My interview with Washington Jewish Week.
Pamela Nadell, a longtime professor at American University, directs its Jewish studies program and chairs the women’s and gender history program. A past president of the Association for Jewish Studies, she has written three books, including a Jewish Book of the Year winner, and has addressed Congress on antisemitism. Nadell lives in North Bethesda with her husband and was a founding member of Congregation B’nai Tzedek in Potomac.
“I think we need to know our past in order to understand our present. I don’t believe that we repeat [history]; that if we don’t know history, we’re bound to repeat it. I don’t believe that. But the past is formed from moments in time and explains how we got here; it also offers lessons for how to respond to what challenges we might face. I think when we don’t know all kinds of history — American history, history of the world — we’re not only missing out on great stories, but we also aren’t properly informed citizens.”
Read more about my interview with Washington Jewish Week.
