Many incidents show that when we are faced with danger, our reaction is not automatic. Sometimes we flee immediately; at other times, we remain frozen. The explanation lies in the brain, specifically in three key structures: the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is the brain’s fear center. It detects threats, generates emotion, and prepares the body to react: a faster heartbeat, quicker breathing, and a surge of adrenaline. However, it does not assess danger objectively; it is activated only when a stimulus disrupts expectations of safety or evokes memories of previous traumatic experiences. Working alongside the amygdala is the hippocampus, which interprets context. It tells the brain whether what is happening aligns with what we expect or whether it represents a real threat. In a familiar or seemingly safe environment, even potentially dangerous signals may be ignored. In other words, the perception of danger depends on where we are and what we expect. The prefrontal cortex coordinates decision-making and rational responses. In adolescents, however, it is still developing. This means that even when the amygdala registers fear and the hippocampus evaluates the context, translating this information into effective action can be slow or inadequate. Further complicating the picture is the crowd effect. When many people share the same emotional state, individual perception merges with that of the group, creating a kind of collective mind. In social psychology, this phenomenon is known as the collective mind or, in cultural terms, the “Egregore”: the group shapes the emotions and actions of individuals. In this state, ambiguous signals are interpreted according to the prevailing atmosphere—whether it is one of joy or panic. We have all recently seen on television the images of flames spreading across the ceiling of a venue and young people attempting to put them out. Many have asked: why didn’t they run away immediately? Why didn’t they react at once? While it is impossible to provide definitive answers—since no objective reaction can be assumed without being immersed in the same situation—it is nevertheless possible to offer an interpretation of the young people’s responses through the lens of neuroscience. The adolescents’ amygdala did not perceive the situation as immediately threatening, because signals such as sparks, heat, and music were consistent with a festive setting. The hippocampus interpreted the scene as part of the evening’s experience—“everything is normal”—and finally, the prefrontal cortex, still immature, was unable to rapidly translate fear and contextual information into concrete action. Added to this was the crowd effect—the evening’s “Egregore”—which reinforced a sense of safety. The young people were not irresponsible or reckless; they were immersed in an emotionally coherent context, unable to transform instinct and perception into an immediate decision. Understanding how the human brain functions in the face of danger does not mean justifying everything. It means recognizing biological and psychological limits, and building safer environments, clearer procedures, and effective emergency education. The tragedy of Crans-Montana shows how the collective mind, together with underlying brain mechanisms, can help explain what at first glance appears inexplicable. Luciano Bassani

In the aftermath of the tragic fire in Crans-Montana, as grief and concern spread across Europe, a message of hope has emerged through swift medical cooperation. In a race against time, a life-saving treatment was transferred from Genoa to Milan—one capable of making a decisive difference for patients suffering from severe burns. NEXOBRID The drug is called NexoBrid , and it stands as a compelling example of how Israeli scientific innovation can translate into concrete, life-saving care. Fifteen vials were urgently dispatched from Villa Scassi Hospital in Genoa to Niguarda Hospital in Milan to treat Italian patients with extensive burn injuries. NexoBrid is not a conventional medication, but an advanced enzymatic gel developed through Israeli bio-pharmaceutical research, now recognized internationally for its effectiveness in the treatment of deep burns. In cases of severe burns, necrotic skin tissue—known as eschar—poses a critical and often underestimated threat. Acting as a breeding ground for infection, it significantly increases the risk of sepsis and mortality. The prompt and selective removal of this tissue is therefore essential to improving survival outcomes. NexoBrid offers a groundbreaking solution. Formulated with proteolytic enzymes, primarily bromelain derived from pineapple stems, the gel is applied directly to the burn wound and, within approximately four hours, selectively dissolves dead tissue while preserving viable skin. This highly targeted action achieves results comparable to surgical debridement, but without the need for prolonged operations, invasive procedures, or general anesthesia—an especially important advantage for critically ill patients. Image courtesy of NexoBrid https://mediwound.com/product/nexobrid/ The result is a clean wound bed, ready for skin grafting, with reduced pain, fewer infections, minimized scarring, and shorter hospital stays. Above all, it offers patients a significantly improved chance of survival. Behind this treatment stands MediWound Ltd. , an Israeli biopharmaceutical company that developed the technology, holds the patents, and led the entire clinical pathway through to international regulatory approvals. In the United States, NexoBrid received authorization from the FDA  in 2022, while in Italy it is marketed through MediWound Germany GmbH. It is a clear and tangible example of how Israeli medical innovation continues to deliver advanced solutions to the most extreme clinical challenges. A question many have rightly asked is this: why was the drug available in Genoa and not in Milan? The answer lies in the complexity of these treatments. Villa Scassi is one of Italy’s leading centers for the treatment of severe burn injuries and maintains supplies of rare, costly, and fast-expiring medications that require highly specialized medical expertise. In emergencies involving multiple critically injured patients, these reserves can be depleted very quickly. This is where the network of cooperation among hospitals becomes crucial: Genoa opened its stores and shared what was available, demonstrating how essential medical solidarity truly is. In the midst of a tragedy that has deeply affected many, this story reminds us that lives can also be protected through invisible bridges built on research, cooperation, and responsibility. It also shows how a drug developed in Israel, the result of years of study and innovation, is today helping to save lives in Italy—a powerful testament to the fact that when science is placed at the service of humanity, it knows no borders.

I am a doctor of the “old school.” I have studied, learned, taught, and above all, I have spent an entire lifetime striving to treat my patients in the best possible way, using the tools and knowledge available in each era, guided by the paths laid down by the many mentors I have encountered. Luciano Bassani Over time, I came to understand a simple yet essential truth: medicine is, and must remain, an art of balance. This concept, suggested centuries ago by Rav Moses Maimonides, known by the acronym Ramban (Cordoba 1138 – Cairo 1204), is more relevant today than ever. We live in an era dominated by evidence-based medicine, advanced technologies, international guidelines, decision-making algorithms, and medico-legal pressure. Yet medicine cannot be reduced to mechanical protocols or digital reports: it is science, yes, but it is also experience, clinical judgment, and the ability to see the patient rather than just the disease—to understand that every person is unique, both in health and in illness. Today, unfortunately, we are witnessing two opposite drifts. On the one hand, there are doctors and surgeons who have almost stopped “making diagnoses” (from the Greek diagnosis , meaning judgment and evaluation) in the true sense of the word. They have forgotten clinical practice: they no longer listen carefully to the patient’s story, they do not observe enough, they do not auscultate, palpate, or reason through the overall clinical picture. They rely almost exclusively on instrumental tests, as if these were making the diagnosis in place of the physician. Moses   Maimonide Technology, originally conceived as a support for clinical reasoning, has gradually become its replacement. When we also consider the sudden emergence of artificial intelligence, the overall picture becomes concerning. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, lies another error: a form of medical obscurantism. These are professionals who distrust progress, reject innovation outright, cling to an idealised past, and forget that medicine has meanwhile made enormous advances. Today we have extraordinarily powerful diagnostic tools, targeted therapies, less invasive procedures, and life-saving drugs. Ignoring them is not a sign of prudence, but of irresponsibility. For this reason, it must be stated clearly: one cannot be “against everything.” There are medications that genuinely save lives, antibiotics that prevent severe and potentially fatal complications, oncological therapies that have transformed outcomes once considered inevitable, and vaccines that have changed the course of human history. Rejecting these tools on principle is an injustice to patients. A common cold may require nothing more than rest and an aspirin, but bronchopneumonia requires antibiotics and appropriate medical treatment. Back pain may be a simple degenerative condition, but it can also signal a fracture, a metastasis, or even referred visceral pain. Knowing how to distinguish between these situations is the very essence of medicine: it is not automatism, but clinical intelligence. The true physician is the one who knows how to maintain balance: between doing too much and doing too little, between watchful waiting and intervention, between caution and decisiveness, and between respect for tradition and openness to progress.Every choice has consequences, and the physician’s duty is to take responsibility for them with competence, humanity, and ethical awareness. Moses Maimonides reminded us that health is born of harmony and moderation. The same holds true for the art of medicine. The physician of today—as of the past and the future—must safeguard this balance between clinical practice and scientific evidence, between experience and technology, between science and conscience. Only in this way can medicine remain what it is meant to be: the care of the person, guided by intelligence, humility, and dignity. Luciano Bassani

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Assistenza Spirituale e Religiosa Rav Jonathan Szulc ci accompagna in ogni evento collegato a nostre festività con parole di Torah e commento sul significato della festa. Spiritual & Relegius Support Via Sally Mayer 4-6 | Milan +39 02 48 31 10 229/261 + 39 393 8490240 servizio.sociale@com-ebraicamilano.it Spiritual and Religious Support Rabbi Jonathan Szulc accompanies us at every event connected to our festivals, offering words of Torah and reflections on the meaning of each celebration. Rabbi Jonathan Szulc is available for home visits upon request, for anyone who is temporarily or permanently unable to attend our synagogues and is seeking spiritual and religious support. To contact Jonathan Szulc, please call +39 02 91981 or write to jonathan.szulc@comebraicamilano.i t Social Services About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions About Us and Contacts Services, Tools and Social Committee Assistance to Nazi Victims Claims Fund Management ACTIVE FROM HOME Discover the project Volunteer Network and Solidarity Network with other Institutions

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