A Jewish Defense League spokesman today accused the “American Jewish Establishment” of “unbelievable lack of vision” in fighting the Soviet Union over the education tax imposed on Jewish emigrants and warned that “a new wave of violence” would soon break out against Soviet premises and personnel in the U.S.
David Fisch, executive director of the JDL, claimed in a statement issued here that the recent publication in Moscow of the education tax law and its attendant regulations was an indication that the Soviet authorities have no intention of rescinding the measure, “Once again we have learned the ineffectiveness of peaceful, diplomatic protests to influential men, to men of importance,” Fisch said.
He warned that “a new wave of violence against the Soviets is on the brink of eruption as more and more young Jews are becoming frustrated to the point of desperation.” Charging that “throughout the decades Jewish establishment groups have proven themselves incapable of responding to the crises facing world Jewry,” Fisch listed what he called “recent JDL-related developments” apparently as examples of how to deal with the Russians.
These included 10 JDL members handcuffing themselves to the Soviet Mission building in New York Dec. 26; a sit-in at the UN Secretariate building Jan. 5; disruption of a party at the Soviet Embassy in Washington Dec. 24; an invasion of the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa Jan. 22; and the shattering of a plate glass door of the Soviet Mission in New York Jan. 2.
Fisch said that if young Jews felt such acts were insufficient to move the Soviets “I dread to consider what they may do next.” He refused to say whether the recent rash of stench bombs at Soviet events in New York and Philadelphia were the work of the JDL.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
