The Gordon Jewish Community Center last month filed a lawsuit against the neo-Nazi group, the Goyim Defense League (GDL). The civil suit, filed in both Federal and Tennessee state courts names, among others, GDL founder Jon Minadeo and Travis Garland, the person who earlier this year attempted to enter the JCC costumed as an orthodox rabbi. The JCC is represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The lawsuit was filed after much deliberation by the Gordon Jewish Community Center lay leadership and professional staff. According to CEO Jesse Feld the SPLC initially came to Nashville to consider the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the GDL. “It started when they were looking into the events that happened, and we were happy to talk to them. At the time there was no reason not to help a group that’s trying to dismantle a neo-Nazi hate group.”
Eventually the SPLC asked Feld if the JCC would be the plaintiff in the suit, something that would be decided by the board of directors. “It was something we didn’t take lightly,” says Feld. After conversations with private legal counsel, Tennessee attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti, and Davidson County district attorney Glenn Funk, and local law enforcement to ensure the lawsuit didn’t put the JCC at risk, the decision was made to move forward. “We became convinced that not only was this a just cause, but our belief is also if we don’t stand up for ourselves at this point when we have the ability to, how can we ask anyone else to stand up for us.”
While not a named plaintiff in the suit, the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville is housed in the JCC building and was also questioned during the initial interviews by the SPLC. Federation CEO Judy Alperin says, “The Gordon Jewish Community Center has our full support as it pursues this case. We believe, as do they, that the Jewish community is strong, unified, and we are not going anywhere.”
At the center of the case is the January 2025 incident in which Garland in disguise, attempted to enter the JCC building. According to the lawsuit, Garland livestreamed the intrusion and refused to leave. His purpose was intimidation, harassment, and sending the message that Jews are not safe anywhere.
Garland has already pled guilty to his actions and was sentenced and served time for his crimes. This case, which alleges Garland acted as part of a coordinated effort by Minadeo, and streamer Paul Miller, and others via livestream and then amplified it online.
According to SPLC attorney Scott McCoy, this suit has three Federal civil rights claims, two of which are part of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. Chief among them, making it illegal for someone with animus to intimidate or harass people and interfere with their right to enjoy personal property, in this case the JCC. And McCoy says there is a unique element to this claim. “A key part is that it is based on racial animus. The law is interpreted to include Jewish people. The courts have said not only is it anti-Black, animus is antisemitic as well.”
The other claim related to the Klan Act includes conspiring to deny someone access to public accommodations, including movie theaters, hotels and the like. McCoy says, “In this context the Gordon Jewish Community Center is a place of public accommodation because it holds itself out to the public as a place where you can come get a membership.”
The overarching complaint, says McCoy, is, “All these guys got together and conspired to have Garland go in and try and mess with the JCC and their members and their use of the public accommodation, and also their right to hold and enjoy property.”
There are also state tort claims, one for trespass, for which Garland was convicted criminally. The last claim is for false representation stemming from the disguise and attempt to impersonate a rabbi.
McCoy says when addressing issues of free speech, this case goes beyond that protection. “This is them acting on their speech and crossing that line and harming people.”
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The JCC spent about $75,000 on beefed up security. That plus punitive damages designed to both punish and deter these and other would-be perpetrators, and injunctive relief where the court orders the GDL to stop engaging in this conduct towards the JCC, could amount to a judgement in the millions.
In addition to the technical aspects of this case is the spiritual consequences to the Jewish community. General Sessions Judge Dan Eisenstein was in favor of the lawsuit and supportive of the JCC’s leadership. He says it is important for the community to pursue these types of cases. “We ask everybody to stand up for us, the criminal prosecutors, the police, and others. If we’re going to ask them to do something we have to take the step to do something affirmatively, too.”
Eisenstein says he believes the facts in this case are strong, and the result could be catastrophic for the GDL. “If a judgement is rendered, and includes punitive damages, you could put them out of business and take over any websites that they develop and get any revenue from that.”
The GDL has been distributing antisemitic propaganda in Nashville for the last several years, and has caused disruption to Metro council meetings, demonstrated in front of West End Synagogue, and marched down Broadway where one of their members committed assault. Eisenstein says this is all part of their desire to eliminate Jews. “The apparently believe in the doctrine to kill Jews. It’s like the Nazis; it’s the same mentality.”
Eisenstein also believes a key factor in the spread of this hateful doctrine is the internet. “All the chat groups and the disaffected young people that are easily swayed by this stuff.” He says the groups keep popping up and it is difficult to control. “They monitor as many as they can, but they can’t monitor all of them.”
There is no estimation yet how long this suit will take to run its course. McCoy says it can be a grueling process, but he credits the leadership of the JCC with being willing to confront hate. “The real bravery here is from the JCC. They are the ones who have to step back up into the front. And they have to put themselves out there again. I can understand why it was a thoughtful and serious discussion about whether or not be a plaintiff in this case.”
