Welcome to our family website

This website contains information about my Kessel family who were part of the Jewish community of Šiauliai, Lithuania, known as Shavl in Yiddish.

The community numbered almost 10,000 out of about 17,000 in 1902. At this period, it was already the 3rd most populous city in Lithuania, lying at a major road and railway junction. Lithuanians lived under the rule of the Russian Empire until the 20th century. In 1915 the entire Jewish community of Šiauliai was expelled by order of the Tsar, but many returned again when allowed to do so in the early 20's. The community was decimated during the holocaust. Of 8,000 Jews still living in Shavl in 1941, about 500 survived and only a handful of Jews remain there today.

Many of my ancestors left Šiauliai prior to 1915 and emigrated to such places as South Africa, America and the United Kingdom where they became leading members of society within their chosen professions.

Jon Kessel 2020