News and Updates

Check this page for news and developments of interest to our researchers.

November 2024 - Website Updates


August 2024 - Database Updates

The Latvia Research Division is happy to announce that translations of Riga birth records, 1883-1890, have been added to the Latvia database.  Over 3500 passport issuance books have also been added this year.


January 2024 - Website Update

The page for the Shefayim Archives has been updated with new information about their website, which now has its Communities files digitized.


August 2022 - News and Website Updates

Thanks for joining us at our IAJGS 2022 meeting with archivist Rita Bogdanova, who provided us with an excellent overview of the new Jews of Latvia: Names and Fates 1941-1945 website. 

IMPORTANT: The procedures for requesting documents from the Latvian State Historical Archives (LVVA) have changed to conform with EU GDPR requirements. Please see the section on Archival Requests on the Latvian State Historical Archives overview page on this website for an explanation of the options.

You will also notice that, at JewishGen's request, we are back to being called Research Divisions instead of SIGs.


July 2022 (2) - IAJGS 2022 Latvia SIG Meeting

We are privileged to have Rita Bogdanova, expert Latvian archivist, to speak at our IAJGS Conference meeting on Tuesday, August 23 at 12:30 pm ET.   We hope to welcome as  many of you as possible to the meeting. Rita will speak on the new Jews of Latvia: Names and Fates 1941-1945 database.  


July 2022 (1) - Website Revisions - Ciltskoki Website

The section on  Ciltskoki website has been updated to reflect changes that were made to the website several months ago. This update explains the redesigned screens and the new functions, both free and paid.


June 2022 - Name Change

Everything comes full circle! We began as the Latvia SIG in 1994, and a few years ago, we became the JewishGen Latvia & Estonia Research Division. Now we are back to being a SIG again, our official name being the JewishGen Latvia & Estonia Special Interest Group (SIG). Our website will be changing over the next few days to reflect the new name. We are still seeking volunteers and would welcome your help! We are also preparing for the 2022 IAJGS conference and will be announcing our speaker shortly.


May 2022 - Website Revisions

A new website for the town of Sabile was created by Betsy Thal Gephart and the link was added to the town list. A link was added to the Smerli Riga New Jewish Cemetery website in the Riga town entry. Updates were made to the Archives introduction, reflecting the changed Jews of Latvia: Names and Fates 1941-1945 website. 


January 2022 - Jews of Latvia: Names and Fates 1941-1945

The Names and Fates website was recently redesigned.  We have created a new page, Jews of Latvia: Names and Fates 1941-1945, to describe the new website and how to use it.

 

September 2021 (2) - Articles

A new Articles section has been added to the Other Resources page.


September 2021 (1) - New Estonian Content

The Latvia & Estonia  Research Division has added new content on Estonia,  both on the History of Estonia page, and in the Overview - Estonian Resources section. This includes in-depth information on the National Archives of Estonia and the Estonian Jewish Museum.


August 2021 - New Database Records

The Latvia & Estonia Research Division has added new 3,150 passport records from Daugavpils/Dvinsk to the Latvia Internal Passport Database 1919-1941, searchable in the Latvia Database.


July 2021 - Join Us At the IAJGS Coference

The JewishGen Latvia & Estonia Research Division will hold its annual meeting virtually at the 41st IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, on Thursday, August 5, 2021, 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM ET. If you are already signed up for the conference, please join us. If not, you may register for the entire conference, a single meeting, or 2 or more meetings.  See the Conference Registration page for further details.