Antisemitism, an American Tradition
Many of us probably don’t imagine the United States as a nation in which a tradition of antisemitism reaches back to the original 13 colonies and has emerged in every generation. In her new book, historian Pamela Nadell carefully documents the history of discrimination, conspiracy theories, and violence against Jews in our republic, as well as the resilience of Jewish Americans in resisting and organizing against antisemitism, both at home and abroad. This highly readable book offers an excellent introductory text for undergraduates, theological students, clergy, and adult study groups.
Nadell defines antisemitism largely with historical and contemporary examples rather than abstract theories. The term was coined by Wilhelm Marr in 1879 to distinguish the “modern racial basis of Jew hatred” from traditional Christian anti-Judaism. The author defines it as “Jew hatred” and cites “many episodes of anti-Jewish animus” in US history. She also documents the “social antisemitism” that excluded Jews from private educational institutions, housing, social clubs, and a wide variety of professions or reduced their numbers through quotas, especially in higher education. One of the distinctive aspects of this book is the way the author (who holds a chair in women’s and gender history at American University) foregrounds the acts of American Jewish women as not only victims but also resisters and organizers against antisemitism.
Nadell demonstrates how movements and acts of antisemitism became occasions for Jews to create new institutions that both opposed discrimination and helped to create the most vital Jewish diaspora community in world history: B’nai B’rith, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, the Jewish Publication Society, local synagogues, and other organizations worked to educate the public about the deceptions and harm of antisemitism and the history and contributions of Jews and Judaism to civilization. Many of these organizations also campaigned to protect Jews anywhere in the world where they were oppressed.
