Why Jews ask: Where is the JDL when we need them?

As the dark clouds of antisemitism gather to cast a shadow over Jewish communities worldwide, the question ” Where is the JDL today when we need them?” is repeated with increasing frequency. What was the contribution of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) and its leader, Rabbi Meir Kahane (ZT”L), that this question lingers in the psyche of so many Jews globally?

Kahane established the JDL in response to the increasing attacks on Jews in Brooklyn and other Jewish communities during the late ’60s. To be sure, he also led the JDL in a violent campaign to free Soviet Jewry.  Upon moving to Israel, he engaged in a controversial campaign against what he perceived to be a disloyal Arab fifth column. Surrounded by controversy even 36 years after his death by an Arab assassin, he remains a divisive figure.

In the wake of the anti-Semitic hysteria following October 7, the global rise in attacks on Jews made many nostalgic for the JDL, who responded to such incidents. But not everyone is so nostalgic.

This perspective offers insight into why the legacy of the JDL continues to resonate today, from someone who was actually present at the time and a part of that effort.

Some alarmed Jews recently approached me, suggesting that I resurrect the old JDL, while some think that establishing Krav Maga self-defense classes alone will solve the problem.

A recent article advocating such self-defense training questions Kahane’s legacy and dismisses the JDL model as “illegal and immoral” and reminiscent of Kahane’s style. The author, Benjamin Kerstein—a respected journalist and my friend—has long supported Krav Maga self-defense training within US Jewish communities, which I commend. Recently, he even invited me to join a project related to this. However, he appears unaware of what made the JDL effective and feared by anti-Semites. As the lead karate and self-defense instructor of the League at that time, I would like to offer some perspective.

Our reputation for 40 years wasn’t built on self-defense training alone. It stemmed from Rabbi Kahane inspiring our dedicated young men and women with an ideology of Ahavat Yisrael (Love of Jewry), which kept them focused on their shared mission: helping Jews. The classes led by Meir, where we learned about the philosophies of Zev Jabotinsky and Menahem Begin, served as the unifying foundation of our group. We did more than just learn physical skills; we built our core strength and unity. We established a fighting unit called the Chaye Squad, a ‘Rapid Response Force.’ Without forming this committed, cohesive team, it would have been like giving guns to individuals and sending them off alone.

Labeling our actions as “immoral” is both misguided and uninformed. We took our troops to Yeshivas where students faced repeated assaults. We placed a large white Yarmulka on a brave Yeshiva student’s head and sent him toward the attackers’ location. Our RDF (Chaye Squad) followed in several slow-moving cars. When the attackers took the bait and assaulted our student, our squad swiftly emerged from the vehicles and made it clear to the thugs that attacking Jews was foolish. They clearly understood the message. Were our actions immoral?

Or when residents of an upstate NY bungalow colony were visited nightly by hooligans who threw garbage cans through their windows. When they asked the police for protection, they were told that the police didn’t have enough men. The police actually suggested that the residents contact the JDL. So the JDL responded. We staked out the bungalow colony’s perimeter that night and lay in the bushes, waiting. When the hoodlums arrived later, we once again managed to reach an understanding with them about their actions. They never came back. Was this the  “immoral” activity we engaged in?

So, when I hear about an attempt to simply teach Krav Maga, I ask? Who actually believes that the cry of “where is the JDL today when we need them”  is a cry for Krav Maga lessons?

Mr. Kerstein asserts that “Kahane poisoned Jewish self-defense, discrediting the very idea of Jewish militancy and resistance for several generations.” Is he serious? Is that the reason so many wish we were still around? We did the opposite. For the first time in America, Jews were allowed to fight back, and yes, we instilled confidence in Jewish kids that still endures today. It seems, Mr. Kerkstein, you don’t know much about Kahane or his influence. Remember, attacking the late Meir Kahane’s character won’t strengthen your argument or win you respect.

It was the ideology he taught that inspired our members to return repeatedly to help other Jews.

Did we do everything perfectly? Absolutely not. Did we make mistakes? Without a doubt! Most of us in leadership were motivated teenagers. But it’s crucial not to focus only on our errors. My advice is to learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating them. It’s similar to eating cherries: you enjoy the fruit and spit out the pit. The JDL accomplished many admirable things that are worth emulating. Sadly, there’s a habitual anti-Kahane sentiment among many that clouds their judgment,  a Kahane Derangement Syndrome (KDS).

When someone lacks my experience, they sometimes mistakenly throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Even Mr. Kerkstein admits that the longing for the JDL is regarding the organization:

“The only example they have of such a movement, like it or not, is the JDL, and Kahane, to an enormous extent, was the JDL—its charismatic symbol, primary ideologue, and most persuasive advocate.”

We led our members into action.  We weren’t deterred by threats or criticism, unlike the complacent mainstream groups. Effective leadership requires courage and personal commitment, not the delegation of responsibility. Kahane understood the risks and ultimately sacrificed his life for his beliefs. Shouldn’t we acknowledge his sacrifice?

Whoever desires to establish such an organization needs to take heed of my comments. Don’t call it JDL  if those three letters are so offensive. Name it whatever you like.

Today, Jews are under attack again. With no comparable group to contact, Jews cry out: Where is the JDL when we need them? Offering defense classes without leadership is not the answer. In fact, it is irresponsible.

For more than 40 years, I have been teaching self-defense to Jews, training tens of thousands without establishing a formal defense organization. I can safely say that the talk of Krav Maga classes alone helping Jewish communities is just that: talk.

In response to my initial question, “Where is the JDL today when we really need them?” the answer is that it no longer exists. Those suffering from KDS are content. At times, news outlets refuse to even publish my articles. The question I ask is: why were we the only ones capable of establishing such an organization? While I mostly hear condemnations of what the KDS people oppose, they never tell us what it is that they propose.

For more insight into the JDL,  what we did and what created our legacy, please read my forthcoming memoir: “The Toughest Jew in Brooklyn” by Gefen Publishing House Ltd

Dr. Alex Sternberg