Founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane in New York City in 1968 , the JDL 's self-described purpose was to protect Jews from local manifestations of antisemitism . Its criticism of the Soviet Union increased support for the group , transforming it from a " vigilante club " into an organization with a stated membership numbering over 15,000 at one point . The group took to bombing Arab and Soviet properties in the United States , and targeting various alleged " enemies of the Jewish people " , ranging from Arab-American political activists to neo-Nazis , for assassination . A number of JDL members have been linked to violent , and sometimes deadly , attacks in the United States and in other countries , including the murder of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee regional director Alex Odeh in 1985 , the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre in 1994 , and a plot to assassinate Congressman Darrell Issa in 2001 . Several JDL members and leaders died violent deaths , including Kahane himself , who was assassinated by an Arab-American gunman
Cave of the Patriarchs massacre
Cave of the Patriarchs massacre
Jewish Defense League