 Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke 's successful 1989 run for a Louisiana House of Representatives seat in nearby Metairie was a cause for concern in the congregation . Then @-@ rabbi Gavriel Newman spoke out against Duke , feeling that people were being " taken in " by " the modern guise of Klan members of Duke 's ilk is the two @-@ piece suit , the blow @-@ dried hair and the sweet smile , which seem to serve them very well to hide the inherent racism and the propensity to violence . " During the campaign an anti @-@ Duke rally was planned to be held at Beth Israel by Mordechai Levy of the Jewish Defense Organization ( JDO ) . It was , however , cancelled by Beth Israel , after strong objections by members of Beth Israel and the larger Jewish community , in part because it was felt that the JDO 's actions would actually create more support for Duke , and in part because of Levy 's statements that the JDO would not rule out violence in its efforts against Duke . 
