Say NO to hate and YES to unity
Anti-Israel ballot initiatives have infiltrated Winooski, Vergennes, Montpelier, Newfane, Thetford, Weybridge and Brattleboro, with divisive resolutions appearing in other towns. These initiatives, driven by the Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation’s extremist agenda, promote misinformation, antisemitism, and fear — especially for Jewish Vermonters and their families.
What’s at Stake?
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These measures are based on antisemitic libels, misinformation, falsehoods, propaganda, and inflammatory rhetoric. They are written to appear peaceful but are designed to sow anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment in Vermont.
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These anti-Israel initiatives are divisive and create a hostile environment for Jewish children and families, fostering bullying and harassment in our schools and communities.
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Town Meeting Day is meant to unite neighbors on local issues, not polarize them with global disputes.
HOW YOU CAN HELP?
Recruit 5 Allies
Invite five friends to join Shalom Alliance. Shalom Alliance will share materials, so they are informed and prepared to speak up.
Raise Your Voice
Write letters to your local newspaper and elected officials and post on social media and activate your networks using tools like Front Porch Forum and local Listservs.
Organize Town Hall Teams
Attend your local Town Meeting Day and speak out against anti-Israel resolutions. Distribute fact sheets explaining why these initiatives harm our communities. Shalom Alliance can supply these for you.
Engage Local Officials
Contact your local and state representatives. Ask them to speak up, vote NO and focus on issues that matter to Vermonters.
Help Shalom Alliance fund educational material across Vermont. Together, we can counter lies with truth and prevent harm to Jewish families.
It’s Time to Take Action!
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It’s Time to Take Action! -
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Please Email
We cannot allow extremist agendas to spread hate in Vermont. We must mobilize to defeat these ballot measures and resolutions and ensure our towns remain safe and inclusive for everyone. Below are 8 potential emails you can copy and paste and send to the legislators, newspapers, post on social media, or create your own. Customize them for your own community and voice.
Example Emails
Copy and paste into your email or letter to the editor, or as a starter to tell your story.
Dear
We are facing a challenging issue on Town Meeting Day concerning an anti-Israel ballot initiative. Please let's stay focused on matters pertaining to (your town). Getting involved with international issues is a waste of time and energy. Please vote NO on ballot item #(X)
Dear
I write to oppose putting the anti-Israel petition on the Town Meeting Day ballot. The ballot holds Israel to a double standard, demonizes Israel, and seeks to delegitimize Israel as a country. The ballot proposal uses inflammatory language, is false factually and historically, and is deeply divisive in our Vermont community. Please join me in voting NO to ballot item #(X)
Dear
Where is the moral outrage in our community over the hostages taken by Hamas? Where is the moral outrage over the rape and sexual violence used by Hamas?
Where are the resolutions vilifying China for its reprehensible treatment of the Uyghurs? Or the Taliban’s treatment of women? Where are the resolutions condemning the atrocious treatment of civilians by warring factions in Burkina Faso, Mali, Sudan, Somalia, Mozambique, and Nigeria? Where is the outcry against Turkey in its treatment of Kurds? Where is the outcry against Russia’s aggression against Ukraine? What about the Houthis? Syria? Myanmar? Indonesia?
The answer is simple: this ballot initiative reflects a fundamental antisemitism and leads to the “othering” of Jews in our community.
I urge you to reject this initiative and focus your future efforts on local affairs. Unite for truth and vote NO on ballot initiative #(X).
Dear
There has been an ongoing effort by the Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation over the past several years to demonize the State of Israel, which has over 2 million Palestinians as citizens. Talk with Palestinians/Israelis, and they will share that demonizing Israel is not supportive of Palestinians. In fact, these actions only make life more complicated for Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Please STOP this waste of time, energy, and money and focus on the issues to improve the quality of our lives in (your town).
Vote NO on ballot initiative #(X).
Dear
Israel is a vibrant democracy. Palestinian Israelis vote alongside Jewish Israelis in all elections. Arab countries of the Middle East and Africa are weak democracies at best. Unlike in most Arab countries, women vote in Israel. Arabs are proportionately represented in the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and head all their municipalities, schools, and religious courts. The apartheid accusation against Israel is false and only serves to heighten the fear many of us are facing for ourselves and our children. Please vote NO on ballot item #(X).
Dear
I write to oppose the anti-Israel ballot initiative #(X). This initiative is irrelevant to the state of world affairs, yet the ballot item is hateful in its denunciation of Israel. Quite simply, this is a case of crass virtue-signaling and antisemitism. And causes harm to Jewish families everywhere.
Israel is a vibrant democracy, not an apartheid state. Israel is engaged in self-defense, not genocide. Israel is a legitimate state created by the United Nations in 1947, not a colonial settler state. Please vote NO to ballot item #(X).
Dear
The proposed pledge, which takes a one-sided stance on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, makes me feel unwelcome in my own community. Israel is far from perfect, no country is, but reducing such a complex situation to a black-and-white issue ignores history and reality. I want peace, just like everyone else, but real peace comes from acknowledging the rights and security of both Israelis and Palestinians, not demonizing one side.
This pledge does not represent Vermont’s spirit of inclusivity. It isolates Jewish voices and contributes to a hostile environment for those of us who feel deeply connected to Israel. I urge my fellow residents to vote against this pledge and instead support meaningful dialogue that respects all perspectives.
Dear
I believe in peace. I believe in justice. And that’s exactly why I’m voting no on the pledge appearing on the March ballot. This pledge does not promote peace, it promotes a one-sided, divisive narrative that does nothing to encourage constructive discussion or understanding.For those of us with deep Jewish ties, seeing a pledge that condemns Israel while ignoring the actions of groups that openly call for its destruction is not just unfair, it’s deeply painful. Peace comes from recognizing complexity, not from reducing history to slogans.
If Vermont truly cares about justice, let’s work toward fostering conversations that include all perspectives. This pledge only pushes people apart, and I urge you to vote against it.
