A FEW HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT GREEK JEWRY Published in The National Herald, February 6, 2006 Issue ------------------------------ I am excited to announce that  The National Herald  has given Hellenic Genealogy Geek the right to reprint articles that may be of interest to our group.  ------------------------------ ----------------------- Jews may have first settled in Greece as early as the Hellenistic Period, using the Greek language in their daily life after extensive contact with ancient Greek culture, the dominant culture in Palestine at the time, and established firm ties with Greece.  According to information recorded in the historical archives of the Greek Foreign Ministry (Documents on the History of the Greek Jews), after the Jewish state came to an end under the Roman rule in 63 BC, many Jews left Jerusalem, and some of them migrated to Greece, where they joined the Romaniotes (Greek-speaking Jews) who were already es...

The following obituaries and article were published in the February 18, 2006 issue of The National Herald.  I am providing them as a possible tool for Hellenic genealogy research. ----- Peter DANAKAS, Hotelier who Rubbed Elbows with Canadian Prime Ministers, Dies at 69  by John Chaput, The Globe and Mail REGINA, Sask. - Peter Danakas put everything he had into the things he loved, like the unabashed pride he felt for his two countries.  His passion for his native Greece was evident in his support of Greek culture and his strong Hellenic ties. As for his adopted home, his commitment was even more emphatic.  “Peter came from a strong community background in Greece, and from what I came to understand, he was well involved in it,” says Larry Schneider, a former mayor of Regina and member of Canadian Parliament. “He carried that attitude here with him, and wasn't the slightest bit shy about expressing it. He'd say: 'I don't know what some of you people ha...

The following obituaries and article were published in the February 11, 2006 issue of The National Herald.  I am providing them as a possible tool for Hellenic genealogy research. ----- John KATSAROS, Popular Teacher who Captivated his Students in Chicago Classrooms, Passes Away at 64 by Anne Marie Mannion, Chicago Tribune CHICAGO - John Katsaros, a well-respected teacher for 28 years at East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, was both a dynamic force in the classroom and a nonconformist.  He refused to shave his beard when school administrators asked him to in the early 1970's, and he donated his body for scientific study and wrote his own eulogy.  "Even in death, he was a teacher. He talked about honesty, integrity and optimism," said Betty Katsaros, his wife of 12 years.  "As a father, he was a teacher. He didn't stand for lying, and doing anything halfway was not allowed," said his daughter, Stephanie.  Mr. Katsaros, 64, died on Tu...

The following obituaries and article were published in the February 4, 2006 issue of The National Herald.  I am providing them as a possible tool for Hellenic genealogy research. ----- ANASTAS, Violet. - Passed away on Thursday, January 26, 2006. Beloved daughter of the late Theodore and Meropi Anastas; dear sister of Theodore Anastas, Dorothy Jackson and the late Helen Georges, George and Harry Anastas; dear sister-in-law of Margo Anastas, Ruth Anastas, Christina Anastas and the late James Georges and William Jackson; our dear aunt, great-aunt and friend. Miss Anastas was a lifelong member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and a past president of the Daughters of Penelope. Services: The family received friends at the Lupton Chapel in University City, Misouri on Sunday, January 29. Trisagion Service followed. The Funeral Service and Interment were private. Memorials appreciated to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. ---------- BOLLOS, Nick J. - Age 75; of Des Plain...

The following obituaries and article were published in the January 28, 2006 issue of The National Herald.  I am providing them as a possible tool for Hellenic genealogy research. ----- George P. NICOLETOPOULOS, Former Director of the International Monetary Fund, Passes Away at 84 Years of Age George P. Nicoletopoulos, who served as Director of the Legal Department of the International Monetary Fund, died on January 12, 2006 at the Hospice of the Washington Home in Washington, D.C. He had pneumonia. He was 84 years old.  Mr. Nicoletopoulos, a national of Greece, became a U.S. citizen in 1986, holding dual citizenship. He was educated at the University of Athens, Greece, and at Columbia University in New York. After practicing in Greece and working briefly in the Legal Department of the United Nations, he joined the IMF's Legal Department in 1949.  There he held a number of positions, rising to be Director from 1979 to 1985. His career spanned the for...