State Supreme Court Orders Jdl to Halt Harassing Federation of Jewish Philanthropies

The Jewish Defense League is under a State Supreme Court order against harassing the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, a recent target of actions by the JDL. An Injunction Issued Friday by Justice Edward Greenfield declared that the JDL “had no right to Interfere with the home lives or private businesses of officers and trustees” of the Federation. The Justice accepted the basic contention of the Federation that the JDL had illegally disrupted several Federation fund-raising activities and picketed private businesses of Federation officials. The specifics of Justice Greenfield’s order will be spelled out later in legal papers scheduled to be submitted to him by the JDL and the Federation. The Jurist declared, in his ruling, that there were indications that the JDL had “transcended the bounds of permissible conduct and threatens to do so in the future.” He said that the court “cannot be drawn into the controversy as to what is a proper purpose for Jewish philanthropy.” Justice Greenfield also held that “the right to disagree freely does not encompass the right to impose one’s will on others through illegal coercion or disruption.”