The Park Slope Food Co-op has been embroiled in controversy stemming from anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiments among its members. Real estate developer Ramon Maislen filed a complaint with the state Human Rights Division after he and other Jewish members were harassed for opposing a campaign to boycott Israeli products. The cooperative, founded in 1973, requires members to work shifts in exchange for discounted groceries and voting on store policies. The boycott campaign gained traction following a Hamas attack in Gaza, leading to tensions within the co-op.
In one incident, a Jewish co-op member attempting to inform others about the boycott was called a “Nazi” by a shopper, who then shouted “Sieg Heil” at her. The woman was left shaken by the public display of antisemitism. Despite reporting the incident to the co-op’s Dispute Resolution Committee, she received only a half-hearted apology from the aggressor. The hostile environment has made the co-op unwelcoming for Israelis and Jews, leading some members to feel uncomfortable shopping or working there.
Another member, Maislen, who ran for a board of directors seat on an anti-boycott platform, was harassed by a fellow member who claimed Zionists “can’t have empathy.” In a separate incident, an Israeli-Jewish co-op member discussing pro-boycott candidates was subjected to antisemitic conspiracy theories, with the aggressor claiming Jews celebrated young Palestinians being raped and killed. The lack of action from the Dispute Resolution Committee following these encounters has left members feeling unsupported and anxious.
Despite the complaints and tensions, the pro-boycott campaign Members for Palestine maintains that their goal is to have a conversation about the implications of supporting products from Israel. Maislen expressed the hope that dialogue could help other members understand why their actions may be hurtful to Jewish and Israeli members. The state Human Rights Division and the boycott campaign declined to comment on the situation, while the Park Slope Food Co-op did not respond to requests for comment. The dispute within the cooperative highlights the broader societal issues of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments that continue to persist.
