The Jewish Defense League

Pulse

Vol. 1 No. 6 — Nov. 7, 1968

The Jewish Defense League

An interview with Jack Lazaros, head of the recently organized Yeshiva College chapter of the Jewish Defense League. The Interview was conducted by Abby Leizerwski, '71.

Question: What is the Jewish Defense League?

Answer: One of the best ways of defining the J.D.L. is telling you what it is not. First, we are not an extremist organization, we are not a racist organization, we are not affiliated with any political party, we are neither right nor left in our philosophy, and we reject hatred and illegality. What we want to do is combat racism and we are pro-Israel.

Our primary purpose is to alert the New York City population about the growing anti-Semitism here. Many people are unaware that there is a vast and growing anti-Semitic movement at the present time. First, the J.D.L is issuing publications and pamphlets at the college campuses to inform the Jewish and non-Jewish people about the underground anti-Semitism in the city. After everyone has been alerted, the J.D.L. hopes to unite the Jewish people in this issue as well as all decent people of any race or religion. The City administration has been lax on this issue, and the J.D.L. wants to stimulate it to do more.

Question: What are these underground, anti-Semitic movements in the city that you mention?

Answer: They are not so underground. For example, there have been incidents, in which members of the Black Panthers Party went into Ocean-Hill Brownsville and told the Jewish merchants there to leave their stores by a certain date. J.D.L. told the people not to leave and that we would protect them, and we were effective.

Question: Do you expect a physical confrontation with these black militants?

Answer: We hope not. We are primarily interested in working through legal channels in curbing this black anti-Semitism. But if we cannot get the city administration to offer assistance, we are prepared to meet force with force. But the J.D.L. is not just opposed to black militants. J.D.L. is against any type of anti-Semitism. We have enemies who are white, who are part of the far right and new left, some of whom are Jewish.

Question: If legislative means fail, what will the J.D.L. do?

Answer: As in any movement, we have hawks and doves. The hawks favor teaching Karate to our members and also arming them. The doves want to work only in the legislative and publicity areas.

Question: Do you think that the black militants feel that legislative means have failed them and therefore they have resorted to physical force?

Answer: I resent any comparison between J.D.L. and black militant groups. J.D.L. is a defensive organization, we do not go around harassing blacks or whites. However, some black militants have printed anti-Semitic leaflets and are trying to incite other Negroes for their own purposes. J.D.L. is the defensive organization that fights all offensive ones.

Question: Could you tell me specifically what J.D.L. plans to do at Yeshiva?

Answer: Next week we would like one of our founders to come down and address the student body. He will let them know the facts and he will tell them how they can help. I have already spoken to some faculty members, including Drs. Dunner and Bevan, who seem to favor this idea. They said that, depending upon further examination, they would tentatively support our organization. I certainly would like to see many students join.

Question: Do you plan to incorporate karate and rifle shooting in your program at Yeshiva?

Answer: These are not yet set programs but tentative ideas by some of our members. But, in the event that the upper echelons of J.D.L decide to incorporate these courses, we would expect all of our members to take these courses, including these Y.U. students.

Question: Do you think that Jews might better invest their efforts in broader cooperation with the non-militant black majority or would it be better to offer added fuel to the already bitter conflagration inspired by reactionary groups in the U.S.?

Answer: One must differentiate between a reactionary group and a legitimate group dedicated to the prevention of anti-Semitism. We are all for curbing anti-Semitism by helping the Negro achieve civil rights. Jewish organizations such the American Jewish Congress and B'nai B'rith currently work in this area. However, when people equate the struggle for human rights with harassment of the Jews, then a new group, such as J.D.L., must intervene. 

Yeshiva University Archives

This interview from a young recruit to the recently birthed Jewish Defense League provides a fascinating glimpse into the recruitment rhetoric of the JDL in its early days. Though the interviewee stresses that the JDL is not racist and supports civil rights, you cannot help but notice how he is willing to go beyond the boundaries of the law to fight anything the JDL might understand as antisemitism.