Who Is Meir Kahane? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Meir Kahane was born on August 1, 1932, in Brooklyn, New York. As of 2025, Kahane would have been 93 years old. He was a prominent American-Israeli political figure known for his controversial views and founding the Jewish Defense League (JDL). His political career was marked by his advocacy for Jewish rights and a hardline stance on Arab-Israeli relations. Kahane's life ended when he was assassinated in New York City in 1990, but his legacy continues to be a topic of debate.
| Occupation | Philosophers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 1, 1932 |
| Age | 58 Years |
| Birth Place | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Leo |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 5 November, 1990 |
| Died Place | Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
Popularity
Meir Kahane's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While physical metrics are less discussed in the context of historical political figures, Meir Kahane was known for his commanding presence. At approximately 6 feet tall, this stature contributed to his influential role in the political sphere. Specific details regarding his weight and other measurements are not widely documented, as these are often not the focus in political biographies.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Meir Kahane was married to Libby Kahane, with whom he had three children. The couple faced numerous challenges due to Kahane's controversial political activities and the dangers associated with his ideology. While there is little public information available on his dating life outside of his marriage, it's clear that his family life intertwined significantly with his political career.
Kahane was a member of an established rabbinic family, including his father, who was head of the Flatbush Board of Rabbis.
His father, Yechezkel Shragei (Charles) Kahane (1905–1978), was the rabbi of a large synagogue in Brooklyn, author of the interpretive Torah translation Torah Yesharah, and a strong supporter of the Revisionist Zionist movement.
Kahane's grandfather was Nachman Kahane (1869–1937), a leading rabbinic scholar in Safed, who was the son of Baruch David Kahane (1850–1925), the author of Hibat ha-Eretz, and a disciple of Chaim Halberstam of Sanz.
Baruch David was a direct descendant of Simcha Rappaport (1650–1718), of the Rappaport rabbinic family, who were allegedly able to trace their ancestry back to Eleazar ben Azariah, a 1st-century sage in the Land of Israel. Baruch David immigrated to Ottoman Palestine from Poland in 1873.
An uncle of Kahane's was killed in Safed during the 1929 Palestine riots.
Net Worth and Salary
Determining the net worth of historical figures can be challenging, especially for individuals such as Meir Kahane, whose financial information was not publicly disclosed during his lifetime. In the realm of politics and activism, however, it is believed that his financial earnings came from various sources, including his public speaking engagements and political activities. By 2025, any estimated net worth related to Kahane would rely heavily on historical analysis rather than current economic metrics.
In September 1971, Kahane moved to Israel. At the time, he declared that he would focus on Jewish education.
He later began gathering lists of Palestinian citizens of the State of Israel who were willing to emigrate for compensation, and eventually, he initiated protests that advocated the expulsion of Palestinian citizens of Israel, and Palestinians of the Israeli-occupied territories.
In 1972, Jewish Defense League leaflets were distributed in Hebron, calling for the mayor to stand trial for the 1929 Hebron massacre. Kahane was arrested dozens of times by Israeli law enforcement.
In 1971, he founded Kach, a political party that ran for the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, during the 1973 general elections under the name "The League List". It won 12,811 votes (0.82%), just 2,857 (0.18%) short of the electoral threshold at the time (1%) for winning a Knesset seat.
The party was even less successful in the 1977 elections, winning only 4,836 votes.
Career, Business, and Investments
Meir Kahane's career was primarily rooted in politics. He founded the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in the 1960s, aiming to protect Jewish communities in the United States. Kahane's political ambitions led him to Israel, where he became a member of the Knesset in the 1980s. His political ideology and party, Kach, were known for promoting Jewish nationalism, which stirred significant controversy and eventually led to the party's disbandment.
While he did not have traditional business investments, his political career demonstrates a complex relationship with various grassroots movements and political entities. His legacy in terms of political activism is still a point of analysis in contemporary discussions of Jewish rights.
Meir David HaKohen Kahane (born Martin David Kahane; August 1, 1932 – November 5, 1990) was an American-born Israeli Orthodox ordained rabbi, writer and ultra-nationalist politician.
Founder of the Israeli political party Kach—whose legacy continues to influence militant and far-right political groups active today in Israel —he was convicted of multiple acts of terrorism in the United States and in Israel.
Social Network
Though Meir Kahane is not active on modern social media platforms, his influence can be seen through various political groups that arose from the ideologies he propagated. Discussions about Kahane frequently appear on platforms like Twitter and YouTube, where users engage with his historical speeches and political stances.
In a 1984 interview with Washington Post correspondent Carla Hall, Kahane admitted that the JDL "bombed the Russian [Soviet] mission in New York, the Russian cultural mission here [Washington] in 1971, the Soviet trade offices".
Education
Meir Kahane graduated from the City College of New York, where he pursued a degree in sociology. He later went on to receive a rabbinical degree from the Hebrew Theological College. Kahane’s educational background played a significant role in shaping his thoughts and ideologies, impacting his subsequent political career.
Born in 1932 in Brooklyn, New York City, to an Orthodox Jewish family, Kahane received his education there, starting with Jewish scripture studies, and eventually gaining an M.A. in International Relations from New York University.
In 1968, he founded the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in New York City, whose self-described purpose was to fight anti-Semitism. Several JDL members, including Kahane, were subsequently convicted of acts related to domestic terrorism, including leading the attack on the Soviet United Nations mission in 1975.
Later that same year, Kahane was convicted of conspiring to kidnap a Soviet diplomat, bomb the Iraqi embassy in Washington, and ship arms abroad from Israel. He consequently served a one year imprisonment, albeit in a hotel.
