1. Why an academic institute for Jewish genealogy?

Because an institute of this kind is vitally needed to fill a serious gap in the whole structure of organized Jewish genealogy, in a way that has the potential to advance Jewish genealogy and take it to new heights.

2. Why has the Institute been established now?

Genealogy caught the imagination of the Jewish world in the early 1980's and gathered momentum in the early 1990's with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the advent of the PC (personal computer). The time has now come to engage in serious and systematic academic research, broad in scope and scale, going far beyond individual family trees.

3. What did the collapse of the Soviet Union and the advent of the PC do?

Access was gained to immensely important collections of primary source material in Eastern Europe, while at the same time the possibility was opened up of databasing significant parts of that and other material and bringing it directly to individual family historians.

4. What are the Institute's primary aims?

- To engage in research and teaching of Jewish genealogy at university level.

- To make Jewish genealogy a recognized academic discipline.

5. What will the Institute contribute to the Jewish People?

A people unaware of its roots can only have an uncertain future. Genealogy is not only a way to strengthen those roots but it is also a bridge between the past and the future. Thus the Institute will contribute to the continuity of the Jewish People.

6. Is the Institute an Israeli institution?

No – its physical location is in Israel but its outlook and outreach are global. Not by accident are its Founders from diverse parts of the Jewish world.

7. Why has the Institute been set up in Jerusalem?

Because Jerusalem is the epicentre of the Jewish People and remains the only place on earth which commands the attention of Jews worldwide. In addition, it is home to valuable collections of Jewish genealogical source materials.

8. What will the Institute do?

In the first instance, it will engage in research, both empirical and theoretical, often on an inter-disciplinary basis, going beyond history and the social sciences and ranging, for example, from statistics, through migration studies, to genetics (including DNA studies).

9. What kind of projects will the Institute work on?

The Institute will seek out innovative, ground-breaking projects of interest to Jewish genealogists everywhere. It will put a premium on projects that result in tools and research aids of use to the individual family historian.

10. Will it work on its own or on a collaborative basis with other centres?

The answer is both, depending on the nature and the scale of the project. In this context, it will look for "strategic partnerships" with other academic institutions that have an involvement in Jewish genealogy, both in Israel and abroad.

11. Does the Institute propose to give courses in Jewish genealogy?

At the beginning, the Institute will concentrate on developing curricula and technologies for the teaching of Jewish genealogy at universities throughout the world, with strong Jewish Studies programmes.

12. Does the Institute propose to give certification to Jewish genealogists?

No – the Institute would prefer to develop a course for use in universities, presumably at the MA level, which would offer successful students a certificate or license in Jewish genealogy.

13. How does the Institute propose to gain academic recognition for Jewish genealogy?

The Institute will endeavour to demonstrate that serious academic work can be done in Jewish genealogy, making it worthy of recognition as an academic discipline within the field of Jewish Studies.

14. How will the Institute publish its work?

All the results of the Institute's work will be made public, primarily through the Internet. The Institute also plans to publish a scholarly journal on a periodic basis and scientific monographs on an occasional basis.

15. How will the Institute interface with the wider Jewish genealogical community?

The Institute seeks to work in a cooperative and collaborative way with the wider Jewish genealogical community. Working at the academic level, it will not be in competition with that community. Interface will mainly be sought through the organized Jewish genealogical establishment, while individual family historians will be able to keep abreast with the Institute's work through the Internet and other public channels.

16. What is the Institute's ultimate aim?

To elevate the field of Jewish genealogy as a whole to new heights and, in the process, to inspire and enrich the work of individual family historians.