Community Blog Pushing Back on Antisemitism with Learning, Dialogue, and Visiting Scholars
On Sunday, January 18th, Hebrew College and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston will host the Heidi Urich Annual Lecture, featuring Dr. Pamela Nadell of American University, who will present about the subject of her book, Antisemitism, an American Tradition. Published in October, Nadell’s most recent book examines how antisemitism has shaped Jewish life in the United States from the colonial era to the present, and argues that studying this history is crucial to make sense of our current moment. Dr. Nadell is a Professor of History, Director of Jewish Studies, and holder of the Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History at American University. A past president of the Association for Jewish Studies, she has testified before the U.S. Congress about antisemitism three times since 2017.
When Jews first arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654, Nadell notes in her book, they were met with efforts by Governor Peter Stuyvesant to expel them. Antisemitism, an American Tradition explores how antisemitic ideas imported from Europe became embedded in American culture, influencing policies and practices that limited Jews’ access to education, employment, housing, public office, and social institutions, while also fueling acts of violence and vandalism against Jewish spaces. Rather than presenting antisemitism as a series of isolated incidents, Nadell reveals a recurring and evolving tradition that continues to shape American society today. Nadell also highlights the legal battles, communal organizations, alliances, and moments of public and private resistance through which American Jews pushed back against discrimination and hate.
The Heidi Urich Annual Lecture reflects Hebrew College’s broader commitment to creating thoughtful spaces for learning and conversation about antisemitism. Dr. Nadell’s visit will build on recent Tamid adult learning offerings including Dr. Jonathan Golden’s “Jewish Peoplehood in American Jewish Life” and Rabbi Dan Judson’s course, “American Antisemitism, Past & Present.” “My approach to teaching about antisemitism has been first and foremost to give students a thick history,” says Judson. “They may have vaguely heard of quotas at Harvard, or Leo Frank or Henry Ford’s newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, but this course was an opportunity to look closely at the details of that history. To see exactly what antisemitic ideas were being spread, and how they were being spread, and to try and make sense of why certain moments in history engendered surges of antisemitic ideas. My goal is for students to see certain historical patterns where they exist, so that we can see the present day in light of our history.”
Hebrew College is also committed to extending this educational approach beyond our shared campus and across lines of difference. The Miller Center of Interreligoius Learning and Leadership recently received an Ally Grant for combatting antisemitism from Combined Jewish Philanthropes of Greater Boston. The Miller Center will partner with the Newton Interfaith Leaders Association (NILA) on a clergy-led initiative to combat antisemitism through interfaith collaboration, with a particular focus on empowering Christian clergy and lay leaders. “While global and national events can feel overwhelming, there is concrete work we can all do in our neighborhoods and townships,” says Miller Center Director Rabbi Or Rose. “This grant allows us to roll up our sleeves and engage in the sacred work of cultivating allyship in a very challenging time.”
Together, these programs and events underscore Hebrew College’s approach to exploring antisemitism in our time: grounding present-day concerns over antisemitism in historical and sociological context, while making space for complex emotions and a diversity of lived experiences.
Cosponsored by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston, the Heidi Urich Annual Lecture is an invitation to learn from one of the leading scholars of American antisemitism and to engage in a historically informed, fiercely relevant conversation. Attendees will leave with deeper insight into the roots of antisemitism in America and a clearer understanding of how that history shapes our present and future.
“Antisemitism, an American Tradition” with Pamela Nadell
Sunday, January 18, 1:30-4:00, online via Zoom
Learn more and register here
Co-sponsored by Hebrew College and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston