Some of our student's backgrounds are quite amazing! The direct descendant of the heroic Jewish - Greek figure, Panayiotis Panas, fighting as was Lord Byron for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire has recently joined us. Although previously unaware of his family's Jewish roots. Panos Chaliotis is now regularly attending our courses and events. If any of you have a story they would like to tell please do not hesitate to send it to us.

Athens Institute for Education and Research

In 1832, Panayiotis Panas was born. He was a Kephalonian romantic radical whose Jewish ancestors dated back to the Spanish Inquisition, when Jews fled to settle in the Venetian Republic. It is noteworthy that another Jew, Joseph Naci, fled from the Portuguese Inquisition, and later went to live in the Ottoman Empire. The title of Duke of Naxos was conferred on him by the Ottoman Emperor Selim the Second in 1566.
Panas volunteered in the 1856 Greek anti-Ottoman uprising in Thessaly. It was probably here where he saw the hero from Mani, Nikolas Leotsakos, an antimonarchist, whose altruistic deeds and magnanimity were renowned as he attempted to free his fellow-men from Ottoman rule. After the failure of these uprisings, Leotsakos was dismissed and exiled to Navpoli.