28	The Story of the Jewish Defense League

bman Robert J. McCloskey said that Soviet Ambassador Do- bbrynin had been told that the US “strongly rejected” the bnote. McCloskey made it clear that the Russians were ob- bviously talking about officially inspired retaliation and that bthe US considered this “shocking.” He added that “such baction by the Soviet government would indeed be serious band we consider such a threat most disturbing.”

bWhat was happening was that the Americans and Rus- bsians were being pushed into positions neither wanted to bassume and which threatened the détente that was the bmajor policy aim of both nations. It was exactly what the JDL bwanted and it was pathetic to find the old, tired Establish- bment reacting in the old, tired manner. Replying to the bSoviet threat, the B’nai B’rith’s ADL trumpeted:

b“We find the Jewish Defense League’s paramilitary opera- btions and sensationalist appeals to raw emotion an embar- brassment, a potential danger, and completely outside the bJewish tradition. Their rampaging activities in connection bwith American protest of the Leningrad trials served to bconfuse the responsible, heartfelt, and prayerful response bof American Jewry.”

bSince it was the “responsible, heartfelt, and prayerful” bresponse of the ADL, B’nai B’rith, etc., that had helped six bmillion Jews to an early grave at a time when there was no b“embarrassing, dangerous” JDL and since those who run bthe Jewish Establishment would not know Jewish tradition if bthey fell over it, we gave the statement the no reaction it bdeserved.

bOnce again, it was the non-Jewish New York Daily News bwhich, in an editorial, correctly grasped the situation:

b“Rabbi Meir Kahane and his Jewish Defense League in bNew York City are swearing vengeance on Soviet nationals band property alike. . . . If they have any sense the Krem- blin tyrants will view these developments with alarm.” Then, bunlike the timid liberal Jewish groups, the News went on to bhope that this might even mark the “death warrant” of the bSoviet Union and concluded, “Let us devoutly hope so band—while not condoning mob violence—let us give every bencouragement we can to every Jewish warrior against the b