Pamela Nadell is a professor of Jewish history at American University, director of its Jewish Studies Program, and a recipient of the university’s highest award, “Scholar/Teacher of the Year.” As a Jewish studies scholar, she has taught courses on ancient and medieval Jewish civilization, modern Jewish civilization, American Jewish history, Jewish women’s history, modern Jewish literature, Holocaust history, and antisemitism. She brings her deep knowledge of Jewish history, culture, and education to her consulting and public speaking work.

Posts

LondonCentrefortheStudyofcontemporaryAntism

March 30, 2025 “Antisemitism, an American Tradition” Keynote, Contemporary Antisemitism Conference in London, England

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The Contemporary Antisemitism Conference: London 2025, co-hosted by the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (LCSCA) and the Comper Center, will explore global antisemitism in political, social, and cultural contexts. Keynote speaker Pamela Nadell will discuss her book Antisemitism, an American Tradition, shedding light on its history and persistence in the U.S.

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Women's League for conservative Judaism

April 8, 2025 “Through Women’s Eyes: Antisemitism in America” Hosted by Women’s League for Conservative Judaism – Zoom Conference

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Pamela Nadell is honored to participate in “Through Women’s Eyes: Antisemitism in America,” a Zoom conference hosted by the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism on April 8, 2025. This important event will explore the challenges of antisemitism in America through a women’s perspective, fostering dialogue and understanding.

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May 4, 2025 “Celebrating Professor Jonathan Sarna’s Scholarship” at Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

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Pamela Nadell will be at Brandeis University on May 4, 2025 for the Celebration of Professor Jonathan Sarna’s Scholarship. Jonathan D. Sarna is University Professor and the Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University. Author or editor of more than thirty books on American Jewish history and life, his American Judaism: A History – recently published in a second edition — won six awards including the 2004 “Everett Jewish Book of the Year Award” from the Jewish Book Council.

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JewishReconstructionistCongregation

May 18, 2025 “Understanding Contemporary Antisemitism” Hosted by Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston, IL – Zoom Conference

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In this upcoming virtual conversation taking place on May 18, 2025, Pamela S. Nadell, Director of the Jewish Studies Program at American University, will join JRC member Daniel Greene to explore the persistence of antisemitism in American society. Drawing from her forthcoming book, Antisemitism, an American Tradition, Professor Nadell will trace the historical roots of antisemitic rhetoric and discrimination, connecting past patterns to the present-day rise in incidents across the country.

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EverettJewishLifeCenterNY

August 3-7, 2025 “America’s Jewish Women” and “Antisemitism, an American Tradition” Guest Speaker at the Everett Jewish Life Center, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY

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Pamela S. Nadell will be a guest speaker at the Everett Jewish Life Center at the Chautauqua Institution from August 3–7, 2025, where she will discuss her acclaimed book America’s Jewish Women and her forthcoming work Antisemitism, an American Tradition. The program will explore the contributions of Jewish women to American history and examine the persistence of antisemitism in American society.

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Antisemitism Book Square

October 14, 2025 Date of Publication of Antisemitism, an American Tradition – Book Tour to be Announced Soon!

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Pamela Nadell is excited to share that her forthcoming book, Antisemitism, an American Tradition, will be published on October 14, 2025. This timely exploration of the deep-rooted history of antisemitism in America sheds light on its enduring presence and contemporary resurgence. Stay tuned—book tour dates will be announced soon!

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Pamela Nadell’s History: Professor, Author, Researcher

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Pamela Nadell, a historian and professor at American University, has spent over 40 years exploring Jewish history and gender studies. In a recent interview with Washington Jewish Week, she shared insights into her celebrated career as an author, past president of the Association for Jewish Studies, and advocate against antisemitism, highlighting her dedication to scholarship and community leadership.

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New Study Highlights Campus Antisemitism ‘Hot Spots’

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An Inside Higher Ed report on a Brandeis University study reveals significant variations in Jewish students’ perceptions of antisemitism across college campuses. Pamela Nadell, director of the Jewish studies program at American University, emphasizes that rising campus antisemitism reflects a broader national phenomenon, citing past incidents and federal efforts to combat the issue.

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What Jewish College Students Have to Say About the Campus Climate

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In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Pamela Nadell, a professor at American University, expressed concern over survey findings that 30 percent of students at colleges with the “highest hostility” reported encountering anti-Israel hostility from faculty members. “That to me is a major concern and actually something that I really think is a place where the university needs to figure out how to step in,” Nadell said.

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A Brief History of Antisemitism in U.S. Higher Education

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A recent Washington Post article traces the deep-rooted history of antisemitism in American higher education from the 18th century to today’s campus tensions. Pamela Nadell, a historian and director of American University’s Jewish Studies Program, explains how Columbia University, like other elite institutions in the 1920s, restricted Jewish admissions to preserve its Protestant-dominated culture. The article highlights how such exclusionary policies shaped university demographics and how antisemitism continues to manifest in academic settings today.

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