Levi Barach (Joseph Jean François Elie), born at Hagenau, Elssas, 1721, embraced Christianity in Paris, 1752. His wife refused to live with him, and he refused to divorce her according to Jewish law. He obtained from the Bishops of Verdun and Metz canonical opinions that a baptized Jew might marry a Christian if his wife refused to be converted with him.
Levi Ben Shem Job, Portuguese convert, lived at the end of the fifteenth century. He is identified by some scholars with a certain Antonio, who was chief surgeon of King John II., and who wrote a pamphlet entitled, "Ajudo da Fé Contra os Judaeos."
Mandl Christof, a Hungarian Jewish convert, baptized in 1534. His godfather was George, Margrave of Brandenburg, to whom Mandl dedicated his tract entitled, "Dass Jesus sey das Ewig Wort" (1536). He also wrote two other tracts on the "Seventy Weeks of Daniel," and "Jesus is the Messiah" (1552-7).
Margarita Antonius, son of Rabbi Jacob Margoliouth, of Regensburg, was baptized in 1552, at Wasserburg, Bavaria. He was teacher of Hebrew successively at Augsberg, Meissen, Zell, Leipzig, and Vienna, where he died. His book, "Der ganze Jüdische Glaub," &c., contained among some good things, many bad and foolish things, and caused much harm to the Jews and to the author himself. His work was variously received. Luther made use of it in his writings. It was praised by Hoornbeek, B. Luthenes, and Joseph Muller, while Wagenseil (who, as is well known, was not very partial to the Jews,) spoke of it less favourably. According to de le Roi he joined the Roman Church as a Protestant.
Medici Paulus, a Jewish convert of whom the Roman Catholic Church had reason to be proud, was a learned theologian and a skilful controversialist against modern Judaism. Of his numerous works may here be mentioned: 1. "Catalogo de Neofiti" (illustri), 1701. 2. "Promptuarium Biblicorum Textuum ad Catholicum Fidem confirmandam et Judaeorum informandam perfidiam" (1707). 3. "Dialoghi sacri supra il vechiv e Nouvo Testamento," 41 parts in 21 vols. (Venice, 1731-35). 4. "Riti e costumi degli Ebrei confutati" (Fifth edition, Venice, 1557). This work is partly supplementary and partly antagonistic to a similar work by the famous Jewish scholar, Leon de Modena.
Mendelson (Sorel) Mendelssohn, youngest daughter of Moses Mendelssohn the philosopher, joined the Church of Rome at the beginning of the eighteenth century. She is described as "a woman of broad interests, clear judgment, and exquisite manners."
Morasini Giulio (Samuel Ben Nahamias, Ben David, B. Isaac, B. David, Baal Teshubah) was born at Venice, 1612; died in 1687. He was descended from a wealthy family which traced its ancestry back to Nehemiah. In 1649 he was present at a disputation held in Venice between two Jews (one of whom was a convert), relating to the "Seventy Weeks of Daniel." He then, together with his brother Joseph, decided to embrace Christianity, and was baptized November 22 of the same year, his godfather being Angelo Morasini, whose name he took. He went to Rome under Alexander VII., intending to become a Capuchin monk, but was dissuaded by the Pope. Clement IX. appointed him Hebrew scrittore of the Vatican library, and he taught Hebrew in the Propaganda. He was the author of a work entitled, "Derek Emunah" (Way of Faith), Rome, 1683. It has as a frontispiece a portrait of the author at the age of seventy-two, and is preceded by a sketch of his life.
Nachman ben Samuel Halevi, Rabbi of Busk, Galicia. When Mikulski, the administrator of the Archbishopric of Lemberg, invited the representatives of Judaism to a disputation with the Frankists, July 16, 1759, he was one of the Frankist delegates. He afterwards became a Christian, and took the name of Pietr Jacobski (Gräetz x., 392).
Nola, Menahem (John Paul Eustatius), born about 1570, died at Rome about 1608. Having instructed Thomas Aldobrandino, brother of the Pope Clement VIII., in Hebrew, he was influenced by him to become a Christian, and was baptized in 1568. He was the author of several Italian works, mainly in defence of Christianity. "Sacro Settenario" (Naples, 1579) is a compilation of extracts from the Bible, with an explanation of the ceremony of the opening of the gates in the year of Jubilee. "Salutori Discorse" (ib. 1582) contains nine sermons on various dogmas of Christianity, including those of the Trinity and the necessity for the coming of the Messiah. Some of Nola's works are found in the library of the Vatican, among them being commentaries, in manuscript, on Lamentations and Ruth. He wrote also a description of the Hebrew manuscripts in that library.
Nunez, Henrique Judae, Portuguese convert, born in Borba, Portugal, died in 1524. It is asserted that he acted as a spy against his people, and in consequence was stabbed by two Maranos, disguised as monks. He had received the appellation of Firme Fé, was revered as a saint, and people ascribed marvellous healing power to his tomb.