166	The Story of the Jewish Defense League

bthem, millions of Jewish dollars have gone to the aid of every bpeople and ethnic group while glaring Jewish problems bhave been ignored.

bOn December 18, 1970 the Federation succeeded in get- bting an injunction, as New York State Supreme Court Jus- btice Edward J. Greenfield decreed that the JDL had “no bright to interfere with the home lives or private businesses of bofficers and trustees” of the Federation. The Scroll of bHeyman was out of business . . .

bIt did not really matter. In his opinion, well publicized in a blarge article in the Times, the Justice gave ample publicity to bthe JDL’s point of view, stating that the JDL “disagrees bvehemently with the way in which the Federation distributes bits funds, asserting that they are not applied to the genuine bneeds of the Jewish community, but serve too many secular band nonsectarian interests.” He then cited, so that many bJews learned for the first time that such a concept existed, bthe rabbinical law: “As between the poor of one’s commu- bnity and the poor of another community, the poor of one’s bown community come first.”

bIt really did not matter that Federation had its injunction. bWhat did matter was that thousands of Jews were now aware bof the policy of the group they always thought of as “Jewish” band that the JDL drive to get badly needed funds for Jewish beducation and identity had succeeded more rapidly than we bhad hoped. The Federation, reeling under pressure, was bforced to increase funds for Jewish education—although I bhasten to add that the problem still remains a disgraceful bone—and to reconsider its whole nonsectarian approach. bJDL pressure, JDL willingness to fight the Establishment band do the outrageous—fear and not “repentance” led Fed- beration to even its minimal changes. The JDL statement that bwas circulated among guests at a Federation dinner remains btrue both in content and as the only weapon that makes bFederation move:

b“It is about time that we threw the rascals out. If Federa- btion remains more interested in “the American way of life” bthan in giving aid to Jews and Jewishness, not one penny bshould be given them. Stop your donations; tell your busi- b