Awards

• Winner of National Jewish Book Award 2019

Overview

Pamela S. Nadell weaves together the complex story of Jewish women in America—from colonial-era matriarch Grace Nathan and her great-granddaughter, poet Emma Lazarus, to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Recounting how Jewish women have been at the forefront of social, economic, and political causes for centuries, Nadell shows them fighting for suffrage, labor unions, civil rights, feminism, and religious rights—shaping a distinctly Jewish American identity.

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9780393651232

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Reviews

"""America’s Jewish Women is a thoughtful history of a group of diverse, passionate, contemplative, vocal and dynamic women, and is a welcome addition to the American historical canon."" -- Jordana Horn - New York Times Book Review ""The definitive history of Jewish women in America."" -- Jonathan D. Sarna, author of American Judaism: A History ""With an expansive knowledge of both American Jewish history and women’s history, [Nadell] brings to this book unparalleled insights."" -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, author of Antisemitism: Here and Now ""[A] swift-paced and concise history.… Nadell fluidly intersperses thumbnail accounts of the famous and less so with a discussion of trends in American Jewish life."" -- Julia M. Klein - Forward ""We learn a great deal about some spectacularly brave and innovative women who transgressed traditional boundaries to break new ground."" -- Elaine Margolin - Jerusalem Post ""A masterful and remarkably timely history which should be on every shelf. In becoming America’s Jewish women, generations of immigrants and their native-born daughters transformed themselves, their faith, and the nation they called home."" -- Abigail Pogrebin, author of My Jewish Year ""A compelling and well-researched chronicle.… The contributions of these remarkable women shine in Nadell’s impressive book."" -- Julie Hale - BookPage ""An accessible, yet scholarly account of our history."" -- Bettina Berch - Jewish Book Council ""Excellent."" -- Joseph Preville - World Religion News ""[Nadell] has turned the diverse life stories of dozens of women across centuries of time into a mesmerizing whole. This is a book to read and reread, then sit back and contemplate, with a smile, the wondrous achievements of Jewish women in America."" -- Francine Klagsbrun, author of Lioness ""Nadell has taken on a big job in covering such a multidimensional, important subject. Nadell does it in informative and succinct style, and the result is a readable, valuable text."" -- Publishers Weekly"

From the justifiably famous to the undeservedly obscure, three centuries' worth of American Jewish women come to vibrant, edifying life in the pages of Pamela Nadell's book. This is not a collection of biographies, but rather a seamlessly arranged narrative of the intersection of gender, religion, identity, immigration, and assimilation. It is essential reading for anyone who seeks a fully inclusive sense of American Jewish history. -- Samuel Freedman, author of Jew v. Jew No one is more suited to analyze the profound changes in the position and status of American Jewish woman than Pamela S. Nadell. With an expansive knowledge of both American Jewish history and women's history, she brings to this book unparalleled insights. This book is a great read that is both informative and highly engaging. -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, author of Antisemitism: Here and Now Authoritative, comprehensive, and readable, this long-awaited book by one of the field's premier scholars is destined to become an instant classic. It takes its place as the definitive history of Jewish women in America. -- Jonathan D. Sarna, university professor and Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University, and author of American Judaism: A History In America's Jewish Women, Pamela S. Nadell has done what would seem undoable: she has turned the diverse life stories of dozens of women across centuries of time into a mesmerizing whole. This is a book to read and reread, then sit back and contemplate, with a smile, the wondrous achievements of Jewish women in America. -- Francine Klagsbrun, author of Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel Nadell has taken on a big job in covering such a multidimensional, important subject. Nadell does it in informative and succinct style, and the result is a readable, valuable text. -- Publishers Weekly A fascinating portrait of American Jewish women. -- Kirkus Reviews

In America's Jewish Women, Pamela S. Nadell has done what would seem undoable: she has turned the diverse life stories of dozens of women across centuries of time into a mesmerizing whole. This is a book to read and reread, then sit back and contemplate, with a smile, the wondrous achievements of Jewish women in America. -- Francine Klagsbrun, author of Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel No one is more suited to analyze the profound changes in the position and status of American Jewish woman than Pamela S. Nadell. With an expansive knowledge of both American Jewish history and women's history, she brings to this book unparalleled insights. This book is a great read that is both informative and highly engaging. -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, author of Antisemitism: Here and Now Authoritative, comprehensive, and readable, this long-awaited book by one of the field's premier scholars is destined to become an instant classic. It takes its place as the definitive history of Jewish women in America. -- Jonathan D. Sarna, university professor and Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University, and author of American Judaism: A History

Author Information

Pamela S. Nadell is the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History and director of Jewish studies at American University. Her books include America's Jewish Women and Women Who Would Be Rabbis, a National Jewish Book Award finalist. She lives in North Bethesda, Maryland.

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