Co-op to Hold Vote on Whether to Ban Israeli Products
The battle over whether Israeli products belong on the shelves of the Park Slope Food Coop is finally coming to a vote — sort of.
The 39-year-old organic-food haven has scheduled a vote for next month to decide whether to hold a referendum of its 16,000 members on banning Israeli-made products like hummus, paprika, and seltzer.
The coop has taken stands before – banning bottled water, Coca-Cola, and hummus from a Brooklyn company accused of mistreating its workers. But no issue has split members like the Israel boycott.
“Anything we’ve boycotted in the past, the sentiment for the boycott was at almost 100%,” said general coordinator Ann Herpel.
But she said while passions run high on both sides of the issue, most members are more interested in shopping for organic produce than delving into Middle East politics.
“There are two groups that are very interested in this, and there’s a lot of people that this has not been on their radar,” she said. “Most people just feel passionately about the coop, not passionately about this issue.”
The proposal is being pushed by a group dubbed Park Slope Food Coop Members for Israeli Boycott Divestment Sanctions.
“Economic engagement with the state of Israel gives it the means and muscle to oppress, destabilize, and colonize the Palestinian people,” Mohan Sikka wrote in one letter to the Linewaiters’ Gazette – one of dozens of impassioned missives from both sides that have filled the newsletter’s pages in recent months.
Opponents have countered with their own group, called More Hummus, Please.
“It’s wrong to try to use the coop’s reputation to speak for one particular cause. We’re a diverse group of people, and we’ve come there to save money on food, period,” said Barbara Mazor, 54, of Midwood. “This is not going to have any effect on anything. It just promotes hostility, because it only puts the blame for the problem on Israel.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer, who is not a member of the coop, advised against a boycot. “A boycott of Israel, which protects women’s and human rights far more than any of its neighbors, is one-sided and unfair and I urge coop members to reject this misguided and counter-productive proposal,” the Democrat said.
At the store Tuesday, most members dismissed the idea of a boycott. “You will not change Israeli policy by boycotting its products. If it is approved, it will be damaging to the coop and a futile exercise,” said Alan Rosner, 68, of Park Slope.
DISGUSTING
BOYCOTT THE CO-OP
The Co-op is a Communist hole
Why anyone would frequent this establishment is beyond me.
Let’s stop this jaded liberalism that has permeated our communities and created the beast of “Modern Lubavitch”.
Everything is not “Okay”.
The Co-op is a Communist hole
Why anyone would frequent this establishment is beyond me.
Let’s stop this jaded liberalism that has permeated our communities and created the beast of “Modern Lubavitch”.
Everything is not “Okay”.
old timer
i hope that if they do boycott israeli products, the jews should have the sense to drop their co-op membership.
it’s the apathy of the jews that encourages this kind of anti-israel/antisemitism in the US and the world
np
I sincerely hope some of the kehillah will get over there and COMPLETELY OWN THE VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do it to the point they start thinking they should carry Cholov Yisroel…
jewish dude
Boycott against the state of Israel is an abbommination and a shame. Why not boycott arabic products whose country do not allow women to even vote in elections
who cares
this is incredibly stupid! NON-NEWS!
cnl
Everyone should stop shopping there!
to #2
You don’t care that you are surrounded by Anti-semits? I pray you will never need to care.
Milhouse
#2, a lot of Crown Heights people are co-op members. They should all try to come to the meeting and vote “no”, to prevent the referendum from being held.
Milhouse
#9 and #10 were directed at the comment that was then #2, but is now #7!
#5, they DO carry cholov yisroel. And glatt kosher. And to the new #2 and #3, yes it’s a communist hole, but it has good prices. But yes, in the unlikely event that this ch”v passes every Jew should drop out and create a new co-op, which with better prices and less communism will be able to poach most of the original co-op’s members and destroy it.
Leibel
its a great place to go to shop and get healthy foods at rock bottom prices – like 770 and NYC in general, something this big attracts some kooks..
chaim Tovim
when I lived in CH I shopped there; it’s great. It’s made up of left wing commies and lubabs :)
all the lubabs should get out and vote against the boycott
attention #3:
as a former co-op member (former because i now live out of town) i applaud the co-op for its continued democratic stance. to all haters out there: co-op stands for CO-OPERATIVE, and at the park slope food co-op, the members are owners. so just like ANY business, the OWNERS get to decide what products they carry. since the israeli/“palestinian” issue is a hot one, and since many co-op members have passionate politics, i’m not surprised that this issue is being voted upon. may the will of the people prevail!
and to you, #3, calling it a “communist hole” and bringing up “modern lubavitch,” you are an ignoramus. #1, allowing people to vote freely and express their will is the EXACT opposite of communism. each person is a sovereign with the power of a sovereign vote. that’s the first thing. #2, when i was at the co-op, since i and all the other jews were member-OWNERS, we had to sell our chomeitz for pesach. do you know who ALL the co-op yidden sold their chomeitz through? the BADATZ of crown heights (and specifically through rav marlow a”h). are you going to accuse rav marlow of being a modern lubavitcher too? maybe he was a part of the whole co-op commie plot??
Srulik from Troy
If this COOP is so fair and progressive, why not vote on boycotting:
Turkey – Armenian genocide
China – where do I begin?
Russia – see China
Arabian peninsula – treatment of women
France – remember Drancy anyone?
The list can go on. Want cheap prices without the grey hair pny tails? – go to Costco.
to chaim tovim
it’s not only made up of left wingers and lubavs, PLENTY of satmarers shop there. in fact, once i needed a ride back to CH and a yoely gave me one, stating; “it’s a zechus to help a lubavitcher.”
Tzvi Lang
The coop has a kosher squad in which two fine Chabad women oversee. The coop has always had good relationships with frum members and generally there is a great atmosphere of religious tolerance and respect. They even have a Crown Heights Rabbi who the kosher squad goes to for sheilas. People come there for organic produce and good prices. There are many religious Yidden there from other neighborhoods including Flatbush, Borough Park and Williamsberg.Unfortunately there is a very vocal extreme minority of people there (including the proverbial “self-hating Jews” that join with some anti-semies that now see an opportunaty to get “out of their closets” and blame Israel.I beg all members to attend the meeting and vote against the “vote” . The fear is that the horrible rhetoric that is flying around will be believed by normally totally non-involved people.
admirer
eat organic and healthy food, if you need any go to the co-op. T They have
Barbara Mazor
I am the Barbara Mazor quoted in the above article.
If you are a PSFC member, I urge you to come to the March 27 General Meeting at Brooklyn Technical High School and vote against holding the referendum.
The best thing all of you can do is help us in our Get Out The Vote effort. Tell everyone you know to tell members to come and vote against this.
BDS efforts are tremendously unpopular and the people who have proposed it are a small minority within the Coop. The Food Coop is about obtaining fresh, high quality food at great prices. Lovers and haters of all kinds are allowed to join as long as they do their work shifts.
The Coop’s governance system relies on the good will of the members. It does not have a protective mechanism built in to prevent members from trying to exploit the organization.
But please, do not smear an entire organization just because of the bad behavior of a minority of members.