Free Ancestry DNA Kits for Holocaust Survivors or Their Children

HOURS

Reading Room & Genealogy Institute
Mon-Thurs: 9:30am-4:30pm

Exhibit Spaces
Mon-Wed: 9:30am-4:30pm
Thurs: 9:30am-8pm
Fri: 10am-3pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: 11am-5pm

Make sure to check our holiday closures prior to visiting.

Last entry to the Center for Jewish History Exhibitions, Reading Room, and the Genealogy Institute is 30 minutes before closing. The last call to page items in the Reading Room and Genealogy Institute is 3pm.

Images courtesy of the Leo Baeck Institute

Commercial DNA testing can be an important tool to assist Holocaust survivors in their genealogical research, whether by helping to fill in the blanks on a family tree or by identifying unknown living relatives. Ancestry.com, the largest DNA database of all the commercial DNA companies with over 18 million profiles, has partnered with the Center for Jewish History to provide free DNA kits to Holocaust survivors or their children. We thank Ancestry.com for this generous donation, which has already helped to uncover lost connections and to raise awareness of the potential of DNA testing for this population.

If you are located outside the US, UK, or Canada, please check to see if your country is on the list of countries where Ancestry DNA kits are available.

Apply for a Code for a Free Ancestry DNA kit

Personal Details

First name

Last name

Email (please check your entry)

Phone Number

Street Address

Address Line 2

City

State/Province

Zip Code

Country

Tell Us About Yourself (If you are filling this out on behalf of someone else, please fill in the information for the person who will be testing.)

Are you a

We define “survivor” as anyone who experienced Nazi persecution or had to flee from it. Please note, these Ancestry DNA kits are earmarked for Holocaust survivors or the children of Holocaust survivors. (If there is a living survivor available to test, there is no need to test their children.) This offer does not include grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or those who are unsure if they have a relative who died in the Holocaust, or those who are curious about potential Jewish ancestry.

Please briefly tell us your family’s Holocaust story, including specifics like dates and places. Have you ever attempted to research your family’s fate before using sites like Yad Vashem or Bad Arolsen? Is there a specific question you are trying to answer through DNA testing?

I confirm with this submission that I am a Holocaust survivor or the child of a survivor or victim, or I am applying on behalf of such a person. At the current time, we cannot consider applications for anyone who does not meet these criteria, including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or those who are unsure if they have a relative who died in the Holocaust.

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