Antisemitism scholars have written reams about the enduring hatred today called antisemitism, which is also called anti-Judaism. They have studied its origins in Christian thought, multiple manifestations in Western civilization, expressions of prejudice and discrimination in law and society, and myriad examples of shocking violence across the millennia. Pamela Nadell’s forthcoming book Antisemitism, an American Tradition shows the many ways in which this enduring hatred found a home in America.
Times of Israel published an interview with Pamela Nadell exploring the current rise in antisemitism in the United States, its historical parallels, and its impact on Jewish life today. The interview highlights both the challenges and historical context of antisemitism, while noting how Jewish communities continue to respond.
In Inside the powerful task force spearheading Trump’s assault on colleges, DEI, The Washington Post quotes Pamela Nadell. The story reported how the federal government’s Antisemitism Task Force was overreaching its aim of rooting out antisemitism on college campuses to advance a long-standing conservative demand to reform higher education. Nadell said: “Ultimately, I am deeply worried that under the pretext of ending hatred of Jewish people — an historic, worldwide problem — the antisemitism task force’s demands to dismantle DEI as the root of antisemitism will further isolate Jews in American colleges and univerities. Jews will be blamed for its abolition. But antisemitism will not disappear from the campus.”
“Antisemitism and political violence are both part of the same problem,” said Pamela Nadell, a historian and director of the Jewish Studies program at American University, who is quoted in an article in Time. “There are so many moments where legitimate criticism of Israel crosses into antisemitism—opening the path for someone to shoot two people simply because he believes they are Jews.”
In an article in The Times of Israel, Dr. Pamela Nadell described the December 2023 Congressional hearing on antisemitism as a pivotal moment, underscoring a ‘sea change’ in its visibility following the October 7 Hamas attacks. She called for greater awareness of antisemitism’s history and better funding to address discrimination under Title VI.