LA Forms Neighborhood Watch For Jewish Safety Amid Attacks

In the early to mid 1960’s there were still some signs around selected communities which read: “No Jews, Ni–ers or dogs allowed”. L.A. Mayor Sam Yorty, L.A. Police Chief William Parker nor L.A. County Sheriff Peter Pitches would say or do anything to have them removed. The Frum community numbered around 400 members and was rapidly expanding. Most of us in the Frum Community lived in the Fairfax District, on Stanley, Spaulding, Curson, Sierra Bonita, Gardner, etc. There were 3 Shuls in the area whose Ruv’s wore a shtreimal, R’ Adler, R’ Ginsburg (my Mesader Kedisha) and R’ Isacsohn. Rav Ganzweig wore the only spudik around at that time. The community would organize a convoy to go to Riverside or San Bernardino along with Rav Engel, the schoichet in order to buy behaimos, have them schechted and bring them back (in the trunks of our cars or on the back seat) to Bastomski’s Butcher Shop to be treiberd, kashered and cut up.
On Shabbos afternoons I would take my little brother and go for a walk to CBS Television City on Beverly Boulevard or to Fairfax Avenue or all the way to 3rd Street to visit the Famous Farmers Market and watch how they blew glass or made chocolate (not kosher) or see the fish swim around the aquarium in the fish store or other things kids do on a long Shabbos afternoon. One Shabbos, as I walked with my brother a little further than usual, we crossed 3rd Street and went into a semi-closed community of large apartment buildings and bungalows called Park-La Brea, we heard someone yelling at us. “Kill Jews”, Heil Hitler” and other nazi like slogans. We turned to see 2 army like Jeeps coming our way with some idiots dressed in nazi uniforms and a big swastika flag atop the vehicle, waiving heavy chains at us, trying to hit us. We ran as fast as we could and hid behind some bushes until it started to get dark. We then ran home. We called the police after Shabbos but no one seemed interested. Similar incidents started to occur on Fairfax Avenue and other areas right in the heart of the community and not only on Shabbos but throughout the week too. Since the police didn’t care they became emboldened to do what they would without anyone stopping them.
Irv Rubin and some other guys from the surrounding area decided to take matters into their own hands and he started a group called the JDL – Jewish Defense League to protect the Jewish residents and merchants in the area who were being threatened by these nazis. In a few weeks, after breaking the nazi’s bones, bloodying up their faces and tearing their nazi uniforms off the community was once again safe and remained that way as long as there were JDL Members around.
Rabboisai, we can’t just talk about these kinds of problems. The palestinian Terrorists will do what they want until we show them that we can fight back. Terrorist organizations like ANTIFA, BLM, palestinians, and others know only one thing, strength. If you kick them hard enough they’ll think twice about coming back to harm you. Every frum person needs to know how to protect himself and his family. There is weapons training going on all over the community. There are self defense classes everywhere. Don’t just sit around thinking that someone else will fight for you. It is written in Pirkei Avos: “Say little and do much”.