Beth Hatefutsoth – The Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora – including:
The Douglas E. Goldman Jewish Genealogy Center
Bernard H. and Miriam Oster Visual Documentation Center

General Information

Facility Director: Ranny Finzi – Director General of Beth Hatefutsoth
Archivists: Horia Haim Ghiuzeli, Director, Internet and Databases Department, including the Douglas E. Goldman Jewish Genealogy Center
Zippi Rosenne, Director, Bernard H. and Miriam Oster Visual Documentation Center
Address: Tel Aviv University Campus Tel Aviv,
Entrance through Matatia Gate 2
Mailing Address: : Beth Hatefutsoth
POB 39359
Tel Aviv 61392
Israel
Phone: 972-3-640-8000 – operator
972-3-6405593/ 00 – Genealogy Center
Fax: 972-3-640-5727
E-mail: bhgnlgy@post.tau.ac.il – for Genealogy Center
Website: http://www.bh.org.il Check the website for complete information about Beth Hatefutsoth.
Hours of Operation: Sunday – Tuesday, Thursday 10:00-16:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 18:00 (Genealogy Center until 17:00)
The museum is closed on Friday, Saturday and Jewish holidays. Check for special opening hours during the intermediate days of Sukkot and Passover, Memorial Day and Independence Day.
Consultation: An appointment is needed to use Microfilms (LDS) and to search the collection of photographs.
Access to Family names & trees on the computer is available at all times.
Closest Public Transportation:
Bus: Egged; 74, 86, 270, 274, 454, 464, 572, 575, 576, 604.
Dan: 7, 24, 25, 27, 45, 94, 95, 112
Train: The closest railway station is Tel Aviv University with connections via Dan bus lines 27, 112.
Directions: By car access from the Ayalon Freeway. Paid parking is available opposite Matatia Gate 2, in the Tel Aviv University Botanical Gardens lot.
Access for Disabled: Yes

Description of Resources

Beth Hatefutsoth tells the story of the Jewish People in the Diaspora since before the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. There are temporary exhibits on specific aspects of Jewish life the world over.

Name Changes:
The Database of Jewish Family Names – a unique digitized collection of about 20,000 entries with explanations about the origin and meaning of Jewish family names from all over the world (texts in English only). The database can be searched while visiting the Museum for an additional fee. Search orders can be sent via the Web site of the Museum.

Community Records including vital records:
See below for information about the collection of LDS microfilms.

Photograph Collections:
The Bernhard H and Miriam Oster Visual Documentation Center has a collection of over 100,000 digitized photos describing Jewish life in all Jewish communities in the Diaspora. To search the collection please set up an appointment by calling the Center at 972-3-6409973, Sun-Thur from 9:00 until 15:00

Collection on Genealogy and Family History:
The Douglas E. Goldman Jewish Genealogy Center boasts a digital database that currently has almost 2,000,000 names organized in many thousands of family trees. They can be accessed on the premises at the Visitor Center situated at the third floor of the Permanent Exhibition during opening hours as advised above. Searches of the database can be ordered over the Museum’s web site. The digital database of family trees will be available for the conference.

Other resources:
The LDS material on Poland can be accessed on the premises by appointment only – please call 972-3-6405884 – Orders of photocopies from the LDS microfilms available in Beth Hatefutsoth may be sent via the Web site of the Museum. The full list of the LDS microfilms in Beth Hatefutsoth is available on the Museum’s Web site.

The full list of the LDS microfilms in Beth Hatefutsoth is available on the Museum’s Web site..

Photocopies may be ordered via the Museum’s web site at a charge of US$ 2.00 per page for non-Israeli, minimum fee US$ 5.00, and NIS 5.00 per page for Israelis, minimum fee NIS 10.00. Prices include postage prepaid and VAT.

Subject to the Bylaws of the Douglas E. Goldman Jewish Genealogy Center as published on the Web site of the Museum.