This Kriss Foundation site explores family history in the context of cultural and political events.
Media
We are continually adding photographs, documents, and audio media relating to our family history. Please email new digital images or other media you wish to share. Our goal is to digitize the entire existing collection of 1880-1950 materials for future generations.
Genealogy Online
The interactive online genealogy, powered by Webtrees, covers over 2700 relatives in more than 1000 family groups. To view living family members, please register.
Selected Surname Origins
Shalita
An acronymic Hebrew word that was choosen as a close match with prior surname Shapira in order to avoid religious persecution (the publishing Shalita brothers of historical fame). Earlier, the Shapira name derived from the town of Speyer in Germany. In French, the town of Speyer is pronounced 'spire'. Rendered in Hebrew script without vowels, it can be interpreted as Spire, Shapira, Spira, Spiro, or Shapiro. French origin circa 12th and 13th centuries as transliterated into Hebrew and then into Russian and Polish.