Breaking History A History of Tough Jews
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Dec 22, 2025 
Pamela Nadell, a historian of American Judaism and professor at American University, dives into the challenges Jews faced in 1930s America amid rising antisemitism. She discusses the precarious balance between community safety and government inaction, highlighting how Jewish gangsters like Meyer Lansky took aggressive stances against Nazi sympathizers. The conversation also touches on modern parallels, community defense initiatives, and the critical importance of standing up against intimidation, drawing lessons from history for today's Jewish communities.
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Recent Attacks Rekindle Old Fears
- In Sydney and New York after October 7, Jews faced violent attacks and intimidating protests that exposed police hesitation.
- These incidents revived older anxieties about state protection and spurred community self-defense responses.
Community Patrols Fill Policing Gaps
- Bergen County formed volunteer Shomrim groups to fill security gaps around synagogues and community life.
- Organizers view Shomrim as real-time eyes and ears that triage incidents and hand off emergencies to police.
Assimilation Brought A Fragile Security
- Postwar assimilation produced a period where many Jews assumed state protection and opportunity were permanent.
- That sense of security faded as visible Jewish communities continued to experience street-level anti-Semitism and threats.