The Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, N.Y., is violating federal, state and anti-discrimination law by boycotting Israeli products, according to the National Jewish Advocacy Center.
PSFC “needs to undo the Israel boycott, put the Israeli products back on the shelves, stop letting the co-op become a hostile place for Jewish and Zionist members, and preserve all records connected to how this happened,” Mark Goldfeder, director of the center, told JNS.
The advocacy center sent a demand letter to the co-op on Thursday on behalf of members and importers.
It gave the co-op until June 3 to remedy the situation. “If they don’t, the expected next step is litigation on behalf of the members and importers harmed by the boycott,” Goldfeder told JNS.
The co-op voted on May 26 to boycott Israeli products.
The letter states that the boycott was approved “through harassment, intimidation, deception and sleights by activists acting outside the scope of the PSFC amended bylaws and contrary to the interests of the coop and its members.”
The center states that the boycott “targets Israelis and Jews, who are the protected groups targeted by your boycott” and argues that it has created “a hostile environment for members, who are also shoppers and employees,” in violation of New York state law.
“Sell kale. Stop discrimination,” Goldfeder stated. “Do it, or we’ll see you in court.”
