Reply To: Our community’s options

re: “Bring back the JDL”

Problem one: The establishment has captured their slogan, which is now: “Never Again is Now”. Actually this might make things easier.

Problem two: Dealing with a few bullies is not the same as systematic violent anti-Semitism that is often supported by the political and legal establishment, ranging from unarmed attacks or blockades at public building, to terrorists with explosives and rifles (e.g. Bondi Beach) , to a full fledged pogrom in which the pogromists are aided by the police and government (e.g.: Kishinev 1903). We would need well trained, physically fit, and disciplined people, who won’t over react and make things worse (e.g. shooting at unarmed attacks such as occurs on attacks on campuses, as well as the 1991 Crown Heights Pogrom), while being able to take out a sniper or stop organized terrorists (e.g. Mumbai Chabad House), and possibly be able to act in a Kristallnacht situation (though at that point the goal would probably be an orderly evacuation). — Physical fitness issues can be addressed easily enough (there are frum gyms, day schools have PhysEd that can be modified to include unarmed combat as well as use of weapons, industrial arts classes can be reintroduced into the schools and community groups to provide the basic skills needed to operate modern weapons. — Discipline is a problem since Jews aren’t used to being ordered around (the Israelis have the same problem), though in golus IF the Rabbanim were somewhat united they could probably convince people to act reasonably and not do anything that would worsen matters.