake City provide access to the microfilm and and Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Jewish Community Cemetery microfiche resources of the Family History Library to Foulk Road near Concord Pike help patrons identify their ancestors. The Centers are Wilmington, Delaware ¾ Contains state, county, and municipal records, genealogical excellent sources for Jewish genealogical materials. Many records and a reference library. contain important pre-holocaust data from Eastern and Beth Emeth Memorial Park, Inc. Central Europe. The Mormons are preeminent Office of Vital Statistics Faulkland & Dupont Roads genealogists and are a “must check” source for Jewish P.O. Box 637 Wilmington, Delaware genealogists. Dover, DE 19903 Machzikey Hadas Cemetery ¾ The public can obtain individual copies of birth Schoenberg Memorial Chapel Wildel Avenue near DuPont Highway certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses via a 519 Philadelphia Pike Wilmington, Delaware written request to the Office of Vital Statistics, Dover, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 Delaware or in person at three locations: (302) 762-0334 Sharon Hills Memorial Park Jesse Cooper Georgetown State Limestone ¾ Cemetery records for a number of Jewish cemeteries in Beth Sholom Section Building Service Center Building Wilmington. Sharon hills Road (west of Dover) Federal & Water Sts. 546 S. Bedford St. 2055 Limestone Rd. Dover, Delaware Dover, DE 19901 Georgetown, DE Wilmington, DE 19947 19808 .