In the 15th century, the University of Padua’s medical school opened its doors to Jewish students, and by the 1600s it had become the alma mater of a sizeable number of Jewish physicians at a time when European universities were generally closed to Jews. Edward Reichman examines a set of extraordinary documents to show how some of these students combined talmudic study with their medical training:

Early modern Italy seems to have provided particularly fertile soil for the nurturing and growth of the physician-rabbi. . . . This unique geographic and chronological synthesis of medicine and Torah learning is also reflected in an under-recognized phenomenon. [Many physicians were ordained as rabbis]; other physicians, or in some cases, soon-to-be physicians, obtained the prestigious degree of haver, a lower form of rabbinic ordination.

Little attention has been paid to this not insignificant group of Jewish physicians in Italy who procured a haver certificate. During this period, the University of Padua was, with few exceptions, the primary place of attendance for university-trained Jewish physicians.

Literally meaning “friend,” the term haver is talmudic in origin and akin to the modern academic term “fellow.” Reichman carefully examines the haver diplomas, as well as congratulatory poems celebrating these scholars’ graduations from medical school, and observes that status as a haver and as a physician seemed to go together.

Israel’s goals of freeing the hostages and defeating Hamas (the latter necessary to prevent further hostage taking) are to some extent contradictory, since Yahya Sinwar, the ruler of the Gaza Strip, will only turn over hostages in exchange for concessions. But Jacob Nagel remains convinced that Jerusalem should continue to pursue both goals:

Only consistent military pressure on Hamas can lead to the hostages’ release, either through negotiation or military operation. There’s little chance of reaching a deal with Hamas using current approaches, including the latest Egyptian proposal. Israeli concessions would only encourage further pressure from Hamas.

There is no incentive for Hamas to agree to a deal, especially since it believes it can achieve its full objectives without one. Unfortunately, many contribute to this belief, mainly from outside of Israel, but also from within.

Recent months saw Israel mistakenly refraining from entering Rafah for several reasons. Initially, the main [reason was to try] to negotiate a deal with Hamas. However, as it became clear that Hamas was uninterested, and its only goal was to return to its situation before October 7—where Hamas and its leadership control Gaza, Israeli forces are out, and there are no changes in the borders—the deal didn’t mature.