From works by Russian-language Jewish authors well-known it the West, such as Isaac Babel, to translations of Yiddish classics like the tales of Sholem Aleichem, to postwar works like the science-fiction novels of the Strugatsky brothers and Friedrich Gorenstein, Soviet Jews tended to treasure a similar set of books. Marat Grinberg collectively dubs them the Soviet Jewish bookshelf—which is also the title of his recent book. In conversation with Amber Nickell, he examines some of these works, his own experiences reading them, their significance, and how Soviet Jews—prohibited from most public expressions of Judaism or Jewish identity—read between their lines to appreciate their Jewish messages. (Audio, 73 minutes.)

Yesterday, President Biden reportedly met with his advisers to discuss how to achieve a breakthrough in hostage negotiations. Meir Ben Shabbat takes a closer look at what the terrorists themselves are saying:

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s deputy chief in Gaza, reiterated that this issue is merely one of several demands his group has put forward as conditions for a deal. “We stress that any agreement must encompass a full cessation of hostilities, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah crossing [which allow Hamas to smuggle weapons and supplies from Egypt], unimpeded return of displaced persons to their homes, aid and relief for Palestinians, Gaza’s reconstruction, and a prisoner exchange,” al-Hayya stated.

This stance isn’t new. What stood out in its presentation was the self-assurance displayed by the senior Hamas official, during a week when he and his associates were expected to be on edge, fearing repercussions for the killing of six hostages. However, the reaction to this in Israel and the United States prompted an opposite response from them. From their perspective, not only did they avoid consequences for the heinous act, but through it, they managed to escalate tensions and internal disagreements in Israel, while also prompting Washington to consider presenting a framework defined as a “final offer, without room for negotiation.

Hamas assumes that a final American proposal will inevitably come at Israel’s expense. The primary pressure to reach an agreement is already being applied to Israeli leadership. Hamas faces no consequences for prolonging the process, and so long as it holds hostages, it can always resume negotiations from where they left off.