Editing Jewish Defense League (section)

===1970===
Initially, the League was connected to a series of violent attacks against the Soviet Union's interests in the United States, protesting the former country's repression of [[Soviet Jews]], who were often jailed and refused [[exit visa]]s.<ref name="bohn">{{cite book|title=The Achille Lauro Hijacking: Lessons in the Politics and Prejudice of Terrorism|last=Bohn|first=Michael K.|publisher=Brassey's Inc.|year=2004|isbn=1-57488-779-3|page=67}}</ref><ref name="kushner">[[Harvey W. Kushner]], [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOfkAoDb_2IC Encyclopedia of Terrorism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103141338/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOfkAoDb_2IC |date=2023-11-03 }}, SAGE, 2003, 192–193. {{ISBN|0-7619-2408-6}}</ref> The JDL decided that violence was necessary to draw attention to their plight, reasoning that [[Moscow]] would respond to the strain on [[Soviet Union–United States relations|Soviet–US relations]] by allowing more [[1970s Soviet Union aliyah|emigration to Israel]].<ref name=kushner/>

In 1970, according to [[Christopher Andrew (historian)|Christopher Andrew]] and [[Vasili Mitrokhin]], agents of the Soviet [[KGB]] forged and sent threatening letters to Arab missions claiming to be from the JDL to discredit it. They also were ordered to bomb a target in the "Negro section of New York" and blame it on the JDL.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Vasili Mitrokhin, ''The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World'', Basic Books, 2005, 237–238 {{ISBN|0-465-00311-7}}{{page needed|date=October 2015}}</ref>

On January 25, JDL members staged anti-Soviet demonstrations at a concert of the [[Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra]] in [[Brooklyn College|Brooklyn College's]] auditorium. JDL members "danced, sang and yelled" while trying to prevent people from entering the auditorium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/01/29/archive/tass-charges-ny-police-with-inaction-during-protest-against-moscow-orchestra|title=Tass Charges NY Police with Inaction During Protest Against Moscow Orchestra|date=1970-01-29|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014740/http://www.jta.org/1970/01/29/archive/tass-charges-ny-police-with-inaction-during-protest-against-moscow-orchestra|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 23, JDL members staged a sit-in in the office of the president of the [[Federation of Jewish Philanthropies|Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York]] to demand that the Federation allocate more funds for Jewish education and Jewish defense, assist institutions threatened by violence, and arrange for "popular" election of Federation officials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/03/24/archive/jdl-stages-sit-in-at-office-of-president-of-federation-of-jewish-philanthropies|title=Jdl Stages Sit-in at Office of President of Federation of Jewish Philanthropies|date=1970-03-24|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019005907/http://www.jta.org/1970/03/24/archive/jdl-stages-sit-in-at-office-of-president-of-federation-of-jewish-philanthropies|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result, the Federation agreed to form a special committee to consider the request for additional funds for Jewish education,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/03/25/archive/federation-of-jewish-philanthropies-studying-request-for-more-jewish-education-funds|title=Federation of Jewish Philanthropies Studying Request for More Jewish Education Funds|date=1970-03-25|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019012420/http://www.jta.org/1970/03/25/archive/federation-of-jewish-philanthropies-studying-request-for-more-jewish-education-funds|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref> while other groups continued to demonstrate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/04/09/archive/student-activists-stage-sit-in-at-federation-of-jewish-philanthropies-41-arrested|title=Student Activists Stage Sit-in at Federation of Jewish Philanthropies; 41 Arrested|date=1970-04-09|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019010600/http://www.jta.org/1970/04/09/archive/student-activists-stage-sit-in-at-federation-of-jewish-philanthropies-41-arrested|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 7, the JDL held memorial services on behalf of civilian victims of "Arab terrorism during the past half century" in front of the [[United Arab Republic]] Mission to the [[United Nations]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/04/07/archive/arabs-take-over-church-jewish-defense-league-orders-minister-to-evict-them|title=Arabs Take over Church; Jewish Defense League Orders Minister to Evict Them|date=1970-04-07|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019010230/http://www.jta.org/1970/04/07/archive/arabs-take-over-church-jewish-defense-league-orders-minister-to-evict-them|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 9, nine JDL members occupied the principal's office of Leeds Junior High School in [[Philadelphia]] after school authorities had allegedly failed to crack down on school violence. The JDL hoped to present six "suggestions" for protecting students from assault and theft by "troublemakers," including committing them to disciplinary schools, stationing policemen in the public schools and replacing "weak administrators."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/06/25/archive/nine-jdl-members-served-with-criminal-warrants-charged-with-disorderly-conduct|title=Nine Jdl Members Served with Criminal Warrants, Charged with Disorderly Conduct|date=1970-06-25|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014745/http://www.jta.org/1970/06/25/archive/nine-jdl-members-served-with-criminal-warrants-charged-with-disorderly-conduct|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1OgeAwAAQBAJ|title=Making Good Neighbors: Civil Rights, Liberalism, and Integration in Postwar Philadelphia|last=Perkiss|first=Abigail|date=2014-03-18|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=9780801470844|language=en}}</ref>

On April 20, fifteen JDL members were arrested after chaining themselves to the fence in front of the Soviet Mission to the UN to protest against the treatment of Jews in the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/04/20/archive/jewish-defense-league-members-arrested-for-chaining-themselves-to-soviet-mission|title=Jewish Defense League Members Arrested for Chaining Themselves to Soviet Mission|date=1970-04-20|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014806/http://www.jta.org/1970/04/20/archive/jewish-defense-league-members-arrested-for-chaining-themselves-to-soviet-mission|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 8, about fifty JDL members demonstrated outside the [[Black Panther Party]] headquarters in [[Harlem]] due to an alleged "outrageous explosion of anti-Semitic hatred" by the Panthers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/05/08/archive/jdl-holds-rally-in-harlem-to-protest-black-panther-anti-semitism-clash-erupts|title=Jdl Holds Rally in Harlem to Protest Black Panther Anti-semitism; Clash Erupts|date=1970-05-08|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019005912/http://www.jta.org/1970/05/08/archive/jdl-holds-rally-in-harlem-to-protest-black-panther-anti-semitism-clash-erupts|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 19, the JDL issued a statement attacking American Jewish organizations which opposed the [[Vietnam War]], accusing them of doing more to destroy the State of Israel "than all the Arab armies."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/05/20/archive/jdl-denounces-jewish-anti-war-groups-as-more-dangerous-to-israel-than-arabs|title=Jdl Denounces Jewish Anti-war Groups As More Dangerous to Israel Than Arabs|date=1970-05-20|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019010403/http://www.jta.org/1970/05/20/archive/jdl-denounces-jewish-anti-war-groups-as-more-dangerous-to-israel-than-arabs|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 20, thirty-five JDL members took over the [[Park East Synagogue]], opposite the Soviet Mission, and barricaded the entrances in order to hold a "liberation [[Passover Seder|seder]]" for [[Soviet Jewry]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/05/21/jewish-holidays/passover/jdl-seizes-synagogue-to-conduct-liberation-seder-for-soviet-jews|title=Jdl Seizes Synagogue to Conduct 'liberation Seder' for Soviet Jews|date=1970-05-21|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019005937/http://www.jta.org/1970/05/21/jewish-holidays/passover/jdl-seizes-synagogue-to-conduct-liberation-seder-for-soviet-jews|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 23, about forty JDL members seized two floors of an office building in New York housing [[Amtorg Trading Corporation|Amtorg]], the official Soviet Union trade office, and evicted the personnel in what the JDL deemed retaliation for the arrests of Jews and raids on Jewish homes in the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/06/24/archive/demonstrations-in-philadelphia-n-y-to-protest-arrests-of-jews-in-the-soviet-union|title=Demonstrations in Philadelphia, N.Y. to Protest Arrests of Jews in the Soviet Union|date=1970-06-24|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019010721/http://www.jta.org/1970/06/24/archive/demonstrations-in-philadelphia-n-y-to-protest-arrests-of-jews-in-the-soviet-union|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 28, 150 JDL members demonstrated over attacks against the Jews of [[Williamsburg, Brooklyn|Williamsburg]] in reprisal for the accidental killing of a black girl by a Jewish driver. Clashes broke out with other minority groups and arrests were made.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/06/30/archive/five-jdl-members-including-rabbi-kahane-arrested-after-clash-with-elacks-puerto-ricans|title=Five Jdl Members, Including Rabbi Kahane, Arrested After Clash with Elacks, Puerto Ricans|date=1970-06-30|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014803/http://www.jta.org/1970/06/30/archive/five-jdl-members-including-rabbi-kahane-arrested-after-clash-with-elacks-puerto-ricans|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 16, 400 JDL members began a week-long march from [[Philadelphia]] to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] on behalf of Soviet Jewry, concluding with a rally at [[Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.|Lafayette Park]] urging [[Richard Nixon|President Nixon]] to "stand tall and firm in the [[Middle East]] as you have done elsewhere." In response, [[Thomas Hale Boggs Jr.]], a congressional candidate from [[Montgomery County, Maryland|Montgomery County]] (Md.), said he would sponsor a House resolution on Soviet Jewry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/08/24/archive/400-participate-in-jdl-rally-nixon-urged-to-stand-firm-in-mideast-drop-rogers-plan|title=400 Participate in Jdl Rally; Nixon Urged to Stand Firm in Mideast, Drop Rogers Plan|date=1970-08-24|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019012430/http://www.jta.org/1970/08/24/archive/400-participate-in-jdl-rally-nixon-urged-to-stand-firm-in-mideast-drop-rogers-plan|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On September 27, two JDL members were arrested at [[John F. Kennedy International Airport|Kennedy Airport]] while attempting to board a London-bound plane armed with four loaded guns and a live hand grenade. The two intended to hijack a [[United Arab Airlines]] plane and divert it to Israel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/10/09/archive/jdl-official-arrested-in-connection-with-hijack-attempt-by-two-jdl-members|title=Jdl Official Arrested in Connection with Hijack Attempt by Two Jdl Members|date=1970-10-09|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019010044/http://www.jta.org/1970/10/09/archive/jdl-official-arrested-in-connection-with-hijack-attempt-by-two-jdl-members|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 6, the JDL is suspected of bombing the New York office of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] after the PLO hijacked four airliners the previous month. [[United Press International]] reported that an anonymous caller phoned in about a half hour before the explosion and proclaimed the JDL slogan, "Never again."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/10/08/archive/plo-office-wrecked-by-bomb-jdl-member-picked-up-for-questioning|title=PLO Office Wrecked by Bomb; Jdl Member Picked Up for Questioning|date=1970-10-08|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019012830/http://www.jta.org/1970/10/08/archive/plo-office-wrecked-by-bomb-jdl-member-picked-up-for-questioning|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 20, during a march to protest the treatment of Soviet Jewry, JDL members attempted to take over the Soviet Mission headquarters. The members were arrested after inciting demonstrators to break through police lines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/12/21/archive/march-of-10000-to-protest-leningrad-trial-plight-of-soviet-jewry-ends-in-near-riot|title=March of 10,000 to Protest Leningrad Trial, Plight of Soviet Jewry, Ends in Near Riot|date=1970-12-21|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014756/http://www.jta.org/1970/12/21/archive/march-of-10000-to-protest-leningrad-trial-plight-of-soviet-jewry-ends-in-near-riot|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 27, the JDL launched a 100-hour vigil for Soviet Jewry. Demonstrators tried to break through police barricades to reach the Soviet Mission to the UN to protest the sentencing of Jews in [[Leningrad]]. Several arrests were made.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/12/29/archive/100-hour-vigil-begins-2500-stage-rally-rabbi-kahane-ii-others-arrested|title=100-hour Vigil Begins; 2500 Stage Rally; Rabbi Kahane, Ii Others Arrested|date=1970-12-29|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014752/http://www.jta.org/1970/12/29/archive/100-hour-vigil-begins-2500-stage-rally-rabbi-kahane-ii-others-arrested|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 29, an estimated 100 JDL members demonstrated in front of the offices of the [[New York Board of Rabbis]], challenging them to get arrested "for Jews, as well as for blacks." Later that day, several JDL members scuffled with police outside the office of Aeroflot-In tourist, the official Soviet tourist agency, while JDL leader [[Meir Kahane]] demanded the right to purchase two tickets to Israel for two Russian Jews who were sentenced to death. About 75 JDL members marched near the office, chanting slogans such as "Freedom Now" and "Let My People Go."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/1970/12/31/archive/6000-10000-jews-non-jews-whites-blacks-hold-demonstration-in-foley-square|title=6000-10,000 Jews, Non-jews, Whites, Blacks, Hold Demonstration in Foley Square|date=1970-12-31|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|access-date=2016-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019014737/http://www.jta.org/1970/12/31/archive/6000-10000-jews-non-jews-whites-blacks-hold-demonstration-in-foley-square|archive-date=2016-10-19|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 30, several hundred JDL members participated in a rally for Soviet Jewry in [[Foley Square|Foley square]], chanting "Let My People Go," "Open Up the Iron Door" and "Never Again!"<ref name=":0" />