A comprehensive study of American Jewish responses to twentieth-century antisemitic extremism

Despite significant advances in Jewish civil rights and socioeconomic conditions throughout the twentieth century, American Jews withstood shocking acts of violence and vitriolic propaganda at the hands of right-wing, extremist groups. From the second revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s to the rise of American Nazi groups, right-wing extremism transformed in symbolism and leadership, all while making Jews a central target of their bigotry.

In The Menace Among Us, Andrew Sperling charts the history of this antagonism throughout the twentieth century US, exploring both the roots of far-right antisemitism and the diverse strategies American Jews employed to counter antisemitic extremists. For too long, the impact of American extremism on Jewish lives has been overlooked because of the false premise that “crackpot” organizations and individuals posed no meaningful threat to Jews. By closely examining Jewish experiences with extremism, this book prompts readers to rethink the role of antisemitism in American society. Relying on organizational records and personal stories often buried in local newspapers, Sperling reveals how extremist organizations mobilized against Jews and how their efforts were often tolerated by local police or dismissed by Jewish or Gentile leaders.

Harrowing yet insightful, The Menace Among Us highlights the belief systems and practices that contributed to right-wing extremism’s ascent, the varied Jewish responses to antisemitic antagonism, and what we can learn from their responses when confronting antisemitism today.