Adv. Elinor Kroitoru

Archival, Restitution and Heir Research Expert

Genealogical research for inheritance proceedings, archive building and management, and heritage preservation. Nearly two decades of experience in Israel and internationally.

Adv. Elinor Kroitoru
Core service

Heir Research for Inheritance Proceedings

Elinor is on the list of genealogists approved by the Israeli Ministry of Justice to conduct research locating relatives in inheritance proceedings.

For about a decade she headed the Asset Location and Heir Search Division at Hashava, the Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets. Under her leadership, heirs were located in Israel and in dozens of countries, often in cases where information was partial and records had been lost or destroyed.

Inquire about heir research

Who this is for

  • Lawyers handling estates and probate
  • Estate administrators
  • Families seeking to establish who the heirs are

What the research includes

  • A documented family tree
  • Archival research in Israel and abroad, including pre-war and Holocaust-era records
  • Locating relatives and making contact
  • A structured research report for submission in the proceedings
Areas of expertise

Legal, archival and research expertise in one place

01

Archives, Indexing and Archive Building

Establishing, arranging, indexing and opening archives to the public. Former Deputy Director of the Archives Division at Yad Vashem, and international archival consultant to the Claims Conference since 2020.

02

Documenting the Crimes of October 7

A founder of the archive of the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes, and former Director of its Archive and Documentation Division. The archive collects and preserves evidence and testimony on Hamas's crimes.

03

International Archival Access Policy

Senior researcher on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) project "Monitoring Access to Holocaust Collections". Author of the IHRA guidelines for identifying relevant documentation for Holocaust research, education and remembrance (2022).

04

Provenance Research and Restitution

External advisor to the Inter-governmental Committee on Holocaust-era Provenance Research and Restitution in Israel. Extensive experience returning assets, land and artworks to their rightful heirs.

05

Romanian Jewish Heritage Archive

Founder of the Romanian Jewish Heritage Archive in Israel, which preserves documents, photographs and testimonies of Romanian Jewish communities.

06

Heritage Preservation

Expert in heritage preservation and public access.

Experience

Professional path

  1. 2020 – present

    Independent consultant and researcher

    International archival consultant to the Claims Conference.

  2. 2023 onward

    The Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes

    Archive co-founder and Director of the Archive and Documentation Division.

  3. 2020 – 2022

    International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)

    Senior researcher, "Monitoring Access to Holocaust Collections" project.

  4. 2018 – 2019

    Yad Vashem

    Deputy Director, Archives Division.

  5. 2007 – 2017

    Hashava – Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets

    Head of the Asset Location and Heir Search Division, and head of the Research Division.

  6. 2003 – 2007

    Rubanenko Law Office

    Lawyer.

Selected institutions
  • Yad Vashem
  • Claims Conference
  • IHRA
  • The Civil Commission
  • Hashava
Contact

Get in touch

For inquiries about heir research, archival consulting and collaboration.