My name, Henry Kalil-Felbinger, has both stories and origins behind it. My last name is a combination of my mom’s and dad’s last names, and both have originated in different countries. My mom’s last name is Kalil and is a very popular Syrian last name. At one point, it probably would have changed from Khalil to Kalil, as Khalil is a very common spelling of the name. My dad’s last name is Felbinger and has German origins, but it is not as popular in the country as my mom’s is. My first name does not have any relation to family members, but instead has an interesting story behind it. My mom’s best friend growing up was named Henry, and she felt that because this person was so important to her as a child, she would name her first son Henry. My family came to America from many countries in Europe. My dad’s side of the came from Germany, Ireland, and England. On my mom’s side, there is the overlap of Ireland, and other relatives came from Lithuania and Syria. The first of my family members to immigrate to America would have probably come by boat and around the turn of the 20th century. On my dad’s side, there are some roots in the Chicago area (he grew up in Northbrook), but this was not the case on my mom’s side. I ended up where I am today because of the jobs that my parents took in the Chicago area.
The race I identify with is Caucasian, but another important part of my identity is my religion: Judaism. My family observes certain Jewish holidays such as Chanukah, but we also celebrate Christmas and Easter because of the different religions in the family. I think it is very interesting that my family celebrates multiple religious holidays, and the diversity is an important part of who I am. When immigrants from different parts of the world come to America to start a new life, (such as my ancestors) it can often be hard to assimilate. People have trouble fitting into a community because of the differences they have with the others, such as religion, race, language, or culture. For my own family, there has not been stories of struggling to assimilate as immigrants, but there is an assimilation important story about my grandfather. My grandfather, Ron Kalil, was the first in his family to go to college. He did not go to just any college; he went to Harvard, one of the nation’s elite. He had trouble fitting into this college because he was from a poor and less educated background than many of the students who went there. Differences are one of the main causes of the struggle to fit in, and this was evident with my grandfather in his college experience.
I find the history of my family very interesting, and I am proud to be related to many extraordinary people. I am very happy with my identity, and if it wasn’t for the decisions made by my ancestors, I don’t know if I would be where I am today.
Great story about your grandfather, as well as the story of practicing different religious traditions in your household.
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