Antisemitism, an American Tradition

An urgent and provocative work on the history of hostility to American Jews.– “Kirkus Reviews”Congratulations to Pamela Nadell for a well-documented book on the always present disease of antisemitism in America and how it has metastasized in lost opportunities and violence during our country’s 250-plus year history. The illustrative examples powerfully demonstrate the historic and current challenges for Jews in America.–Former U.S. Senator Ben CardinNo book could be more timely than Pamela S. Nadell’s magisterial history of American antisemitism. Reading her meticulous account of this country’s anti-Jewish rhetoric, agitation, and physical violence helps us to better understand the nature of today’s antisemitism.–Michael Brenner, author of In Hitler’s MunichThis is the book that the world needs now, a bracing narrative of dark chapters from America’s past–history that continues to stalk the nation. Nadell writes with command and a detective’s sense for where buried episodes of antisemitism can be found.–Franklin Foer, author of The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s FutureToday it has become common to hear people lament the rise of American antisemitism with words akin to ‘I never thought I would see this in America.’ Pamela S. Nadell, with her well-proven skill of making the historically complex highly accessible, demonstrates that this is not a new phenomenon. It is an American tradition. Anyone who has been scared, perplexed, or surprised by the current expressions of antisemitism in America should read this book. Anyone who has not should read it as well.–Ambassador Deborah E. Lipstadt, author of Antisemitism: Here and NowPamela S. Nadell understands that ‘antisemitism was and remains a powerful American tradition.’ In this timely and comprehensive book, she courageously bares that tradition, unveiling a darker side of American Jewish history that has, for far too long, lain hidden from view.–Jonathan D. Sarna, author of American Judaism

Pamela S. Nadell holds the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History and directs the Jewish Studies Program at American University. Her works include America’s Jewish Women, winner of the 2019 National Jewish Book Award’s Jewish Book of the Year, and Women Who Would Be Rabbis. Past president of the Association for Jewish Studies, she lives in North Bethesda, Maryland.