"Antisemitism: An American Tradition" by Pamela S. Nadell is a sweeping history that traces the persistence and evolution of antisemitism in the United States from colonial times to the present. Nadell argues that antisemitism is not a recent aberration in America, but rather a centuries-old phenomenon—deeply embedded in social, political, and cultural life—that has shaped the experiences and responses of American Jews across generations.kirkusreviews+2
Nadell opens by identifying the arrival of Jewish settlers in New Amsterdam in 1654 as the inception of antisemitic discrimination on American soil, marked by attempts to expel Jews and restrict their participation in civic life. The book chronicles how negative European stereotypes and suspicions followed Jews to America, manifesting through legal exclusions, social and professional barriers, and periodic outbreaks of violence and scapegoating.barnesandnoble+1
Nadell details major episodes and trends, such as:
17th-century Puritan denunciations of Jews in New England.hadassahmagazine+1
19th-century legal and economic restrictions, including exclusion from public office and professions, and vivid incidents like Ulysses S. Grant’s expulsion order against Jewish peddlers during the Civil War.momentmag+1
Early 20th-century institutional antisemitism: quotas in colleges and professional schools, real estate covenants, country club exclusions, and pivotal attacks, including the riot at Rabbi Jacob Joseph’s funeral in 1902.momentmag+1
Persistent violence and growing hate in recent times, illustrated by events in Charlottesville and the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.bernsteinliteraryagency+1
Throughout, Nadell highlights Jewish responses to adversity. She documents how American Jews challenged discrimination through the legal system, built advocacy organizations, and occasionally engaged in self-defense or alliances with other activists seeking justice. The book emphasizes both the struggle and the remarkable achievements by Jews in fields such as business, politics, literature, and academia.pamelanadell+2
Nadell’s research demonstrates that antisemitism in America has waxed and waned, often intensifying during national crises, economic downturns, or under the influence of demagogues. Although the post-WWII decades saw some decline in overt discrimination—driven partly by reaction to the Holocaust, Vatican II reforms, and civil rights laws—structural and social biases persisted.hadassahmagazine
Nadell contends that recent surges in antisemitic incidents are not a rupture from American tradition, but a pattern embedded in American history. Her work draws clear parallels between past exclusions and present manifestations, warning that periods of tolerance can give way rapidly to renewed hatred if vigilance lapses.barnesandnoble+1
Drawing on government records, personal diaries, newspapers, and testimony, Nadell offers a comprehensive account that bridges personal stories with broad social analysis. While her book is praised for its depth and urgency, some reviewers suggest it could further distinguish the specifically American character of antisemitism compared to its expression elsewhere.hadassahmagazine
In sum, "Antisemitism: An American Tradition" is both a wake-up call and a historical synthesis, revealing that the struggle against anti-Jewish prejudice is as old as the nation itself and remains vital in understanding present-day American society.kirkusreviews+3