There are a number of resources, online and in libraries, to help you with your own personal genealogical searches. Click any of the links below.
Ancestry.com
No question that it's the Cadillac of genealogical databases, but it's not free. Explore the Ancestry.com website to explore the subscription service that's right for you. There are domestic and international subscriptions as well as options to have your DNA tested and matched with other researchers. If the cost is prohibitive, check with your local library to see whether you can visit them and share their online resources, such as Ancestrylibrary.com, which can save you a bundle of money. But for this option you'll need to be on-site at the library.
Familysearch.org
This is a great resource if you want free access to their databases, but not everything is online. Some resources are on microfilm and are only available at a local Family History Library, if your town has one, or at the main Salt Lake City location. Indexed information is always available although some records are submitted by private individuals rather than extracted from actual filmed records, so double-checking against actual images, where possible, is highly recommended. If you can't get to one of their family history libraries, a free look-up service is available.
Ellis Island
Some family members came through Ellis Island when emigrating to the USA (Chaim Lisker, for example). Ellis Island records, beginning from 1892, are now online and images of ship manifests are available, some for free and some for purchase.
Castle Garden
Castle Garden was the processing center for New York immigrants prior to Ellis Island. They now have records from 1830 through 1913, overlapping occasionally with Ellis Island's era. Searches and detailed reports are free, though advanced searches require a fee.
JewishGen
JewishGen is a must for anyone beginning the search for Jewish ancestors. Resources are plentiful. There's even a mailing list that brings you regular letters from others researching their family trees, with lots of useful tips, maps, translation services, etc.
Cyndi's List of Jewish links
Cyndi's regular site has comprehensive links to all categories of genealogy. Her links for Jewish genealogy are first-rate.
Please let us know if there are any other resources you need.
Photo: Passenger manifest for Hyman (Chaim) Lisker, his parents, and relatives via Ancestrylibrary.com.
