Meir Kahane

Meir David HaKohen Kahane was an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and ultra-nationalist politician.

He was a highly controversial figure in both the United States and Israel. Kahane founded the Kach political party to promote his specific ideology. His views focused on extreme Jewish nationalism and strict religious law. Today, his ideas continue to influence militant and far-right political groups in Israel. He is remembered for his use of force and his radical political goals.

Kahane was born on August 1, 1932, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in a family with a deep rabbinic history. His father, Yechezkel Shragei Kahane, was a prominent rabbi in Brooklyn. Kahane received a diverse education during his youth. He studied Jewish scripture and earned rabbinical ordination from the Mir Yeshiva. He also earned an M.A. in International Relations from New York University.

This combination of religious and political education shaped his later leadership.

In 1968, Kahane founded the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in New York City. The JDL described its purpose as fighting antisemitism to protect Jewish people. Kahane encouraged members to use strength and even violence to achieve their goals. He famously used the slogan "For Every Jew a .22" to promote firearm ownership.

The JDL operated on five principles, including dignity, pride, and the use of "iron" or force. This period marked his rise as a radical leader in the United States.

Kahane's career in America involved several legal conflicts and convictions. He was convicted of multiple acts of terrorism in the United States. In 1975, JDL members were involved in an attack on the Soviet United Nations mission. Later that year, Kahane was convicted of conspiring to kidnap a Soviet diplomat. He was also convicted of conspiring to bomb the Iraqi embassy in Washington.

These legal battles led to a one-year prison sentence.

In 1971, Kahane moved to Israel and became an Israeli citizen. He founded the Kach party to bring his ideology into the Israeli government. Kahane wanted Israel to enforce halakha, which is traditional Jewish law. He proposed many laws to the Knesset, which is Israel's parliament. These included separating Jewish and Arab neighborhoods and ending cultural meetings between students. He also demanded that non-Jews in Israel either become slaves or face deportation.

His protests led to him being arrested dozens of times.

Kahane's political success was limited but significant for his movement. In 1980, he was arrested for the 62nd time after planning attacks against Palestinians. He served six months in a prison in Ramla. During the 1984 elections, the Kach party won one seat in the Knesset. Kahane took this seat himself, becoming a member of parliament. However, authorities later barred him from running in the 1988 elections.

His presence in the Knesset was a major moment for far-right politics.

Kahane's life ended abruptly on November 5, 1990. He was in New York giving a speech to Orthodox Jews from Brooklyn. During the speech, he was assassinated by El Sayyid Nosair.

Kahane was buried in West Jerusalem. His death did not end the influence of his movement. His ideology, known as Kahanism, remains a part of the broader political landscape. The impact of his actions is still seen in modern Israeli political debates.