Kahane, Meir

Meir Kahane (August 1, 1932 – November 5, 1990) was an American-born Israeli Orthodox rabbi, political activist, and writer best known for founding the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in the United States and the Kach political party in Israel. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Kahane was educated in religious and secular institutions and became a controversial public figure for advocating militant Jewish self-defense and a hardline nationalist ideology.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, Kahane gained national attention through the JDL, which claimed to protect Jewish communities but was linked to acts of violence and extremism. After moving to Israel, he entered politics and won a seat in the Knesset in 1984. His views—calling for the expulsion of Arabs from Israel and the establishment of a theocratic state—were widely condemned; Kach was later banned and designated a terrorist organization by Israel and other governments. Kahane was assassinated in New York City in 1990 after giving a speech, leaving behind a legacy that remains deeply polarizing and influential in debates over extremism, nationalism, and religion in politics.

Kahane spoke at the Jewish Community Center in Englewood on Tenafly road in 1971. There was an active JDL chapter in Englewood and Teaneck.

Bernard Gotfryd

Bernard Gotfryd Collection, Library of Congress

May, 1984

Rightsholder Being Researched