Important Update: Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute Hours and Appointment Requests

Beginning Monday, June 9 the Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute will be open as follows:

• Public walk-ins on Mondays, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
• Appointment-only on Tuesday through Friday, when the genealogists will serve Holocaust survivors and the direct descendants (children and grandchildren) of Holocaust survivors and victims by appointment only. Please e-mail us at gia@cjh.org to make an appointment. We offer both in-person and Zoom appointments.

This change allows us to focus on a time-sensitive mission: reuniting families separated by the Holocaust. Every mystery solved brings healing, closure, and a chance to restore lost connections.

We are also accepting appointment requests from Center for Jewish History members who have donated at the Archivist level or above. 

We remain free and open to the public.  We invite you to walk in on Mondays or to help our genealogists better understand your needs, please complete this form.

Introduction

The Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute offers free access to an extensive array of resources, including the rich collections of the Center’s Partners, online databases, and specialized research guides. Our dedicated staff provides expert guidance to researchers of all levels, from novices to professionals, ensuring they have the support needed to navigate their research in-person or virtually.

The Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute welcomes walk-in researchers on Mondays. No appointments are needed on Monday.

On Tuesday through Friday our genealogists will serve Holocaust survivors and the direct descendants (children and grandchildren) of Holocaust survivors and victims by appointment only. To request an appointment, email gia@cjh.org.

Our team of genealogy specialists are happy to show visitors how to start searching for ancestors, answer their research questions, and recommend relevant sources in the collections of the Center’s Partners. If you are not eligible for an appointment or are inquiring about Histories and Mysteries, please fill out our genealogy form, so that our research staff can assist you.

The Center for Jewish History is proud to partner with Ancestry to honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and work to reconnect families affected by it. In an effort to help piece together family trees that were destroyed in the years 1939-1945, the Center offers free AncestryDNA kits to Holocaust survivors and their children.  Through the power of genetic genealogy, participants have gained new insight into their family history that could not be gained from traditional genealogy alone, and some have even found and connected with living family members they did not know existed.

Starting in 2025, visitors are welcome to the new Ancestry Research & Reflection Room, a space dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of Jewish families worldwide. Opening in late January to mark the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, the Ancestry Research & Reflection Room offers visitors uniquely expansive resources: access to records at the Center and its Partners as well as onsite access to Ancestry’s extensive Holocaust collections, including over 7.5 million records newly released through Ancestry’s work with the Arolsen Archives. Genealogy staff are onsite and ready to guide you and visitors of all levels of experience on your family history discovery journey.

We thank Ancestry for generously providing the Center for Jewish History with free DNA kits to distribute to Holocaust survivors or the children of Holocaust survivors. If you fall into one of these categories and would like to receive a code for a free AncestryDNA kit, please APPLY HERE.