The Jewish Defense League announced here last night that its members have begun round-the-clock patrols in the Jewish community here and around Young Israel Synagogue and Temple Emanuel as a result of arson at both congregations in less than a week. Jeremy Pincus, chairman of the JDL chapter in New Haven, said that 20 armed JDL members will comprise the patrols.
Fem Rosenblatt, national director of the JDL in New York, said the patrols were started “in the wake of virulent anti-Semitic outbreaks” in the West Hartford area. “The JDL forces have been sent as a warning to those perpetrators of these atrocities, and all those who feel that Jewish blood is cheap and can be shed with impunity will be met with a strong Jewish hand.”
She added that “our only regret is that the police, (Jewish) lay and rabbinic leaders have refused to attribute the arsons and vandalism to anti-Semitic forces.”
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