Dear Sirs;
The Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation draws to your attention that Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, now owned by Unilever, is operating against the best interests of the Jewish State of Israel and thus it constitutes an act of discrimination against Jews. We find this despicable and urge that Kof-K Kosher withdraw its kosher certification of this company.
While the franchise holder in Israel would like to retain the license and serve ALL people, the makers of the ice cream seem bent on discriminating against Jews, and not unlike those in Nazi Germany and the other members of the Axis who cut off service to Jews, we find this policy to be totally unacceptable and it sends a horrible message to the people of America, Canada, and the other 33 countries in which these products are sold. How long before other large corporations follow suit, because they can, not because they care. They will find it quite convenient to shut off sales to the Jewish people of Israel, so why not shut off the buying by Jews across the world? While not all Jews keep kashruth, the removal of your certification will send a message to all Jews, that these products are not worthy of our support.
We draw your attention to the action already taken by the leading kashrut authority in Australia, to delist Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, and we urge that you take similar steps.
We will help get the message out when you take this step to cease recognizing a business that has ceased to recognize the rights of Jews to the same treatment as all other people. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism is a good measure of what constitutes acceptable criticism of Israeli policies and what constitutes treating Israel differently from other countries, that being discrimination and Ben & Jerry’s crossed the line. They “sell” lies about Israel, treat her differently than other countries and sell product in places with very bad or zero human rights practices. “Kosher” means “ satisfying the requirements of Jewish law,” and we fail to see how this policy meets that requirement.
Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to your response.
Regards and Shana tova,
Andria Spindel
Executive Director
Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation