Jewish Defense League: Difference between revisions

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The '''Jewish Defense League (JDL)''' is a Jewish far-right [[Ultranationalism|ultranationalist]] religious-political organization in the United States that adheres to [[Militant Judaism]], whose stated goal is to "protect Jews from [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitism]] by whatever means necessary". It was classified as "a right wing terrorist group" by the FBI in 2001 and is considered a [[Hate Groups|hate group]] by the Southern Poverty Law Center. According to the FBI, the JDL has been involved in plotting and executing acts of [[terrorism]] within the United States. Most terrorism watch groups classify the group as inactive. The JDL's website states that it rejects terrorism.

==History==

Founded by Rabbi [[Meir Kahane]] in New York City in 1968, the JDL's self-described purpose was to protect Jews from local manifestations of antisemitism. Its criticism of the Soviet Union increased support for the group, transforming it from a "vigilante club" into an organization with a stated membership numbering over 15,000 at one point. The group took to bombing Arab and Soviet properties in the United States, and targeting various alleged "enemies of the Jewish people", ranging from Arab-American political activists to neo-[[Nazi Party|Nazi]]s, for assassination. A number of JDL members have been linked to violent, and sometimes deadly, attacks in the United States and in other countries, including the [[murder]] of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee regional director Alex Odeh in 1985, the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre in 1994, and a plot to assassinate Congressman Darrell Issa in 2001. Several JDL members and leaders died violent deaths, including Kahane himself, who was assassinated by an Arab-American gunman.

Founded by Rabbi [[Meir Kahane]] in New York City in 1968, the JDL's self-described purpose was to protect Jews from local manifestations of antisemitism. Its criticism of the Soviet Union increased support for the group, transforming it from a "vigilante club" into an organization with a stated membership numbering over 15,000 at one point. The group took to bombing Arab and Soviet properties in the United States, and targeting various alleged "enemies of the Jewish people", ranging from Arab-American political activists to neo-[[Nazi Party|Nazi]]s, for assassination. A number of JDL members have been linked to violent, and sometimes deadly, attacks in the United States and in other countries, including the [[murder]] of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee regional director Alex Odeh in 1985, the [[Baruch Goldstein|Cave of the Patriarchs massacre]] in 1994, and a plot to assassinate Congressman Darrell Issa in 2001. Several JDL members and leaders died violent deaths, including Kahane himself, who was assassinated by an Arab-American gunman.

The JDL was connected to the [[Kach and Kahane Chai]] political movement (also founded by Kahane), which briefly held a seat in the Israeli Knesset from 1985 to 1988.

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 The '''Jewish Defense League (JDL)''' is a Jewish far-right [[Ultranationalism|ultranationalist]] religious-political organization in the United States that adheres to [[Militant Judaism]], whose stated goal is to "protect Jews from [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitism]] by whatever means necessary". It was classified as "a right wing terrorist group" by the FBI in 2001 and is considered a [[Hate Groups|hate group]] by the Southern Poverty Law Center. According to the FBI, the JDL has been involved in plotting and executing acts of [[terrorism]] within the United States. Most terrorism watch groups classify the group as inactive. The JDL's website states that it rejects terrorism.
 ==History==
-Founded by Rabbi [[Meir Kahane]] in New York City in 1968, the JDL's self-described purpose was to protect Jews from local manifestations of antisemitism. Its criticism of the Soviet Union increased support for the group, transforming it from a "vigilante club" into an organization with a stated membership numbering over 15,000 at one point. The group took to bombing Arab and Soviet properties in the United States, and targeting various alleged "enemies of the Jewish people", ranging from Arab-American political activists to neo-[[Nazi Party|Nazi]]s, for assassination. A number of JDL members have been linked to violent, and sometimes deadly, attacks in the United States and in other countries, including the [[murder]] of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee regional director Alex Odeh in 1985, the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre in 1994, and a plot to assassinate Congressman Darrell Issa in 2001. Several JDL members and leaders died violent deaths, including Kahane himself, who was assassinated by an Arab-American gunman.
+Founded by Rabbi [[Meir Kahane]] in New York City in 1968, the JDL's self-described purpose was to protect Jews from local manifestations of antisemitism. Its criticism of the Soviet Union increased support for the group, transforming it from a "vigilante club" into an organization with a stated membership numbering over 15,000 at one point. The group took to bombing Arab and Soviet properties in the United States, and targeting various alleged "enemies of the Jewish people", ranging from Arab-American political activists to neo-[[Nazi Party|Nazi]]s, for assassination. A number of JDL members have been linked to violent, and sometimes deadly, attacks in the United States and in other countries, including the [[murder]] of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee regional director Alex Odeh in 1985, the [[Baruch Goldstein|Cave of the Patriarchs massacre]] in 1994, and a plot to assassinate Congressman Darrell Issa in 2001. Several JDL members and leaders died violent deaths, including Kahane himself, who was assassinated by an Arab-American gunman.
 The JDL was connected to the [[Kach and Kahane Chai]] political movement (also founded by Kahane), which briefly held a seat in the Israeli Knesset from 1985 to 1988.