Info from a newsletter I receive: Locating Jewish Funeral Homes Family historians have often found that funeral homes maintain records of those whose burial services they have handled. In some cases these records have been maintained in the family for generations, and if the current funeral director is approached politely with the explanation that you are trying to search for your ancestry, he or she will usually be helpful. The task can be made a little easier if you have some prior assurance that the funeral home you contact is the one used for your ancestor's funeral, such as being mentioned in an obituary. Or being a funeral home that specifically caters to the needs of the community your ancestor belonged to. A good example are funeral homes serving Jewish communities. If you're Jewish, you probably already know of such businesses in your area. Now you can access an online directory of Jewish funeral homes in the United States. The website of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America contains more than just a listing of the addresses and phone numbers of Jewish funeral homes. There is also a listing of current and past officers, a calendar conversion program, and short information on several pamphlets designed to help those who are planning a funeral or who are grieving the loss of a loved one. This website can be invaluable for those who are seeking assistance from Jewish funeral directors as they seek to reconstruct the history of their families. References: Jewish Funeral Directors of America http://www.jfda.org National Funeral Directors Association http://www.nfda.org