Customer Reviews

Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean: How a Generation of Swashbuckling Jews Carved Out an Empire in the New World in Their Quest for Treasure, Religious Freedom--and Revenge

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It is true that some famous pirates such as Jean Lafitte and Sinan were Jewish, but did you ever imagine there would be a serious, non-fiction book with such a title? Although the title is perhaps a bit "Hollywoodesque", this is a well-researched and well-written account of a chapter in history that continues to fascinate. Perhaps an equally playful title could have been "Raising Cain in the New World" as early Jewish settlers became heavily involved in sugar cane production and export and some of them did cause trouble--especially for Spain. Furthermore, to a certain extent, they survived and were successful because they were their brother's keepers, and remained faithful in their own communities.
There were pirates of the Caribbean, some of whom were Jews and there truly was a Port Royal in Jamaica, but don't expect Long Jonathan Silvermans or Captain Jacob Sparrowsteins to come careening across the deck or fling themselves from the rigging with cutlass in one hand shouting "Ahoy Vey". You will find some swashbuckling adventurein Ed Kritzler's account, which took place in the time when Spain and her rivals began to explore and settle in the Caribbean and the New World.
After centuries of a relatively fruitful existence in Iberia, hundreds of thousands if not millions of Jews found themselves in a precarious situation as the Catholic Empire reunited and re-established itself over the Moors. Jews were forced to convert or leave and many were tortured or murdered through the Inquisition. Columbus was likely a Jew and his three ships left the day of expulsion, headed to the New World and what eventually became a haven for the oppressed Jews and other people of Europe.
In those turbulent days of discovery, conquest and exploitation, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews used their linguistic, financial and trading skills, along with their associations with co-religionists in other ports to establish footholds in the new colonies, and especially in Jamaica, which is the fulcrum of this book. They were investors, ship owners, sailors and even soldiers and spies for the enemies of Spain, whether they were Dutch or British. Some of these adventurous Jews, including the larger-than-life Samuel Pallache, a rabbi and leader of Amsterdam's thriving Jewish community, did capture Spanish ships and treasure.
As for the beautiful and well situated island of Jamaica, it was originally deeded to the heirs of Columbus and fell in and out of favor with the Spanish and then the English. During the heyday of the pirates, as fictionally portrayed in the hit movie and the popular Disney ride, Port Royal was also home to many Jews. We learn that the popularized and fictionalized accounts of this raucous town as a cauldron of pirates, wenches, unbridled trading and rum may actually not have been far from the mark.
Major historical figures including Oliver Cromwell, Peter Stuyvesant, Captain Henry Morgan, King Charles of England and King Phillip of Spain enter into this story, sometimes in surprising, important and even crucial ways.
I think that as interest grows in the history of piracy and the early history of Jews in American, more will be written about the seafaring and port-histories of Jews in this period. Without spoiling anything, readers may wish to know that aside from the treasures of historical research and documentation that Kritzler brings to light, there just might even be a lost treasure of gold still waiting to be unearthed. You'll have to read the book to find out more.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read many histories of the period (16th and 17th centuries), and the Jews generally get an historical footnote, if anything at all. What fun to read this previously unknown history of an important period in the development of Jewish identify and independence, and how the actions of a significant group of heroic Jews eventually led to full acceptance and legal recognition of the Jewish people in both the old and new worlds. Of course, it's a source of pride to learn of the important role my fellow religionists played in the development of the western hemisphere's culture and economy. You don't learn this stuff in school, and every person of a particular ethnic persuasion looks for "heroes" to look up to. So this was not only an informative and fun read, but has contributed to my sense of ethnic pride.

Edward Kritzler has dug up historical facts about the treatment of the Jews in the 15th - 17th centuries that for most of us lay people has amounted to a sentence or two in our high school history books indicating that "Jews were persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition". His stories of actual Jewish people and their situations and the extent of their revenge makes for very informative reading, and helps explain the remnants of the Sephardic Jewish presence still in Latin America and in the Southwestern United States. His writing style is not that great; he is difficult to follow because of his lack of continuity in the various episodes. It is more of a "brain dump" of factual information, but the facts he does present overcomes his poor style.

This book is about a small part in the vast history of the Jewish people. This is an incredible book with many fascinating characters their intrigue, exploration and adventure. The author focuses on the Jewish pirates as well as the legitimate Jewish seamen (such as pilots, navigators, etc.) since, let's face it, there is a reason you never heard of Jewish pirates - there weren't that many.
Actually, "legitimate" might not be a good word since at that time many pirates were state sponsored (they were called "privateers").

The storyline follows the Sephardic Jews (those expelled from Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition) who tried to find a place in the New World and spans several centuries. Of course, once they settled in a place where no one wanted to settle, made it flourish and succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams the Kings of Christendom sent out the Inquisition under the guise of "holier than thou" to convert the heretics (in the process confiscating and splitting their businesses and possessions 50/50 with the Crown) and let the Diaspora cycle start over.

One of the most fascinating characters in the book is Samuel Palache, the "pirate rabbi," who grew up in the mid-1500s in Morocco and was a formative Jewish leader, a rabbi, an advisor to the Sultan, a diplomat and, of course, a pirate. The book is sprinkled with details about Jewish life (Palache had a kosher chef on his pirate ship) from both the Old and New Worlds especially in Jamaica (the author's home) and Amsterdam.

My problem with the book is that it offers very authoritative historical statements, without any proof. For example the part where the author tells us about "King Solomon's trading post", which is only a theory since that there is no proof that Jews lived in Spain (Sephard) during the reign of King Solomon; or that Columbus' had a hidden agenda which was to find the Sephardim Jews a place to live free from the terror of the Inquisition - again - no proof of that whatsoever except that the Colón (Columbus) family allowed Jews to live at the island they owned and did not allow the Inquisition to set a foothold at said place.

Another issue I had is the editing. Some words are italicized, other words which fall in the same category (such as foreign words) are not and the same is true with capitalization. Maybe it's just me because English is my second language and those things simply stick out at me like a sore thumb.

Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable book and I learned a lot about a fascinating chapter in the Jewish history. Just beware that you'll be getting a book about tangled and colorful adventures of the high seas but not a solid history book.

Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean: How a Generation of Swashbuckling Jews Carved Out an Empire in the New World in Their Quest for Treasure, Religious Freedom--and RevengeThis was the most amazing book detailing a piece of history that is mostly skipped in the history books. We always hear that the Jews were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition but we rarely hear what happened to them. This is that story.

There are a lot of dates given at the beginning, but if you don't get bogged down in them (there is a chronology of dates and events in the back of the book as well as a chapter summary at the end of each chapter), the story is fascinating!!

The writing style for this book perfectly matches the topic. It is clear bold direct simple and modest, with a hidden passion. The excitement comes because the author knows and so does the reader, that this is all secret buried history, coming to light for the first time in this book. It is what makes it breathtaking

I would put this well above some of the History Channel outings that wonder if aliens have visited us. However, like others, I would like to know more. I hope to see more research. It was certainly a surprise that Lafitte had a Jewish grandmother that he wrote about. That was not mentioned in MY Louisiana History class. I wonder why?

It disturbed me that the author treats statements made under torture as if they were always true. In some cases, we are told that conversos dropped their assumed Catholicism as soon as they were able. In other cases, they remained Catholic. At what point, will the author allow that some of these people are being persecuted for no reason other than to take their money? I wish that I could claim them all as Jews, but when offered the chance, many rejected any Jewish practice.

This was a fun and quick read. The author backtracks occasionally in order to maintain clarity. He may follow one character's life up to a critical point, begin the next chapter with a new character and backtrack to explain how the two characters' lives intersect. It was never difficult to keep up with the flow of historical narrative.

First, the author should be commended on the enormous amount of thorough research he has done about an obscure but fascinating subject. That said, there are flaws in the book.

A more fitting title for the book would relate to the contributions of the "conversos" (Jews who converted to Catholicism because they feared being tortured or burned at the stake by the "Holy" Spanish or Portuguese Inquisition). There are plenty of Jewish buccaneers, privateers, and, to a lesser extent, pirates mentioned in the book. However, the narration is really more about the conversos in Jamaica, Holland, England, Brazil, and other countries. These conversos, many of whom embraced their former Jewish faith once they lived where the Inquisition held no power over them, formed an international alliance of sorts. Their connections, knowledge of various languages, and commercial skills, made them valuable to the ruling bodies of their new countries. It is odd that in a book about Jewish pirates in the Caribbean, the famous philosopher Baruch (Benedict) Spinoza, a scion of Portuguese conversos, and a resident of Amsterdam, is mentioned at length. The story of the Jewish refugees from Brazil, once it reverted from Dutch to the Portuguese rule, landing in New Amsterdam (New York) to seek shelter there, is told at great length. It certainly makes for interesting reading but, again, has nothing to do with piracy, Jewish or otherwise.

The book is written in the style of a PH.D. thesis. Certainly, this is meant as a compliment. But from a book titled "Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean" readers may expect more pizazz.

I can't believe how great is Ed Kritzler's book. Why you wonder? Reader, I married him long ago. He worked so hard on this book and it's wonderful, readable, a must for anyone interested in Jewish history.

As his ex-wife you might find it strange that I think so highly of it. But Eddie, as we call him, deserves every bit of praise he is getting. Because do you know anyone who worked over 25 years on a book? I don't! And the result? He's got a winner and his daughter Eliza and I couldn't be more proud of this book, if he won a Pulitzer.

Now, there's an idea! Thanks Eddie for never never giving up. Wendy

I agree with the positive comments of the already published reviews; This book really needed to be written and it was a work of serious scholarship on the part of the author. Perhaps he might still get his PHD for it! (At least an honorary one in my book.. He brought to light and together alot of material to support the idea that although Jews were the victims of the Inquisition and the expulsions from Spain, Portugal and England, for starters; they didn't take it all lying down, and there were many who fought back and made a difference; a difference that continues to have consequences to this very day! It has been a long time coming for me to hear about these men and women of courage, conscience and the will to survive and I am truly greatful to Ed Kritzler for that. I must say though that the writing didn't always hang together or read like a novel (something that I would like), but I appreciate the efforts he has made here to give us all something spiritually significant as well as historically accurate. I will try to get some of my friends and family to read this. Kol Hakavod! (Hats off!)