Kahane, Meir (Martin David) (1932–1990)

US rabbi and religious activist. In the 1960s he founded the Jewish Defense League, which advocated the use of violence to defend Jewish rights. In Israel in 1971 he founded Kach, a movement aimed at removing Arabs from Israel. He gained a seat in the Israeli parliament in 1981, but his party was later barred from office. He was assassinated while in New York. He was the author of The Jewish Stake in Vietnam and Never Again.

He was born in New York City. At the age of 15 he was arrested in a protest against the British policy on Jewish immigration to Palestine. Ordained as an Orthodox rabbi, he earned a law degree from New York University. He was a synagogue rabbi and editor of the Jewish Press. An Egyptian-born US citizen was brought to trial for Kahane's assassination, but was acquitted.