New England Towns Become Hotbed for Anti-Israel BDS Movement and Rising Antisemitism
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
By דניאל ארזי
First reported by N12 · Jun 28, 2026
What happened
New England's rural towns, especially in Vermont, have become centers for municipal BDS activism against Israel, passing boycott resolutions and fueling rising antisemitism. This movement exploits local town meetings to enact anti-Israel policies, causing social divisions and increased antisemitic incidents, including in public schools. Jewish communities are responding with volunteer tourism initiatives to Israel to counteract isolation and negative narratives.
- 01New England towns, especially in Vermont, have passed municipal BDS resolutions against Israel.
- 02Town Meeting Day tradition enables direct local votes on anti-Israel boycotts.
- 03Antisemitic incidents in New England nearly doubled in 2025, with many linked to Israel.
- 04Antisemitism has spread from campuses into public K-12 schools, increasing by 50% in Massachusetts.
- 05Jewish groups launched volunteer tourism campaigns to Israel to combat isolation and negative perceptions.
- 06Local activism ties Palestinian solidarity to environmental and social justice causes to gain support.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
Full coverage · 2 outlets
The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.
