Rabbis, Aj Congress, Mrs. Meir Denounced Violent Tactics Associated with Jdl

The Jewish Defense League came under withering fire here during the five-day 72nd biennial national convention of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, regarded as one of the greatest living authorities on Jewish Religious Law, declared that “the actions of the Jewish Defense League directed against governments and states are contrary to the Torah which prohibits us from such deeds of violence.” Rabbi Emanual Rackman, Provost of Yeshiva University in New York and former president of the Rabbinical Council of America, stated that victims of violence in the urban centers require protection and that “self-defense is not illegal.” He noted, however, that it “is a matter of regret that the Jewish Defense League which promised to achieve this result–even in cooperation with the blacks–did not concentrate on this function and fulfill it.” The criticism of the JDL came against the background of the bombing Wednesday morning of the Soviet Aeroflot and In tourist building in New York. Rabbi Meir Kahane, chairman of the JDL, said he had “no idea” who had planted the bomb but said he “applauded” whoever did. Police officials probing the blast stated the bombing may have been carried out by some individuals or group seeking to implicate the JDL. Shortly after the bomb blast in the early hours Wednesday morning an anonymous caller told the Associated Press: “Let the world know that while Jews are on trial in Russia, the Soviet Union will be on trial. ‘Never against’ ” The final phrase is the slogan of the JDL.

In New York, the American Jewish Congress deplored the bombing as “the kind of mindless violence that plays into the hands of Russian propagandists” and “harms the cause of Soviet Jewry. In Tel Aviv, Premier Golda Meir assailed the bombing as reckless acts that “undermine the organized efforts for Soviet Jewry.” She told the annual luncheon of Israeli newspaper editors on Friday “this is not our way. This is playing into our enemies’ hands.” Rabbi Feinstein’s statement to the UOJCA convention noted that “it is obvious that our brethren who reside in the affected countries do not wish any such actions to take place. No one who follows the Torah and observes its precepts will participate in actions of this kind.” Rabbi Feinstein, who is Dean of the Rabbinical Seminary Tefereth Jerushalayim of New York, said he was issuing the statement “for the sake of clarity and truth.” Neither he nor Rabbi Rackman linked the bombing of the Soviet building with the JDL but condemned the general tactics of that organization which has been involved in a number of anti-Soviet escapades. Rabbi Rackman told the 2000 delegates and guests that there was a crisis in law enforcement in the United States, that American cities “are becoming jungles” and that most Jews live in cities and, like all other residents, they “are afraid.”

‘JEWISH DEFENSE AGENCIES’ FEARFUL OF NEW APPROACHES; RALLIES BETTER THAN VIOLENCE

Declaring that police protection was “woefully inadequate” and warning that these conditions would get worse, Rabbi Rackman stated that “It is absolutely necessary for citizens to assist police by engaging in police work themselves. He suggested that there should be “squads of volunteers” to help prevent “muggings, unlawful entries and holdups.” The rabbinical leader noted that black residents of urban ghettoes were talking about the need to establish such citizen squads because “they are the most numerous victims” of the urban crime crisis. “It is not only proper for Jews to think likewise but imperative that they do something about it,” he said. Rabbi Rackman asserted that “in many instances,” the JDL had demonstrated, “its ability to be the instrument presently required by the Jewish community” and criticized the “Jewish defense agencies” that attacked the JDL. He declared that those agencies “were fearful of new approaches and unwilling to change programs to cope with new needs.” He added, however, that the JDL “has gone so far afield” from its announced purposes “that it has spent its energies on areas in which its tactics were often destructive rather than helpful.” In fact, he stated, “they were irresponsible.” Declaring that it is not the function of the JDL to engage “in reprisals for the hijacking of Israel bound planes” nor is it within “the purview of a defense organization” to battle “for more appropriations” by Jewish Federations for Jewish education, Rabbi Rackman stated: “If the Jewish Defense League would only have limited its activities to defense, it might have helped save the cities in the United States.”

Eleazer Lipsky, chairman of the AJ Congress’ Commission on International Affairs, declared that “the bombing of Soviet offices and the threats to innocent lives that such violence always presents are an intolerable response, criminal in nature and counter-productive in effect. We hope the guilty will be swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.” Mr. Lipsky said that the more effective method of bringing the plight of Soviet Jews to the attention of the public was through rallies, “through street demonstrations and corridor conversations with U.S., UN and Soviet officials, (and) through the establishment of an American Jewish Congress ‘hot line’ telephone number (879-4553).” Mrs. Meir condemned the Soviet Union’s refusal to permit Jews to emigrate to Israel and to live Jewish lives in the Soviet Union but assailed the violence in New York. She said she was certain no responsible Jewish organization had been behind the violence and that it would be unjust to associate those responsible for the bombing with the masses of Jews and non-Jews campaigning on behalf of Soviet Jews. On Oct. 28, when Mrs. Meir was in New York, she issued a plea for organized and responsible efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry and scored the “irresponsible Jews who are harming this cause by using tactics similar to (Yasir) Arafat (El Fatah leader).” Although she did not identify by name the “irresponsible Jews” it was understood she referred to the JDL.