Posted on 07/27/2008 8:41:08 AM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
onatan Stern, the "Sgan Mefaked Hakita" (deputy squad commander) of Kitat Konenut New York, insists his "paramilitary emergency armed response team" is no "group of vigilantes or a JDL [Jewish Defense League]." Members of Kitat Konenut New...
Members of Kitat Konenut New York pose in a photo posted on the group's Facebook page. Photo: Courtesy Slideshow: Pictures of the week
"The goal of the organization is to have a competent and professional group of armed volunteers ready to respond to a threat at a moment's notice in any area where Jews reside," explains the Israeli combat veteran.
"We do not carry out demonstrations or political activity of any kind as we have no political agenda. Our agenda is to protect Jews wherever and whenever necessary and by any means needed."
On Friday, the third session of the group's training camp will begin in the Catskills woodlands of upstate New York, on land belonging to a Jewish supporter of the organization. With tuition at $400, the group expects 15 participants and five instructors for the 10 days of training. Participation has doubled since the group began three years ago.
Kitat Konenut New York is modeled on the rapid response teams in the West Bank settlements that are often the first to act when terrorist attacks or other emergencies take place. The group bills itself as religious-Zionist but nonpolitical.
American Jews have "felt a false sense of security in the United States," Stern believes, "because historically there has been less anti-Semitism than in other countries. But there have been incidents - neo-Nazi terrorist attacks, Arab terrorist attacks. Jews have to be vigilant."
"The threat is not from the American people or government," he adds, but from "terrorist sleeper cells that want to target Jews. These people are very dangerous and the FBI issues warnings against them very often," he said, citing the FBI's warning, after the killing of Hizbullah operations chief Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus in February, that the Lebanese group might carry out terror attacks on Jewish communities.
"The average American is friendly to Jews, but we're worried about those individuals on the periphery of society," Stern says.
The group was founded in the summer of 2006 in response to the shooting attack at the Jewish federation of Seattle premises by local Muslim Naveed Haq.
"We realized there is a need for this kind of organization, and as Israeli combat veterans living in the US, we have the skills and ability to respond to this," Stern says.
The group's MySpace page details the camp's regimen, which includes training in the IDF's Krav Maga martial art, use of non-lethal weapons and identification of suspicious objects, but also sharpshooter and assault rifle training, infantry exercises and endurance marches. Explanatory literature lists a large number of weapons with which participants can expect to train.
"We believe all Jews in the US must be legally armed and trained," Stern says, "and towards this goal we hold paramilitary training camps to train and equip Jewish American youth."
The group's literature notes emphatically that all firearms used in training "are 100% legal and in compliance with all federal, state and local laws."
"We strongly believe in the constitutional right to bear arms and we express this right to its fullest," it adds.
The group claims to be "well-connected with the New York police and fire departments" and it invites "all members of the law enforcement community to join in our life-saving activities."
Stern says, "We are all legally armed and carry radios and cellphones" during all hours of the day, and even on Shabbat, "as we need to be constantly ready to respond to any incident."
The camp literature also promises discussions on Torah and Halacha, understanding and confronting terrorism, fighting anti-Semitism, the history of the Zionist movement in the Land of Israel, and encouraging participants to "know your rights and learn how every American can and must be legally armed and how to express the Second Amendment" - the right to bear arms.
Funded by tuition money and a handful of private donors, the group does not exclude secular Jews, Stern says, but asks that they respect the Orthodox nature of the camp by observing Shabbat in public and refraining from bringing non-kosher food.
"We wouldn't have a problem with non-Jews coming either," says Stern, "but no non-Jew has applied thus far."
There's nothing I've seen to make me thing this has anything to do with a foreign power, in this case Israel (causes you heartburn, doesn't it) training militias is the US.
Your affection for Mother Russia, Cuba and the Sudan is noted. And yes, you're right, they wouldn't tolerate firearms ownership on many levels.
I know you think the 2nd amendment sucks, but that's just America.
IDF paramilitary in the US?
We're back into criminal activity here again aren't we Spanalot?
You have something to back that up with?
Have you contacted the FBI or Homeland Security?
If not, you're simply an internet BS artist talking out of his a**
My recollection our last conversation you accused me of being a Jew, I am, a communist, Mossad agent or some other such nonsense.
If you care to repeat thosee things, it time for you to suck it up, be a man, and support your accusations.
Thanks for answering that. I was gonna ignore that red-meat rant. The article is about Americans defending themselves. What is remarkable are the bizarre suppositions on the part of a few on this thread that “those dirty jooos” are infiltrating. Wonder if they have been attending church with that Reverend Wright fellow?
“Where did you dream up that definition of treason”
Why is this socalled protection afforded only to Jews?
Why is it being done by IDF commanders?
Harboring foreign troops on US soil is treason, plain and simple.
And to what country do you pledge allegiance to?
BTW, the answer to I am a disabled veteran of the U.S. military with 2 expeditionary medals in my shadow box (Navy Exp. and Armed Forces Exp.) Who the hell are you to question my allegiance? is your clear personality defect, you accord the same rights to Jews as everyone else. That really burns some people. Burns them that we're allowed on FR too.
Reverend Wright would be fine with the sentiments, as would the bow-tied fellows often seen behind him. To my knowlege no one has figured out if they're NOI security, or simply copy-cats.
Why is this protection only afforded to Jews?
THere is still no response.
I wonder why?
It certainly does not mean putting any religion or foreign army before my allegiance to the US.
“”Why is this socalled protection afforded only to Jews?””
and how do you conclude that?
How many Militias are their in the USA? (from Michigan to Montana to Arizona, etc)
“The Jew-haters get worried & angry “
There is still no response from the “Israel Firsters” as to why this paramilitary protection is only afforded to Jews.
Tell me, would they go over the border from NY to Toronto to save Jews there?
“”It certainly does not mean putting any religion or foreign army before my allegiance to the US.””
NO it doesn’t.
It’s affording protection to Jews domestically/locally (an armed ‘block patrol’) while not in any conflicting with patriotism, or even past or future service for the US of A.
“Or just a regular Idiot”
Ad Hominem attacks - whats the matter - still cant respond as to why this IDF paramilitary is here to save only Jews.
This strikes me as the epitomy of racism.
Make your own militia if you're worried about being left out.
would they go over the border from NY to Toronto to save Jews there?
I don't know, ask them.
Counter-mortar, Spanalot does not understand logic and will soon question your allegiance as he has mine. Methinks his hatred of Jews is blinding him to the truth.
~~~
I think you are correct,,,
There is no other reason but hatred that I can see...
Et tu SJackson? - ignoring the fact that IDF are in MY country leading paramilitary troops - protecting only Jews?
And which side do you fall on the USS Liberty when the IDF killed many American boys?
These Buchananites chap my ass.
Don't try to insinuate I'm a gun grabbing anti-semite Commie.
I am a Semite.
I also Have a Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm license.
I Pack every day.Everywhere.
Take your bone head Insinuations and packem somewhere else
I Just Don't like Ethnic Identity politics period. It will be the downfall of our nation.
Mark my words.
Yeah we had a bunch of “Nam Vets” on FR a while a go that kissed up to Putin and Russia every chance they could - but did not know an M14 from a M16.
Sorry, but this support for foreign led paramilitary that is racist fails on so many levels - and it fails the stink test.
It smells more like the thuggery in Russia.
Go Read It Again! :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“We wouldn’t have a problem with non-Jews coming either,” says Stern, “but no non-Jew has applied thus far.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Means EVEN YOU CAN GO TOO!!! DUH!!!
“IDF paramilitary in the US?”
As you did not take the time to read the headline, here it is:
“IDF vets train NY Jewish paramilitaries”
SJackson - is there anything in this article to indicate that these people are not Israeli citizens.
Prove me wrong.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.