More Than 1,000 Members Expected to Leave Brooklyn Food Coop After Israel Boycott Vote

(VINnews) – More than 1,000 members of a Brooklyn food cooperative are expected to stop shopping or resign after the store voted to remove Israeli-made products, according to reports published by the New York Post.

The controversy centers on the Park Slope Food Coop, where members approved a measure targeting Israeli goods during a contentious online meeting attended by thousands of people.

According to the report, Israeli-made products were removed from shelves shortly after the vote passed. Critics of the decision warned the move could deepen tensions inside the member-run grocery store and lead to significant membership losses.

Ramon Maislen, a member of the coop’s board, said an informal survey conducted before the vote indicated that as many as 1,000 members could leave if the boycott was approved.

Several longtime members told the publication they planned to stop shopping at the coop following the vote, arguing the campaign unfairly singled out Israel while ignoring products tied to other countries accused of human rights violations.

The dispute has fueled growing divisions inside the cooperative, where debates over Israel and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement have intensified in recent months. Some Jewish members said the atmosphere inside the coop had become increasingly hostile and uncomfortable.

Private security was also reportedly stationed outside the store following the vote amid heightened tensions and public protests over the decision.