Hi Aline,
Felester (or some minor variations like Falester, Folester,....) is a family name found predominantly in Bessarabia (territory in the modern Republic of Moldova) and in Romanian Moldova. Most of the Felesters are from Botosani, Romania and some of them immigrated from Botosani to the States at the end of 19th century and the beginning of 1900s.
I have a hypothesis about the Felester name origin. Many Jewish people adopted a family name according to their geographical origin. In Romania and Bessarabia there are two main ways to do that: either adding the termination "eanu" to place name (Romanian) or "er" (mainly for Jewish people). Therefore, I think Falester is a Jew originally from Falesti (pronounced Faleshti), Bessarabia. Before WWII 51% of Falesti population was Jewish. Indeed, most of the Falester famiies were from nearby places (Telenesti, Orhei/Orgeev, Balti) and Botosani. I didn't find Felesters in Falesti and this is obvious. Falester was a person who migrated from Falesti and nicknamed the "Falester". It is exactly why Ashkenazy is always a Sephardi Jew (one who migrated from Ashkenaz into a Sephardic community). After many generations, the descendants of Ashkenazy are obviously Sephardi.
Valentin Lupu
ISRAEL