Jewish History scholars have written reams of books and articles about American Jews and Jewish communities. Their histories explore diverse topics—waves of Jewish immigration, the varieties of Judaism as a religion, places where Jews lived, and even Jewish foodways. Past chair of the Academic Council of the American Jewish Historical Society, Pamela Nadell, is a leading scholar in this field. She has written about East European Jewish immigrants’ journey to America, the religious movement Conservative Judaism, women becoming rabbis, American Jewish women’s history, and antisemitism in the US.
In a recent article for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, historians Rebecca Kobrin and Pamela Nadell reflect on the resurgence of interest in the Alfred Dreyfus affair. Writing in connection with the Paris exhibit “Alfred Dreyfus: Vérité et Justice,” they explore how this pivotal case of antisemitism in 19th-century France continues to hold urgent lessons for today’s world.
In a recent Jewish News Syndicate article, Pamela S. Nadell addressed the Senate’s hearing on antisemitism in higher education and expressed concern over cuts to the Department of Education. Without adequate resources, she argued, the government cannot meaningfully respond to Title VI complaints or ensure Jewish students’ safety on campus.
In her op-ed in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Historian Pamela Nadell, author of Antisemitism, an American Tradition, shares a stark warning: Cuts to the NEH’s Public Scholars program risk silencing essential stories — from 16th-century Jewish life in colonial Mexico to 1930s Hollywood spy rings — that help us confront the rise of antisemitism and understand America’s diverse past.