Billy Joel famously wrote in his song, “It’s still Rock and Roll to me” But
you can’t get the sound from a story in a magazine...aimed at your average
teen.
I feel the same when some people attempt to explain Rabbi Meir Kahane
and his philosophy. Most of these pundits never met him, know little about
him and yet have the hutzpah to try to define him. The truth is Kahane was
a great leader who inspired a generation of young Jews. Today he is
inspiring a new generation, and this scares those on the left. Lots of young
Jews both religious and secular are flocking to embrace Kahane’s ideology.
Although the Brooklyn-born Rabbi was assassinated by an Arab terrorist in
1990, his legacy and ideology continue to gain in popularity. Recently, the
head of a far-right party in Israel, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength) Itamar
Ben Gvir was elected to the Knesset garnering 14 seats in the next Israeli
Parliament. Ben Gvir, an unabashed follower of the late Rabbi, is slated to
become the minister of Internal Security in Israel. The left of center in
Israel is working up a lather trying to discredit both Ben Gvir and Kahane.
Kahane bashing is fast becoming a cottage industry. New books, purporting
to explain Kahane’s ideology are aimed at those who never heard of him
and are written by those who never knew him. It’s the veritable “blind
leading the blind”. One, a self-described “radical, left wing, socialists”
recently attempted to define Kahane. Kahane, of course, was a right-wing
anti-communist, who’s ideology was anathema to the writers’ socialist
views. Could this book be accurate, I wondered? When I read it, I was
amazed at the incredible dishonesty of the author, a Dartmouth professor
no less, who had the self-delusion to think that he could explain Kahane.
In fact, he never understood Kahane’s philosophy, and neither will anyone
who makes the mistake of buying his book.
More recently, I was sent a podcast by Daniel Gordis of his interview with
Yossi Klein Halevi. Yossi opined about the legacy of Kahane and his
opinion on the election of Itamar Ben Gvir, the right wing Kahanist.
Gordis prodded Yossi, a one-time follower of Meir Kahane to describe his
switch from being an ardent Kahane follower into a vocal Kahane basher.
Yossi explained that, with time, he became disenchanted and turned
against his onetime mentor.
I know Yossi since the late 60s when he was one of the boys I trained and
led in demonstrations to free Soviet Jewry. Yossi and I are good friends
and I admire his work of the past 50 years. (I also admire Daniel Gordis for
his intellect and insight) But Yossi and I came away from our involvement
with Meir Kahane with very different impressions. Ten years ago, Yossi did
not express the hostility and resentment of Kahane (dare I say hatred?)
that he does today. A once card carrying right-winger, he seems to have
shifted toward the left, toward the center. Naturally, Yossi is entitled to his
opinion and as a famous and well received author, he is probably better off
on his perch in the middle. I can however point out, that he was younger
than many of us from those old days who do not share his negative
opinions about Meir. Who knows if he had he been a bit older, he might
have understood Kahane better.
The truth is, that Meir was all about Ahavat Yisrael or love of Jews. This
was his guiding principle when in Brooklyn with the JDL and in Israel with
Kach. Ben Gvir is right about that. But Yossi is also right that Kahane
changed after making Aliyah. Yossi admits that he himself also changed.
Kahane became embittered at the situation he found in Israel. For sure, he
was a complex individual. I wonder, however, what gives Yossi the right to
change his perspective, the same right that he denies to Meir Kahane?
Kahane was a risk taker at a time when most Jewish leaders weren’t. He
was the guy at the roulette wheel, who after winning a hand, says, “let it
ride”. Many well-meaning rabbis encouraged him to moderate his views.
They assured him he would be more successful if he did. He could sell
more of his books. He would receive lucrative speaking engagements for
big bucks. But that was not Meir Kahane. As he would not betray his ideals,
so instead he stayed the course and said “let it ride”. Many in the
establishment were afraid of him. They neither had his courage nor his
fearlessness. His enthusiasm was contagious. We were all affected by it.
Undoubtedly, this was one of his strengths as a leader.
As I remember, thousands of Jews stood just a bit taller because of Kahane
and the JDL. I dare say that Yossi Klein Halevi was one of them!
Kahane’s words inspired a generation. His speeches touched a nerve in all
who heard him. Speech after speech, I saw him electrify the audience: “do
not stand idly by your brother’s blood”. For those of us whose parents were
survivors, this resonated. Where were the Jewish leaders in 1944 when my
brother was gassed in Auschwitz? Who stood up for my family? Or for
Yossi’s, for that matter.
Kahane was a leader who led from the front of the barricades, not from the
back lines. I was with him in Harlem when we confronted the Black
Panthers for their anti-Semitism. He stood next to me on the front line. He
was also there when we confronted the Nazis. He led by example.
He sacrificed much for his beliefs. His position as a pulpit Rabbi, as the
editor of the Jewish Press and his opportunity to be with his beloved
family. And as much as we travelled around the country, he was adamant
every week to get home for Shabbos to be with his wife and children.
Ultimately, he sacrificed his life for his beliefs.
When he arrived in Israel he recognized the danger that is only now
becoming apparent to so many. Can we allow the Arabs to vote the Jewish
soul and character out of the Jewish State? He wasn’t a racist and did not
hate Arabs. He just wanted to guarantee the ‘Jewishness’ of the State of
Israel.
So, he warned of the dangers of a large Arab fifth column rebelling against
the Jewish citizens of Israel. He was one of the early voices to sound that
alarm. Because so many today agree, Ben Gvir, is in the Knesset. But in the
70’s and 80’s he was considered an ‘outsider’ by the political establishment
and viewed with suspicion and alarm. That was why they turned against
him and shut him down. Not because of his ideology. Others in Likud held
similar views. They were not deemed” racist” and banned from running for
the Knesset. Ask yourselves had not his warnings come to pass? Doesn’t a
growing segment of the Israeli population today agree with him?
Furthermore, there are some in Israel advocating a radical leftwing
defeatist ideology that would lead to Israel’s destruction. They advocate
against the Jewishness of the State. And yet, they are not deemed racist
and banned from holding public office. Why the double standard?
I realize that as the views of Rabbi Meir Kahane resonates more with the
public, there is bound to be increased scrutiny about who he was and what
he stood for. Obviously, I am gratified at this. But I am saddened to hear
only the anti Kahane voices included in such debates.
I sincerely hope that there will be more future debates and podcasts
discussing Kahanism. Kahane deserves to have his philosophy debated and
explained. I jus hope that such a discourse will be conducted in an
atmosphere of honesty and fairness and include people who believe in
Kahane’s ideology and not be limited only to the Kahane bashers who
hated him.
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