Jewish Defense Organization

The Jewish Defense Organization is a radical Zionist Jewish organization devoted to the fight against Anti-Semitism and protecting Jews from their enemies.

It was founded in 1981 by Mordechai Levy, a former member of the Jewish Defense League after he and JDL’s leader Irv Rubin came to disagreements they could not resolve.

JDO members participate in a wide variety of campaigns, such as patrolling Jewish neighborhoods, as well as staging and participating in protests against Neo-Nazis and other groups who openly express their hatred towards Jews.

The group demonstrated against Louis Farrakhan, David Duke, Lyndon LaRouche, Moshe Aryeh Friedman, PLO, and other individuals and organizations who are viewed by the organization as Anti-Semitic.

In addition to protests and other agitation work, Jewish Defense Organization runs Camp Jabotinsky where young Jews are trained in self-defense and participate in gun-training.

Jewish Defense Organization has been involved in a number of legal case, most notably with a former JDO member, turned private eye, Steven Rambam. Steven Rambam sued The Jewish Defense Organization in 1997 “alleging defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and incitement to violence”.

From the guide to the Jewish Defense Organization Records, 1971-2003, (American Jewish Historical Society)