The Explosion of Kahanism in America
The mutated form of a cancerous ideology returns to its roots through American Jewry
Shortly after Inauguration Day, I published my first blog article, satirically titled "Kahane Was Right", examining how Rabbi Meir Kahane, a radical and violent extremist, had identified threats to American Jews long before October 7th and its aftermath shattered the Jewish Establishment's liberal illusions. I concluded by arguing that the best response to these threats "is not a return to Kahane’s violent extremism" or the pursuit of "fleeting political alliances" but rather a "reclamation of...a robust, unapologetic Jewish identity rooted in history, strength, and community."1
In recent weeks, however, American Jewry is embracing precisely the two paths I warned against. Kahanism is not only resurging, but it has returned in its more extreme, more dangerous incarnation—incubated in Israel and now being imported back to America. Meanwhile, the Jewish Establishment hesitates to criticize President Trump and his allies' amplification of antisemitism, presumably due to Trump's strong support for Israel and his crackdowns on anti-Israel protesters. Both trends—the resurgence of Kahanism and the Establishment's compromises on moral integrity—spell profound trouble for the future of American Jewry.
Much has been written about the Establishment's failures to condemn MAGA antisemitism. This piece will instead focus on the seldom discussed yet arguably more alarming phenomenon: the explosion of Kahanism in America.
American Kahanism vs Israeli Kahanism: A Brief History
Like many American Jewish stories, Rabbi Meir Kahane's begins in New York City. Born 1932 in Brooklyn, the young Rabbi Kahane entered the public scene in 1968 during the Ocean Hill-Brownsville teacher's strike, a labor dispute inflamed by racial tensions. Jewish teachers were fired as part of a push to give the predominantly black parents more community control over the school. The firings followed by the various antisemitic sentiments expressed by black activists drove Kahane to form the Jewish Defense League (JDL).2
From its inception, the JDL embraced armed self-defense against antisemitism "by any means necessary"3, frequently employing aggressive, and at times violent, vigilante-like tactics. Kahane and the JDL placed a particular emphasis on the issue of "black anti-Semitism"4 and often resorted to racist language.5 As discussed in my previous article, Kahane was also sharply critical of the Jewish Establishment, lambasting their passivity towards antisemitism and uncritical embrace of liberalism. Kahane regarded liberalism as perhaps the greatest danger to American Jews due to its assimilatory nature that erased Jewish heritage and eliminated Jewish distinctiveness. Kahane's mission in America was to transform the ignorant and cowardly "Old Jew" of liberalism that dominated the Establishment—reluctant to "make trouble"6—into a "New Jew" proud and knowledgeable of his Judaism, unafraid to use his fists in self-defense.
Drawing on his former experience as a journalist for the Jewish Press, Kahane and the JDL expertly navigated the media landscape, orchestrating large provocative demonstrations, and ensuring coverage by notifying the press beforehand.7 Like many other civil disobedience movements, Kahane and the JDL’s approach relied on generating media attention, using the resulting publicity to spread their message.
By 1971, Kahane had given up on America and was facing prison time.8 He decided to make aliyah, moving to Israel. Without Kahane at the helm, the JDL's radicalism evolved. The group went on to engage in bombings, kidnappings, and other violent activities, eventually earning the U.S.' designation as "one of the most active [domestic] terrorist groups" in 1986.9
Kahanism in Israel: From Fringe to Terror
Kahane's career and the evolution of his ideology in Israel is an entirely separate beast deserving a dedicated article of its own. But to appreciate the dangers of this ideology it is essential to understand the extent of extremism, radicalization, and actualized violence Kahanism was and is responsible for in Israel.
Upon landing in Israel, Kahane founded the political party KACH, a party effectively dedicated to an anti-Arab, Jewish supremacist agenda.10 In 1981, Kahane's party took out a full-page ad in an Israeli newspaper detailing the party's platform. It included a law forbidding the “abomination of assimilation and communion with goyim” and adding a mandatory prison sentence for any Arab caught engaging in sexual relations with a Jewish woman. Kahane later vowed that if elected, he would strip all Israeli Arabs of their citizenship and expel those who refused to comply.11 By this point, Kahane had already spent time in Israeli jails, having been arrested over sixty times, including for planning "armed...terrorist attacks against Arabs."12
After two failed election bids, KACH finally garnered enough votes in 1984 to earn a single seat in the Knesset.13 From left to right, the Israeli political establishment was shocked, dismayed, and disgusted. But most of all they were frightened of KACH's popularity. Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir announced he would not permit KACH into a Likud-led coalition14 and famously walked out of the Knesset every time Kahane spoke.15 Menachem Begin had called Kahane a "crazy…dangerous man" and even signed an administrative detention order against him, despite Begin's general opposition to such measures.16 In 1987, Kahane published a book virtually arguing against the idea of Israel being democratic at all.17 By 1988, Kahane was suspended from the Knesset for threatening an Arab member with a noose. Shortly thereafter, KACH was banned entirely from running in future elections by the Israeli Supreme Court for being “manifestly racist.”18 Nevertheless, the political establishment's fears had been vindicated. KACH was now polling at three or four seats.19 Two years later, Kahane was assassinated by an Arab terrorist in New York City.
Though Kahane's own life was cut short, his ideology had a life of its own and found numerous adherents. Yoel Lerner, a KACH member, was convicted for attempting to bomb the Dome of the Rock in 1982.20 Baruch Goldstein, a devoted disciple of Kahane, massacred 29 Palestinian worshipers at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in 1994. Today, his grave, located in the aptly named 'Meir Kahane Park', has become a pilgrimage site for Kahanists, some of whom dress as Goldstein for Purim.21 Another acolyte, Yigal Amir, assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 in an attempt to derail the Oslo peace process. These are not outliers or anomalies. They are the natural outgrowths of Kahanist ideology.
Following Kahane's death, KACH splintered into two main groups, with Kahane’s son leading the more radical Kahane Chai. Both the original KACH and Kahane Chai are considered terrorist organizations in the U.S. and Israel.
The brand of Kahanism Meir built in Israel was considerably more extreme, more dangerous, and more violent than the Kahanism of America. It is responsible for terrorism against Arabs and Jews alike. And, in its purest form it is fundamentally opposed to even the idea of Israeli democracy, let alone Arabs participating in it. Kahanists are responsible for some of the most cruel, most terrible atrocities perpetrated by Jews in recent memory. Kahanism is so demonstrably vile, so atrocious, that everybody from Shamir to Begin wholeheartedly rejected it. Nevertheless, this very ideology is now surging in America.
Mainstreaming Kahane
While the events of and following October 7th dislodged the uncritical faith many American Jews had in liberalism, it also left an ideological vacuum in its wake. Alarmingly, Kahanism has seeped into that void, steadily growing in influence over the past few months. Once dismissed as too radical, Meir Kahane's ideas are now being rediscovered, rapidly embraced, and virally disseminated across social media.
Accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers post clips of Kahane's speeches and quotes alongside other Kahanist imagery. In the past few weeks alone, in a now deleted post, the Twitter/X account @JewsFightBack, with over 36,000 followers, posted a video of Meir Kahane giving a lecture.22 Another account, @JewsAreTheGOAT, boasting over 45,000 followers, posted a Kahane quote calling it "Accurate."23 Israel News Pulse, a popular news page with nearly 60,000 followers, tweeted "I know Kahane was right" accompanied by an image of the KACH flag.24
Most concerning is the participation of celebrities and other popular figures in this ideological revival. Nioh Berg, a prominent social media personality with over 200,000 followers, regularly shares Kahane’s words and videos, particularly emphasizing his views on Arabs.25 Lizzy Savetsky, a pro-Israel influencer, sparked controversy when she called a video of Meir Kahane "the truth" in a post to her over 400,000 Instagram followers, causing a media firestorm.26 Even Michael Rapaport, an actor turned pro-Israeli activist with a staggering nearly 700,000 followers, reposted a Kahane lecture27 and later a video of himself enthusiastically shouting "Kahane was always right!"28, a rallying call for the most ardent Kahanists.
While many of these posts refrain from explicitly endorsing Kahane's most extreme positions or direct calls for violence, their mere circulation to a mass audience without any acknowledgement of his extremism invariably serves to mainstream Kahanist fanaticism. These influencers are not fringe figures. They shape discourse and influence many. Together, they create a social environment fertile for spreading, normalizing, and popularizing Kahane's most radical ideas. Their followers, many of whom likely have little prior familiarity with Kahane, are being introduced to him through trusted celebrities, only further legitimizing him in their eyes. This process of gradual exposure breeds normalization. Radical ideas take root. Extremism spreads.
Betar: A Rebirth of The JDL
Kahanism's resurgence is not just returning to America in digital form. It is also materializing into real-world organizations with real-world consequences.
A modern day JDL has emerged under the guise of a historical Zionist youth movement: Betar. Once a thriving Revisionist Zionist organization founded by Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky, Betar in the diaspora mostly focused on promoting aliyah. By the 1980s it died due to a decline in membership.
The new Betar, however, is not a revival of Jabotinsky’s movement. It is an iteration of Kahane’s American JDL in all but name. But it also enthusiastically embraces the anti-Arabism that defined Israeli Kahanism and is even led by a former Israeli Kahanist leader. The use of the Betar name is especially ironic given how Begin, a strict disciple of Jabotinsky, opposed Kahane himself.
Betar's social media contains a consistent stream of posts echoing Kahanist rhetoric.29 In February, Betar recommended Kahane's most controversial book, They Must Go (1981), where he argues for unilaterally expelling all Arabs from Israel proper30, among other radical ideas. Betar was even involved in recording and posting Rapaport's Kahane endorsement video (before Rapaport reposted it on his own account). Betar also posted a four image collage of "Jewish activism in the 1960s" all of which related to the JDL.31 Three of the images are from JDL demonstrations and in two of them the JDL's logo is clearly visible. The fourth image is of the JDL's infamous 1969 advertisement in The New York Times.32 The ad featured a group of men with bats, clubs, and a stern facial expression, challenging notions of Jewish passivity, and resembling the "New Jew" Kahane wanted to create.
Betar launched its own advertisement campaign using a modernized version of Kahane's "New Jew": the ‘Bear Jew’.33 The Bear Jew is a reference to a character from Quentin Tarantino's 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, which centers around a fictional group of Jewish Nazi hunters during WWII. The "Bear Jew" is the nickname for the most violent member of the group who "bashes [Nazis'] brains in with a baseball bat."34 Betar has repeatedly sought to find "Bear Jews" on "campuses across the USA to lead [Betar] chapters", encouraging students to reach out and embrace a "Bear Jew" identity.
Betar and its "Bear Jew" followers have engaged in and encouraged numerous acts of violence and vandalism. Betar frequently highlights Jews it deems worthy of the "Bear Jew" title, posting videos of these "Bear Jews" recounting the real-world violence they have engaged in.35 NYU released a statement condemning Betar for violent illegal acts committed on their campus in October 2024.36 Further violence broke out this February at an anti-Israel protest in Brooklyn where Betar members waved a Kahane Chai flag37 and warned on social media "We cannot guarantee the safety of those who threaten Jewish synagogues."38
In perhaps the most despicable incident to date, Betar posted a video of a man shouting Islamophobic profanities outside a NYC mosque with the caption "We protest mosques."39 The bigoted display was so incredibly hateful and widely viewed that it earned scathing condemnation from Mayor Eric Adams40 and Governor Kathy Hochul.41 As if they hadn't engaged in sufficient levels of hate, Betar also replied "Not enough. We demand blood in Gaza!" to a list of thousands of names of infants allegedly killed in Gaza.42
Betar's disturbing rhetoric and aggressive behavior is unsurprising given its leadership. Betar's president43, Ronn Torossian, was a former leader in Kahane Chai. In November 1994, Torossian spoke alongside Kahane's son at a Manhattan memorial service for the slain rabbi. Listed as Kachane Chai's "Campus Coordinator", Torossian praised Kahane as "the greatest Jewish leader ever" and urged the audience to "make [Yitzhak] Rabin accountable". He then invited attendees to join him in a protest later that day. The protest would feature celebrations of Baruch Goldstein and chants of "Rabin must die!", just one year before a fellow Kahanist heeded the call.44
Betar's rebirth in the image of the JDL underscores the dangerous growth of Kahanism in the United States. The group's adoption of the "Bear Jew" identity closely mirrors the violent ethos that once defined the JDL. Just as the JDL staged large stunts to attract news media, Betar leverages social media to spread their provocative thuggish messaging. With its every post and its every action, Betar spreads and normalizes Kahanism. Betar's promotion of aggressive violence, its unabashed racism, and its disgraceful terrorist-affiliated leadership not only betrays Jabotsinky's legacy but also reflects horribly on the broader Zionist community.
Establishment And Community Responses
While the American Jewish community has yet to formulate a response to the rise of Kahanism, reactions to Betar have been mixed, ranging from minor condemnation to concerning collaboration.
Shortly following the mosque incident, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) formally added Betar to its database of extremist groups.45 The ADL describes Betar as "Kahanist" and notes that the group is interested in working with the Proud Boys, another "far-right" hate group. While the practical implications of this designation are unclear, the ADL's recognition of Betar's connection to Kahanism underlines its growing prominence.
Strikingly, however, several large Jewish and pro-Israel organizations are actively working with Betar. The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has included Betar along with its terrorist-affiliated president, Ronn Torossian, on its slate for the World Zionist Congress (WZC) elections. The slate comprises over 30 organizations46, some of which are well established and widely recognized.
Among them is Students Supporting Israel (SSI), a popular pro-Israel group with over 200 chapters47, that has become synonymous with pro-Israel activism on many American college campuses. The Lawfare Project, which plays a key role representing Jewish students in important lawsuits against universities arising from the anti-Israel protests, is also part of the slate.48 Additionally, CAMERA, a media-monitoring organization that claims a membership of over 65,000, has joined this coalition.49
Nevertheless, one particularly courageous and noteworthy action taken to limit Betar's spread deserves special mention. Fleur Hassan-Nahoumm, the former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem and current Secretary General of Kol Israel–another party running for the WZC–filed a complaint to expel Betar from the election. In her complaint, she cites many of the "abhorrent" social media posts discussed in this article and even accuses Betar of blackmail after the group harassed Shai Davidi, a former Kol Israel slate candidate and pro-Israel Columbia University professor, along with his family. The dispute is ongoing.50
Conclusion
Kahanism is making a troubling comeback in America. Influential online figures and mainstream celebrities increasingly spread Kahane's ideas to their thousands of followers, expanding the boundaries of acceptable discourse, and normalizing Kahane's extremism. But this phenomenon is not confined to the digital sphere. The JDL has been resurrected under the guise of Betar. This group regularly engages in and openly encourages violence. Inspired by the Kahanism of Israel, and led by a former card-carrying Israeli Kahanist, Betar's rhetoric and activities often veer into brazen Islamophobia. Yet, numerous popular pro-Israel organizations continue to work with Betar and even align with them for the World Zionist Congress elections. While some individuals and organizations have taken bold steps to limit Betar's influence, the overall response of the Establishment to the rise of Kahanism has been quite limited.
The shock of October 7th has left deep emotional and ideological fractures, but turning to this brand of extremism is not the answer. The American Jewish community must remain vigilant, collectively reject Kahanist voices, and disavow their toxic behavior. This is not a moment to drift further from Jewish ethical foundations, but rather to reaffirm our genuine Jewish identity.
Brown, Josh "Kahane Was Right" (2025) https://blog.joshbrown.info/p/kahane-was-right
Magid, Shaul Meir Kahane (2021) p26
Ibid. p92
Ibid. p78
Ibid p96
Ibid p39
Ibid p64, p121
Ibid p33
Hoffman, Burce Terrorism in the United States and the Potential Threat to Nuclear Facilities (1986) https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/101049NCJRS.pdf
Magid, Shaul Meir Kahane (2021) p2
Ibid. p77
Montreal Gazette May 15, 1980 - https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KnwxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=baQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3057,1747482&dq=kahane+arrested&hl=en
Magid, Shaul Meir Kahane (2021) p2
Ibid. p77
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-02-18/ty-article/.highlight/thanks-to-likud-meir-kahane-has-been-resurrected-in-sheikh-jarrah/0000017f-e1cb-d75c-a7ff-fdcff7040000
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2019-02-27/ty-article/.premium/decades-before-netanyahu-welcomed-his-heirs-begin-warned-of-crazy-kahane/0000017f-df10-df9c-a17f-ff18508e0000
Magid, Shaul Meir Kahane (2021) p143-145
https://embassies.gov.il/MFA/AboutIsrael/state/Law/Pages/THE%20KACH%20MOVEMENT%20-%20BACKGROUND%20-%2003-Mar-94.aspx
https://www.timesofisrael.com/rabbi-meir-kahane-and-israels-far-right-explained/
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/10/26/Israeli-convicted-of-plotting-to-destroy-mosque/8000404452800/
One such costume wearer was none other than Itamar Ben-Gvir https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/magazine/israel-west-bank-settler-violence-impunity.html
https://x.com/jbis9051/status/1877088176398877048
https://x.com/JewsAreTheGOAT/status/1876744448261996866
https://x.com/israelnewspulse/status/1894473939340202498
https://x.com/search?q=from%3ANiohBerg%20kahane&src=typed_query
https://www.jta.org/2025/02/25/united-states/a-pro-israel-influencer-called-a-video-of-meir-kahane-the-truth-and-set-off-a-firestorm
https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1893736518474178565
https://x.com/Archivepaletc/status/1894789458483916812
https://x.com/search?q=from%3ABetar_USA%20Kahane&src=typed_query
https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1886918027750363604
https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1886059143976403355. Using a reverse image Google search, I found identical matches for JDL demonstrations for three of the images. The fourth is a well known JDL ad.
https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/162671/sholkoff.pdf?sequence=1
https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1885497124022026256
https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1893807886603587972
https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2024/october/statement-by-nyu-spokesperson-john-beckman.html
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-842754
https://www.jta.org/2025/02/19/united-states/brawls-break-out-surrounding-pro-palestinian-protest-in-heavily-jewish-neighborhood-of-borough-park
https://extremismterms.adl.org/glossary/betar-usa, https://x.com/GerardDalbon/status/1893061731116531829
https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/1893489814311444562
https://nypost.com/2025/02/23/us-news/video-captures-hate-filled-bigot-in-maga-hat-screaming-obscenities-at-nyc-mosque/
https://x.com/KashifMD/status/1893025016922415561
https://www.jns.org/writers/ronn-torossian/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/adl-faces-off-with-betar-us-after-adding-it-to-its-list-of-extremist-organizations/
https://azm.org/wp-content/uploads/ZOA-Two-Pager-1.pdf
https://www.ssimovement.org/
https://www.jns.org/dismayed-by-cooper-union-blaming-jewish-students-district-judge-lets-case-proceed/
https://www.camera.org/about/history/
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-843723
Well written and well researched. We would be wise to heed your warning and stick to our Jewish values while we stand proud and fight for ourselves.
Good piece. I agree.