Our heritage has bound us together. My grandparents, Kallel and Emily Bassett, came to this country in the late 1920’s looking for opportunity to build a life in the free world. They did not speak English and they came to Ellis Island, NY on a ship not knowing what lay ahead but they were determined to follow their dreams, as did so many of our relatives. I have always admired their bravery in making such a big move.
Memories of my childhood center around getting together on weekends with our extended family and socializing, listening to Arabic music and sometimes dancing in our homes. It is very evident that we are a social people and I cannot imagine my life growing up without being surrounded by so many family members. It is not surprising that the founders of our Reunion created the Kfeirian Reunion officially in 1932 so that we can have a special weekend to spend with each other on a yearly basis.
We have just celebrated our 91st Kfeirian Reunion and as I attend each year, I am overwhelmed with the experience and love that I feel being together and sharing our lives. From discussing our ancestry and how we are related, to eating wonderful Lebanese food and dancing to live Arabic music, we celebrate the common bond that we were all born and raised into, so many miles from our homeland.
We are on our way to celebrating 100 years of our heritage and I look forward to meeting more and more of my cousins in the years to come!
Rebecca Rahal Anderson
President, Kfeirian Reunion Foundation
أهلاً وسـهلاً بكم
Welcome to Kfeir.com, the official website of the Kfeirian Reunion Foundation, Inc.
I hope that you take time and explore our website and all it has to offer. Nestled in this vast website, you can find anything from historic documents and photos dating back 100 years to the latest and greatest happenings of our Kfeirian family. From photos and information from past reunions, family announcements and family recipes, to our very own newsletter “The Cedar”, to discovering your ancestry… Kfeir.com holds many priceless and timeless treasures of our beloved Kfeirian family and heritage.
About two hours southeast of Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut, Kfeir is located in the Hasbaiya District on the slopes of Mount Hermon (جبل الشيخ), the same mountain mentioned throughout the bible.
There was an influx of migration from Kfeir during the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Our families left Lebanon for better opportunities and freedoms, many without a dollar in their pocket. The Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran wrote “Let me tell you who are the children of my Lebanon… They are those who migrate with nothing but courage in their hearts and strength in their arms”.
In the late 1920s, many of our relatives started to gather informally to connect, catch up and celebrate the new found freedoms and opportunities our great nation had to offer. At an informal gathering in 1932 in Huntington, WV, it was suggested that this be an annual gathering. After gaining an overwhelming approval, the suggestion was adopted and approved.
Some 90 years later, we continue to carry the torch that was passed on to us from our ancestors, to preserve our Kfeirian heritage and traditions, to gather as a family every year and to continue to support our Kfeirian families both here and abroad.
In 1964, the Kfeirian Reunion Scholarship program was established to support our youth as they began their journey through higher education. 58 years later, we have awarded over 100 scholarships and continue to support our youth through this scholarship program. We currently have four scholarship recipients for the 2022-2023 year. We need your support so we can continue supporting our youth through the scholarship program. To learn about how you can help, visit the Scholarship page at http://www.kfeir.com/scholarship-recipients.html.
We also haven’t forgotten where we came from. We have supported the village of Kfeir throughout the years by providing funds to help bring clean water and electricity to the village, building a road that leads in and out of Kfeir, purchasing a generator for the village for when there are power outages, providing funds to St. George Orthodox Church to beautify their temple, and most recently establishing the Kfeir Relief Fund to help feed our suffering relatives in Kfeir. To learn more about the Kfeir Relief Fund and to donate, visit the Kfeir Relief Fund page at www.kfeir.com/kfeir-relief-fund.html.
We are just coming off our historic 90th anniversary. Over 300 Kfeirians gathered in Huntington, WV to celebrate this milestone event. It was truly a weekend that we will remember for decades to come. We went Facebook Live several times throughout the weekend. Make sure you head over to our Facebook page to check those videos out. If you aren’t on our Facebook page already, simply click on the following link and make sure to join our group: www.facebook.com/groups/kfeirian/. You can also head over to the 90th reunion page to check out dozens of photos from the weekend, along with other historical documents including our 90th Commemorative Journal: http://kfeir.com/90th-reunion-2022.html/.
We are on the doorsteps of our 100th anniversary which we will celebrate in 2032. We will need the support, help, and love from each Kfeirian to make it happen. We will not be able to do this without the involvement of our youth. They are the future of the Kfeirian Reunion. Some were not as fortunate as I was growing up in the Reunion, but it is never too late to get involved. No matter if this is your first Reunion or your fiftieth, you are welcome. Come and meet your cousins, come and learn about your heritage and traditions, come and enjoy the dancing and fellowship the Reunion has to offer, come and support the Foundation, and last but not least, come and get involved! In the words of our late President Emeritus, Michael Abraham, “We are an ancestry of many names, and one heritage!”
#RoadTo100
Joseph Peck
President, Kfeirian Reunion Foundation
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Welcome to the Kfeirian Reunion Foundation Website!
I hope you will take a little time to explore the website and discover a part of your heritage. There are photos of Reunions, family ancestral trees, past newsletters and more. You can link to the Kfeirian Reunion Facebook Page and the Kfeirian travel portal, www.kfeirtravels.com where you can make all your travel plans. Take your time and enjoy!
Our ancestors came from the small village of Kfeir, located along the slopes of the top of the Mount Hermon cluster of mountains, of what was then, Syria. This area became part of Lebanon when the country was formed in 1948.
The Kfeirian Reunion Foundation was officially founded in 1932 after many years of social gatherings by our forbearers to celebrate the new freedoms and opportunities this great nation had to offer. These immigrants were an integral part of the communities they settled in, promoting their love of family, culture and the desire to pass these beautiful gifts on to future generations.
Our organization has grown and flourished over the last 87 years. We have promoted scholarship opportunities for college bound Kfeirians, re-discovered and built on our cultural heritage, and sponsored charitable projects in the village of Kfeir, including funding for much needed electricity and water development and helping individual families who have suffered hardships.
The highlight of the year for the Kfeirian Reunion Foundation is the Annual Kfeirian Reunion held every Labor Day Weekend, to celebrate the shared heritage and culture that has been passed down to us by our ancestors. We honor them and their vision for our futures. Kfeirians from all over the world have attended this event and remain committed to keep their spirit and legacy alive.
In the words of our Past President, Michael Abraham, “Whether you are a Kfeirian by direct lineage of family, marriage or just want the opportunity to be part of this wonderful blessing, you are welcome to join us as we gather as one family, enjoying shared memories of past Reunions, creating new ones, Arabic food, with exotic cultural music and dancing. It’s an experience like none other!”
It does not matter how long it has been or if you have never been to the Reunion. Come and join us, I promise you a wonderful time. What could be better than a weekend away, good food, family fellowship, dancing to an authentic Arabic Band and reconnecting with your heritage?
Sherry Mickel Parrish, President
Kfeirian Reunion Foundation
A Message from the Kfeirian Reunion Foundation President,
Mike Abraham
On behalf of our board of trustees, I welcome you to the Kfeirian Reunion Foundation website. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to explore and discover a heritage and ancestry that is second to none. You’ll find pictures of historical artifacts, family ancestral trees, copies of past newsletters and so much more. You can even link to the Kfeirian Reunion Facebook Page and the Kfeirian travel portal, www.kfeirtravels.com where you can make all your travel plans. Take your time, troll and enjoy!
Our organization was officially founded in 1932 after many years of unofficial gatherings by our forbearers to celebrate their new found freedoms and the multitude of opportunities this great nation had to offer. They became an integral part of the communities they settled in, all the while, promoting their love of family, culture and the desire to pass these beautiful gifts on to future generations.
Our ancestors came from the small village of Kfeir, located along the slopes of the top of the Mount Hermon cluster of mountains of what was then Syria. This area became part of Lebanon when the country was formed in 1948. Even though founded just 71 years ago, the earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon goes back 7,000 years, outdating recorded history.
As our organization grew and flourished throughout the 20th and now 21st centuries, it has promoted scholarship opportunities for college bound Kfeirians, continually re-discovers and building on our cultural heritage, and has sponsored charitable projects in the village of Kfeir. Most notably throughout the years having provided funding for much needed electricity and water development and helping individual families who have suffered hardships.
As we move forward to 100 years of the Kfeirian Reunion, the descendants of these courageous visionaries who sought a better life not just for themselves, but for their children and their children’s children, remain fiercely committed in keeping that foundational spirit and legacy alive.
The highlight of the year for the Kfeirian Reunion Foundation is the annual Reunion held every Labor Day Weekend to celebrate the memory our ancestors and the legacy of our heritage and culture that they has been passed down to us. We honor them and their futuristic vision. Kfeirians from all over the world have attended this event. For 2019, the 87th Kfeirian Reunion will meet in Charleston, WV and we look forward to seeing many Kfeirians and their friends in Wild Wonderful West Virginia.
Whether you’re a Kfeirian by direct lineage of family, marriage or just want the opportunity to be part of this wonderful blessing, you are welcome to join us as we gather as one family, enjoying shared memories of past Reunions, creating new ones, Arabic food, with exotic cultural music and dancing. It’s an experience like none other.
We look forward to seeing you this year.
Best regards,
Michael Abraham
President
Four score and four years ago, our forefathers established this Reunion that we may be reminded of the little Village they call Kfeir. We have been blessed to gather and celebrate our beautiful heritage and culture.
Throughout the years, our people have spread across this beautiful nation. Our Website will help us connect with each other not only across this nation, but also with our family and friends throughout the world.
2017 brings us to the 85th Reunion in Charleston, WV. I hope that we will see all of you there.
