The institutions have an online catalog (https://catalogo.archivojudio.cl) that is consistently being upgraded with new fonds.
The Jewish Archive of Chile is a historical archive that receives documentation belonging to institutions, families or people related to the jewish history. It continuously receives donations enriching its collection. It also carries out active searches and rescue work to recover archival materials at risk of being lost, ensuring the preservation of the memory of the Jewish community in Chile.
The archive offers the possibility of directly examining original documents in its user consultation room, but only in justified cases. This means that a valid and specific reason is required to access the original materials. If it is not possible to consult the original documents, the Jewish Archive of Chile also provides preservation copies—reproductions of the original records that allow access to their content without handling the historical documents themselves. In addition, the archive offers guidance services for documentary and genealogical research. This service is designed to assist individuals seeking specific information in the historical collections. Users may consult the archive’s specialized staff for guidance on how to conduct documentary or genealogical searches and receive advice on the resources available
This description was provided by the institution's representatives.
The Jewish Archive began its activities in July 2016. It was initially built around the collection of researcher and academic Günter Böhm, with additional collections that were gradually incorporated. Nowadays it hold more than 237,500 original documents organized in 165 fonds divided into institutions, families and persons from 1857 and 2019. The archive also holds an oral history collection consisting of 145 testimonies from Holocaust survivors who arrived in Chile.
The Jewish Archive of Chile is part of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Memory of Chilean Judaism, a non-profit organization that contributes to the safeguarding, research, and dissemination of Chilean Judaism, its origins, integration, and contribution to the Republic of Chile. It was established in 2016 founded by members of Pacific Lodge, belonging B’nai B’rith District 27, with the aim of rescuing the history of Jews in the country, the creation and development of their community institutions, the stories of their families, and the contributions that individuals of Jewish origin have made to the history of Chile. It’s currently recognized by the National Archive of Chile, the International Council on Archives (UNESCO), and the Network of Documentation Institutions of the Jewish Communities of Latin America. It also collaborates with institutions such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., The National Library of Chile, Latinamerican Jewish studies association, between others. It also collaborates with Universities and schools in Chile. In 2022 the Jewish Archive of Chile was declared a National Historical Monument, among other reasons due to the documentation it hold enabling the exploration of the migratory trajectories of various individuals and groups as a consequence of diverse social and political events that took place mainly in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. It provides access to primary sources documenting events that occurred as a result of Nazism in Europe and the rest of the world.
Jewish Archive of Chile