A prominent Jewish civil rights organization is urging the leadership of the Park Slope Food Coop to safeguard its Jewish members from any form of “intimidation, retaliation, social targeting, and coercive pressure” as a vote on a proposed boycott of Israeli goods approaches.
This call to action was articulated in a letter sent Wednesday by the Brandeis Center, following weeks of growing tension within the Brooklyn-based cooperative known for its socialist leanings. The situation intensified at a recent general meeting where a participant’s comment about “Jewish supremacism being an issue in this country” received significant applause from numerous attendees.
Kenneth Marcus, Chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center, emphasized, “Jewish individuals should not have to compromise their access to local and organic food for their safety and ability to express themselves.”
The Louis Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law contends that the upcoming vote on the boycott, scheduled for May 26, should be halted.
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Should the vote proceed, the organization insists that the cooperative has a legal duty to protect Jewish members from any form of intimidation, ensuring their full participation in the process.
This goal can be achieved by creating anonymous balloting to prevent votes from being publicly identified and by not requiring members to appear in person to cast ballots, “given the alarming increase in anti-Semitism at the coop and across New York City,” the civil rights group said.
“A confidential referendum process will not only protect vulnerable members, but it will also encourage broader participation, reduce coercion, ensure that members vote freely, and better reflect the views of your membership as a whole,” said the Brandeis Center’s senior counsel, Omer Wiczyk.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that all members are able to participate free from intimidation or discriminatory treatment.”
The coop’s proposal would also eliminate the 75% supermajority vote required to approve boycott measures, the said.
One coop member said he’s alarmed by the growing anti-Jewish hostility.
“When I joined the Park Slope Food Coop 15 years ago, antisemitism within its walls was the last thing on my mind. Yet here we are in 2026; many of our fellow members, distraught at the war in Gaza, have aligned themselves with a movement where anti-Jewish rhetoric has become routine,” said Coop member Ramon Maislen.
The Park Slope Food Coop confirmed it plans to move ahead with the vote on the proposal to boycott Israeli products. This will be preceded by a separate vote on a proposed rule regarding whether to proceed by a simple majority.
“Currently, the meeting will be held in a hybrid (in-person and virtual) format. Members interested in attending have the option to attend virtually,” said Coop General Coordinator Ann Herpel.
“Over 3,500 members have registered to attend virtually. Votes cast in the virtual meeting will be electronic, shielding the privacy of any member’s vote. The number of members who can attend in person is limited by the venue’s capacity. The vast majority of members will attend virtually and cast their votes electronically,” she said.
The Coop will decide soon on whether the meeting should be conducted 100 percent remotely, Herpel added.
The coop, founded in 1973, requires its roughly 16,000 members to work 2.75-hour shifts every six weeks, in exchange for the privilege to purchase heavily discounted groceries, in addition to voting on store policies.
