Neo-Kahanism and Kahane's Legacy in Post-Kahane Israel

This chapter examines neo-Kahanism by tracking the persistence and evolution of Rabbi Meir Kahane’s legacy following his assassination in 1990. Identifying the movement requires examining factors including doctrinal continuity and organizational genealogy. The first period, spanning 1990–2000, witnessed a split within the movement: Kach under Avraham Toledano sought electoral success, whereas Kahane Chai led by Benyamin Kahane preserved strict ideological adherence. After Baruch Goldstein’s 1994 massacre, the Israeli state classified both groups as terrorist organizations, placing them in the same legal category as Hamas. During the subsequent phase from 2000 to 2012, figures associated with Kahanism undertook strategic rebranding efforts, establishing Jewish Might and achieving legitimacy through Michael Ben-Ari’s election to the Knesset in 2009. The chapter examines Itamar Ben-Gvir’s rise in politics, which resulted in his appointment to a ministerial position in 2022 through deliberate moderation and careful positioning apart from Kahane’s inflexible principles, exemplifying adaptable neo-Kahanism. Meanwhile, groups such as Lehava continue Kahane’s campaign against assimilation by deploying segregationist rhetoric, preserving the fundamental ideology.