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Antisemitism, an American Tradition
The powerful story of antisemitism in America and how it has shaped the lives of Jews for almost four centuries
Jews met antisemitism upon landing in New Amsterdam in 1654 when Peter Stuyvesant tried to expel them. The founding of the United States changed little, as negative European stereotypes rooted into American soil. Jews faced restrictions on holding office, admission into schools, and employment in industry, while their synagogues and cemeteries were vandalized. In recent years antisemitic incidents have increased.
In Antisemitism, An American Tradition scholar Pamela S. Nadell investigates the depth of this fraught history. She explores how Jews battled antisemitism through the law and by creating organizations to speak for them. Jews would also fight back with their fists or join with allies in fighting all types of hate. This momentous work sounds the alarm on a hatred that continues.
Jews met antisemitism upon landing in New Amsterdam in 1654 when Peter Stuyvesant tried to expel them. The founding of the United States changed little, as negative European stereotypes rooted into American soil. Jews faced restrictions on holding office, admission into schools, and employment in industry, while their synagogues and cemeteries were vandalized. In recent years antisemitic incidents have increased.
In Antisemitism, An American Tradition scholar Pamela S. Nadell investigates the depth of this fraught history. She explores how Jews battled antisemitism through the law and by creating organizations to speak for them. Jews would also fight back with their fists or join with allies in fighting all types of hate. This momentous work sounds the alarm on a hatred that continues.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
38 people are currently reading
3233 people want to read
About the author
Pamela S. Nadell
19 books35 followersPamela S. Nadell is the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History and director of Jewish studies at American University. Her books include Women Who Would Be Rabbis, a National Jewish Book Award finalist. She lives in North Bethesda, Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 29, 2025
Nadell chronicles the history of antisemitism in America from the colonial era through the current day. There's a lot of material to work with, and she reports on events I hadn't known of before. It's a valuable addition to the historical literature on antisemitism and I'm sure it will deservedly be widely read. As a corrective to the notion many Americans have that the country has been almost universally accepting of Jews, it is beyond critique. Antisemitism has been here from the very beginning.
For all that, I felt that the book doesn't provide sufficient context to the events and currents being described. The reader learns what happened but gains little insight to why it happened, what was factors fed its eruption and spread. I also found that not nearly enough attention is given to how Antisemitism has presented and spread in the Twenty-first Century, both domestically and internationally.
My thanks to Norton Publishers and Edelweis+ for providing a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
For all that, I felt that the book doesn't provide sufficient context to the events and currents being described. The reader learns what happened but gains little insight to why it happened, what was factors fed its eruption and spread. I also found that not nearly enough attention is given to how Antisemitism has presented and spread in the Twenty-first Century, both domestically and internationally.
My thanks to Norton Publishers and Edelweis+ for providing a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
November 7, 2025
It read somewhat like a general catalog of Jew-hatred throughout the history of the United States. Despite being a bit dry, I did learn a lot and it was interesting to see the same old tropes utilized in fresh ways throughout time. The book was well-researched and eye opening.
July 22, 2025
Book Review: Antisemitism, an American Tradition by Pamela S. Nadell
Rating: 5/5
Pamela S. Nadell’s Antisemitism, an American Tradition is a groundbreaking and harrowing exploration of the persistent undercurrent of antisemitism in American history. From the moment Jews landed in New Amsterdam in 1654, facing expulsion attempts by Peter Stuyvesant, to the tragic 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, Nadell meticulously traces how antisemitism has been woven into the fabric of American society. Her narrative is both scholarly and deeply personal, revealing how Jews have been barred from offices, excluded from schools, and subjected to violence—yet have continually fought back through legal battles, grassroots organizing, and solidarity with other marginalized groups.
What makes this book exceptional is Nadell’s ability to contextualize contemporary antisemitism within a 400-year history, dispelling the myth that it is a recent or foreign phenomenon. Her prose is accessible yet rigorous, blending archival research with vivid storytelling. The chapters on Jewish resistance—highlighting legal victories, community organizing, and alliances with other oppressed groups—are particularly inspiring, offering a counterpoint to the darkness of bigotry.
While the book excels in its pre-1945 analysis, the post-war sections feel slightly condensed, leaving readers craving more detail on modern manifestations of antisemitism. Nonetheless, this is a minor critique of an otherwise monumental work.
By the end, Antisemitism, an American Tradition leaves readers with a profound understanding of both the depths of hatred and the resilience of those who resist it. It’s not just a history book—it’s a call to action, urging us to confront this enduring prejudice with clarity and courage.
Summary Impressions:
-A masterful dissection of America’s oldest hatred—Nadell proves antisemitism is as American as apple pie.
-For fans of How to Fight Anti-Semitism and People Love Dead Jews—a definitive history of Jewish resilience.
-Nadell’s research is impeccable, her storytelling urgent. This book will change how you see American history.
-The 1619 Project for Jewish America—a revelatory account of systemic bigotry and the fight against it.
-Essential reading for understanding today’s antisemitic surges—and how to combat them.
Thank you to W.W. Norton and Edelweiss for the advance copy. Antisemitism, an American Tradition is a vital contribution to both Jewish studies and American history, offering not just insight but a roadmap for justice.
Rating: 5/5
Pamela S. Nadell’s Antisemitism, an American Tradition is a groundbreaking and harrowing exploration of the persistent undercurrent of antisemitism in American history. From the moment Jews landed in New Amsterdam in 1654, facing expulsion attempts by Peter Stuyvesant, to the tragic 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, Nadell meticulously traces how antisemitism has been woven into the fabric of American society. Her narrative is both scholarly and deeply personal, revealing how Jews have been barred from offices, excluded from schools, and subjected to violence—yet have continually fought back through legal battles, grassroots organizing, and solidarity with other marginalized groups.
What makes this book exceptional is Nadell’s ability to contextualize contemporary antisemitism within a 400-year history, dispelling the myth that it is a recent or foreign phenomenon. Her prose is accessible yet rigorous, blending archival research with vivid storytelling. The chapters on Jewish resistance—highlighting legal victories, community organizing, and alliances with other oppressed groups—are particularly inspiring, offering a counterpoint to the darkness of bigotry.
While the book excels in its pre-1945 analysis, the post-war sections feel slightly condensed, leaving readers craving more detail on modern manifestations of antisemitism. Nonetheless, this is a minor critique of an otherwise monumental work.
By the end, Antisemitism, an American Tradition leaves readers with a profound understanding of both the depths of hatred and the resilience of those who resist it. It’s not just a history book—it’s a call to action, urging us to confront this enduring prejudice with clarity and courage.
Summary Impressions:
-A masterful dissection of America’s oldest hatred—Nadell proves antisemitism is as American as apple pie.
-For fans of How to Fight Anti-Semitism and People Love Dead Jews—a definitive history of Jewish resilience.
-Nadell’s research is impeccable, her storytelling urgent. This book will change how you see American history.
-The 1619 Project for Jewish America—a revelatory account of systemic bigotry and the fight against it.
-Essential reading for understanding today’s antisemitic surges—and how to combat them.
Thank you to W.W. Norton and Edelweiss for the advance copy. Antisemitism, an American Tradition is a vital contribution to both Jewish studies and American history, offering not just insight but a roadmap for justice.
December 11, 2025
This book was interesting and I learned some new information about the history of antisemitism in the US. Some things were shocking, other things less so. Definitely worth the time to read.
However, I felt the presentation of the information was poorly structured; the author basically presented fact after fact without connecting them, it felt kind of like reading a bulleted list of facts rather than an historical account of antisemitism in the U.S. Overall I still got the point and was able to see the evolution of antisemitism in the U.S. but I would've liked more analysis rather than "This happened to Alice. Then this happened to Bob."
Finally, the author was too loose on Israel for my taste, and consistently suggested a "fine line" between anti Zionism and antisemitism, which I didn't like.
However, I felt the presentation of the information was poorly structured; the author basically presented fact after fact without connecting them, it felt kind of like reading a bulleted list of facts rather than an historical account of antisemitism in the U.S. Overall I still got the point and was able to see the evolution of antisemitism in the U.S. but I would've liked more analysis rather than "This happened to Alice. Then this happened to Bob."
Finally, the author was too loose on Israel for my taste, and consistently suggested a "fine line" between anti Zionism and antisemitism, which I didn't like.
January 5, 2026
In addition to the shock and horror of October 7, and the heart-breaking devastation of the resulting war in Gaza, we've had to face a wave of antisemitism in the rest of the world, including right here in the US. Some are open about it, but most pretend to hide their hate behind glib slogans such as "anti-Zionism isn't antisemitism," even as they paint swastikas on synagogues and harass Jews on college campuses. If only Israel would cease its "genocide" then they wouldn't be forced to stab, firebomb, or shoot American Jews. As if this was an entirely new phenomenon, a direct result of the current war half a world away. Well, this book puts a lie to such nonsense, definitively and unequivocally.
Through methodical documentation, Nadell demonstrates that antisemitism in America is nothing new, starting with the first Jews to arrive in NYC when it was still New Amsterdam in the 17th century. Through the Revolution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the KKK, the Great Depression and the rise of nazism, WWII and the Holocaust, the Civil Rights era, and into modern times. It has taken different forms at times, but has been an omnipresent and persistent part of American life, policy, government, society, and culture.
I knew about prominent antisemitic figures such as Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg, Father Coughlin, but there are so many more throughout the past 300 years. These are not anomalous sickos, they are part of a heritage of hate. From overt violence to secret discrimination in academia, redlining and immigration restriction, casual slurs and insidious conspiracy theories, it's built in to the essence of the country.
Although the subject matter is not easy to read about, especially for people who thought that their country was above such base bigotry, but the straightforward writing makes it easy to read. There is just enough analysis to provide context to understand the events described, but mostly the facts speak for themselves, there is no need for additional commentary. The reader will have to formulate their own histrionic polemic, which won't be difficult after reading this book.
I consider myself well-versed on the subject, and have read extensively over the past couple of years, but still learned an awful lot. On the one hand, it's somewhat comforting to find out that what we are experiencing is all too precedented, on the other hand it's discouraging to see how little progress has been made in the past four centuries. This is an important book, and I highly recommend it for both people who are concerned about the recent resurgence of overt antisemitism since Charlottesville and October 7, and also those who don't think it's a real problem and continue to blame Israel or "Zionists".
August 7, 2025
There are many histories of antisemitism on the market today, and Pamela Nadell has written one of the best. America has prided itself on toleration, particularly religious toleration, since its foundation, and while we as a nation have performed better than some of our European counterparts, the commonly received history papers over many of the darkest chapters. This work tears away the fig leafs of popular history to expose the dark history of discrimination and violence--physical and otherwise--that has marked our country since its inception.
Where I think this book particularly succeeds is in its treatment of antisemitism in America before the Holocaust. Too often, historians focus on the post-Holocaust reckoning with antisemitism which occurred in many Western countries, including the United States. But history did not begin with the Final Solution, nor was it confined to Germany and Eastern Europe. Nadell's discussion of the antisemitic Peter Stuyvesant in the New Amsterdam colony, for example, demonstrates that this oldest form of racism has been woven into the American tapestry since long before the Declaration of Independence. Examples abound from American history of antisemitic legislation and customs, such as quota systems or outright barriers to professional success, which presented challenges to American Jewry.
The book is not, however, entirely dark. Profiled too are those American Jews, and allies, who fought to fulfill the promise of America as a land of equal dignity for all. These fights were rarely easy and were never quick, but form an under-explored chapter in the history of the movement towards full civil liberties and equalities for all Americans.
In light of current events, this book is sadly incredibly timely, as academia and wider society struggle with the scourge of antisemitism on both extreme ends of the political spectrum. By better understanding the history of antisemitism in America, readers are left better equipped to argue back against antisemitic tropes and canards, and are also left simply better informed on this crucial part of the American story. As an educator with a focus on nationalism in general and the Holocaust (and responses to it) in particular, I highly endorse this work and look forward to excerpting it for use in my political science courses in the future, alongside literature on other forms of racism and bigotry.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC of the book. I was not compensated in any way for my review other than by receiving an advance copy of the work, and the above thoughts and comments are mine and mine alone.
Where I think this book particularly succeeds is in its treatment of antisemitism in America before the Holocaust. Too often, historians focus on the post-Holocaust reckoning with antisemitism which occurred in many Western countries, including the United States. But history did not begin with the Final Solution, nor was it confined to Germany and Eastern Europe. Nadell's discussion of the antisemitic Peter Stuyvesant in the New Amsterdam colony, for example, demonstrates that this oldest form of racism has been woven into the American tapestry since long before the Declaration of Independence. Examples abound from American history of antisemitic legislation and customs, such as quota systems or outright barriers to professional success, which presented challenges to American Jewry.
The book is not, however, entirely dark. Profiled too are those American Jews, and allies, who fought to fulfill the promise of America as a land of equal dignity for all. These fights were rarely easy and were never quick, but form an under-explored chapter in the history of the movement towards full civil liberties and equalities for all Americans.
In light of current events, this book is sadly incredibly timely, as academia and wider society struggle with the scourge of antisemitism on both extreme ends of the political spectrum. By better understanding the history of antisemitism in America, readers are left better equipped to argue back against antisemitic tropes and canards, and are also left simply better informed on this crucial part of the American story. As an educator with a focus on nationalism in general and the Holocaust (and responses to it) in particular, I highly endorse this work and look forward to excerpting it for use in my political science courses in the future, alongside literature on other forms of racism and bigotry.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC of the book. I was not compensated in any way for my review other than by receiving an advance copy of the work, and the above thoughts and comments are mine and mine alone.
October 28, 2025
In 2019 Pamela Nadell, the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women's and Gender History at American University, published America's Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today. During the promotional work for that book that was reshaped by the COVID pandemic, a Zoom webinar shifted Nadell's thinking, where she'd thought of her book as celebrating the accomplishments of Jewish women, every chapter still included at least one story of antisemitism. The impetus of this comment led to this scholar work, Antisemitism, an American Tradition.
Like many of Americas inconsistencies, or phrased more honestly, hypocrisies, religion is one factor that continually causes conflict but is presented as being equitable. There are also the connotations of whiteness and what it means to belong. Nadell unpacks these themes through a narrative that is arranged by chapter. Each of the seven chapters focuses on a specific era of American history from the initial establishment of the colonies through 2024. Across these chapters similar themes and sources of oppression ebb and flow. There is the linkage of Jews with money or communism or more sporadically allusion to the blood canard, of Jews needing blood to make the Passover meal possible. Or more basically the cry of Christ killer.
The unsettling common theme is the pervasiveness of simple acts of hostility. From the circular theme of destruction of graveyards to the post World War II painting or otherwise marking of the Swastika. Those who practice Judaism have always been other-ed, through simple ignorance or more targeted policies of quotas or other coercive or obstructionist goals. There have certainly been periods where it has waned, most notable in the late 1940s and 1960s. Holocaust education played its role, but there has always been those fueled more by racism or an imagined ideal than a communal continuum of possibilities.
Recommended to readers of American History or Jewish History.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
Like many of Americas inconsistencies, or phrased more honestly, hypocrisies, religion is one factor that continually causes conflict but is presented as being equitable. There are also the connotations of whiteness and what it means to belong. Nadell unpacks these themes through a narrative that is arranged by chapter. Each of the seven chapters focuses on a specific era of American history from the initial establishment of the colonies through 2024. Across these chapters similar themes and sources of oppression ebb and flow. There is the linkage of Jews with money or communism or more sporadically allusion to the blood canard, of Jews needing blood to make the Passover meal possible. Or more basically the cry of Christ killer.
The unsettling common theme is the pervasiveness of simple acts of hostility. From the circular theme of destruction of graveyards to the post World War II painting or otherwise marking of the Swastika. Those who practice Judaism have always been other-ed, through simple ignorance or more targeted policies of quotas or other coercive or obstructionist goals. There have certainly been periods where it has waned, most notable in the late 1940s and 1960s. Holocaust education played its role, but there has always been those fueled more by racism or an imagined ideal than a communal continuum of possibilities.
Recommended to readers of American History or Jewish History.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
December 10, 2025
Excellent overview of the long history of antisemitism in America. The author's specialty is women's and gender history so there is a but of an overemphasis on the historical role of women, but overall, a balanced account.
I must nitpick on one point. It almost goes without saying that academics are almost universally anti-Trump. It is therefore sad, but not surprising, to see the author assign blame to Trump for what happened in Charloteville, quoting one comment of his out of context without referencing his condemnation of antisemitism. At the same time, the author credits the Biden White House for their May 2023 "National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism" statement, but ignores the fact that the Biden DOJ did nothing to investigate or prosecute universities for the rampant antisemitism on campus. it is only under Trump that the DOJ took action. No mention is made of the antisemitic comments made by Democrat congresspeople like Tlaib, AOC, and Omar, and the failure of Pelosai to censure them.
I must nitpick on one point. It almost goes without saying that academics are almost universally anti-Trump. It is therefore sad, but not surprising, to see the author assign blame to Trump for what happened in Charloteville, quoting one comment of his out of context without referencing his condemnation of antisemitism. At the same time, the author credits the Biden White House for their May 2023 "National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism" statement, but ignores the fact that the Biden DOJ did nothing to investigate or prosecute universities for the rampant antisemitism on campus. it is only under Trump that the DOJ took action. No mention is made of the antisemitic comments made by Democrat congresspeople like Tlaib, AOC, and Omar, and the failure of Pelosai to censure them.
October 14, 2025
Many thanks to W. W. Norton & Company, Pamela S. Nadell and Netgalley for this advanced copy.
Pamela S. Nadell’s Antisemitism, an American Tradition offers a compelling and unsettling exploration of prejudice across four centuries of American life. She demonstrates with clarity how bias took root early and persisted in institutions and culture, yet she also highlights those who resisted, whether through advocacy, coalition-building, or sheer determination. An accessible read without sacrificing depth, making it valuable for both general readers and scholars. The book resonates as a study of intolerance with echoes beyond America, while remaining firmly grounded in the specific contradictions of the American democratic experiment. Highly recommended reading.
Pamela S. Nadell’s Antisemitism, an American Tradition offers a compelling and unsettling exploration of prejudice across four centuries of American life. She demonstrates with clarity how bias took root early and persisted in institutions and culture, yet she also highlights those who resisted, whether through advocacy, coalition-building, or sheer determination. An accessible read without sacrificing depth, making it valuable for both general readers and scholars. The book resonates as a study of intolerance with echoes beyond America, while remaining firmly grounded in the specific contradictions of the American democratic experiment. Highly recommended reading.
November 26, 2025
Nadell could've done a better job documenting the left-wing/Progressive valence of many of these events. [The author doesn't hesitate to tag the right wingers and Republicans -- why not the lefties and Democrats as such?] Also, she elides and/or distorts important details such as neglecting the role of Al Sharpton (a revered and never repudiated figure in Democratic politics) in the Crown Heights pogrom, and blaming the Second Intifada on Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount, when in fact it was triggered by Arafat as a calculated move to scuttle a peace offer.
Nevertheless, the book is a worthwhile compendium of an indisputable phenomenon. Sadly.
Nevertheless, the book is a worthwhile compendium of an indisputable phenomenon. Sadly.
November 25, 2025
This was a bit painful to read. Not only because of the subject matter, which is abhorrent (I still don’t understand how anyone can write off an entire group of people based on… what? Nothing? I don’t even understand), but it was so dry. It would have made a great documentary. As a book, it was a tough read.
October 18, 2025
Superb. Well researched and well written. Tells a sad and depressing story that everyone--especially non-Jews--needs to read.
October 22, 2025
A must read
November 20, 2025
Very depressing
December 20, 2025
This book is terrific. It is also the most depressing book I read this year. Thank you Professor Nadell for this frightening, fantastic book.
October 29, 2025
A comprehensive history of antisemitism in America, from the colonial era to the present day. The author makes poignant points about both the overt and covert persistence of antisemitism throughout American history. I’d recommend pairing the final chapter with a book or article on the war in Gaza for additional context.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews