Rabbi Meir Kahane was born Aug. 1, 1932 (29th of Tamuz) and assassinated Nov. 5, 1990 (18th of Heshvan 5750).
Rabbi Kahane founded the militant Jewish Defense League -- his greatest legacy -- in 1968 to combat the rampant growth of anti-Semitism in the inner cities. At that time, the poor and elderly Jews were easy targets for Jew hating thugs. Rabbi Kahane rescued these abandoned Jews and changed the image of the weak and vulnerable Jew to one of a mighty fighter who strikes back fiercely against tyrants. Jew-haters around the world soon began to respect and fear the wrath and retribution of Kahane's Chaya Squad, a group within the JDL, which succeeded in instilling fear in the hearts of the would-be criminals against Jews. The JDL went on to conquer other local issues and problems as well as global Jewish problems.
In 1990, Rabbi Kahane was murdered by an Arab terrorist El Sayyid Nosair. Nosair was acquitted of murder by a New York jury but was later found guilty in federal court of violating Rabbi Kahane's civil rights. Nosair also was given life imprisonment for his role in the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Never in Israel's history was there a bigger funeral.
Although the Great Rabbi is now dead, the work he started continues, and his legacy lives on!
