Campaigners for and against a boycott of Israeli goods gathered at the Brooklyn Park Slope Food Coop ahead of a membership vote on a BDS referendum.
The famous New York food cooperative scheduled the ballot amid intense debate over whether to align store purchasing with boycott, divestment, and sanctions principles.
Supporters argued the coop should take a moral stand against Israeli policies toward Palestinians by refusing products linked to settlement enterprises.
Opponents contended that grocery cooperatives should avoid foreign policy positions that divide members and complicate supply relationships.
Volunteer campaigners canvassed outside the coop distributing literature and engaging shoppers in conversations about the referendum’s implications.
Park Slope’s progressive reputation made the vote a microcosm of broader BDS debates occurring on campuses and within civic organizations nationally.
Coop bylaws require member participation thresholds for binding policy changes affecting procurement standards.
Jewish community organizations monitored the vote closely, reflecting sensitivities around boycotts targeting Israel in culturally diverse Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Previous attempts to introduce BDS measures at the coop produced contentious meetings and procedural challenges over voting eligibility.
Results will determine whether the institution joins a subset of US cooperatives adopting explicit boycott guidelines for Israeli-origin goods.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-may-27-2026/