Israel: Jewish pirates on parade, Feb. 24

There will be parrots, [eye] patches and pirates galore at the annual meeting of the branches of the Jewish Family Research Association (JFRA) on Tuesday evening, February 24.

Was your ancestor a Jewish pirate? What were the family names of famous Jewish pirates? Is that a milchig (dairy) or fleischig (meat) knife in the pirate's mouth? For the answers to these and other "biting" questions, come to the meeting.

Dr. Steven Plaut of Haifa University's Graduate School of Business will cover the history of Jewish pirates and the recent plethora of articles and books focusing on this subject.

Recently, in Jamaica, municipal workers uncovered a "pirates' graveyard" where some graves are adorned with - not only a skull and crossbones - but stars of David and Hebrew inscriptions.

Dr. Plaut - a Philadelphia native - will also speak about the Jewish roots of his wife's family - in Gaza City - and we'll end with a comic song about Jewish genealogy.

Along with the festivities, there's also the serious side of an annual business meeting, including elections.

The program is open only to paid-up (2008) JFRA members and to those who pay 2009 dues before the meeting begins. If we wear pirate garb (or bring along a parrot), do we get a discount on dues?

JFRA Ra'anana meets at Beit Fischer, 5 Klausner St. (near Ahuza). Doors open at 6.45pm (come early to pay dues), the business meeting is at 7.15pm, the main program begins at 7.45pm.

For more information, contact JFRA president Ingrid Rockberger.