Feeding the Divide: How a Charity's Gaza Statement Sparked a Rift in the Portland Jewish Community

In a move that has reverberated through the Jewish community in Portland, Oregon, the Oregon Food Bank's statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict has led to a rift with local Jewish organizations. The decision by these groups to withdraw their support has raised questions about the role of charities in navigating sensitive political issues and the delicate balance between advocating for causes and maintaining community relationships.

Uncovering the Tensions: A Closer Look at the Conflict Between the Oregon Food Bank and the Jewish Community

Passover Message Sparks Controversy

During this year's Passover celebrations, Rabbi Michael Cahana of Congregation Beth Israel in Portland urged his congregation to use the portion of the seder commemorating the bread of affliction to "call out the hunger of Palestinian civilians in Gaza." This message, which Cahana believed reflected the values of the congregation and community, sparked a chain of events that would ultimately lead to a rift between the Oregon Food Bank and the local Jewish organizations.

The Food Bank's Statement on the Israel-Hamas Conflict

Two weeks after Cahana's Passover message, the Oregon Food Bank, which had long received financial and other forms of support from Congregation Beth Israel, drafted its own statement about hunger in Gaza. This statement called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, accused Israel of perpetuating a "war against Palestine," and claimed that the Israeli military was "indiscriminately" targeting bakeries, aid workers, and hospitals, while also hindering relief efforts in the region.

Jewish Groups Respond with Outrage

The food bank's statement, which did not outright accuse Israel of genocide but referenced "colonial ideologies" and the need to hold policymakers accountable for "enacting foreign policies that contribute to genocide, warfare, famine, and hunger," was met with outrage from Beth Israel congregants. Cahana, too, was dismayed, as he felt the food bank's words failed to account for Hamas and lacked the empathy for all victims of war that his own Passover message had sought to convey.

Cutting Ties: Jewish Groups Withdraw Support

After unsuccessful attempts to persuade the food bank to soften its statement, a dozen Portland Jewish groups, including the local federation, several synagogues, and a Jewish family service group, decided in late May to cut off their support for the Oregon Food Bank. Instead, they chose to fund other local hunger groups, some of which were Jewish-run.

The Rationale Behind the Jewish Groups' Decision

The Jewish groups objected to the food bank's decision to take a stance on an international issue, particularly one that they felt demonized Israel. They questioned why the food bank had not issued similar statements about ongoing famines in other regions, such as Sudan or Syria, and believed it was inappropriate for the charity to accuse Israel of "intentional" targeting of aid workers, hospitals, and sources of food.

The Food Bank's Perspective and Response

The Oregon Food Bank, however, stood by its statement, arguing that since it believed Gazans were facing an increasingly likely prospect of famine, it was well within the organization's mission to denounce Israel's conduct in the war. The food bank also claimed to have received "overwhelming support" since the dispute became public and encouraged its supporters to also give to the World Central Kitchen, an aid group distributing food in Gaza.

The Fallout: Funding Redirected and Relationships Strained

The decision by the Jewish groups to withdraw their support from the Oregon Food Bank has had a ripple effect. Some individual Jewish donors have also rescinded their support, and the Jewish groups have pledged to redirect their funding to other local food charities, some of which were founded by Jews. However, the food bank has maintained that the financial losses have not been significant, and it is calling on its community "to redirect their support to the people of Gaza who, unfortunately, are facing full-blown famine."

The Broader Implications: Navigating Sensitive Political Issues

The incident in Portland highlights a growing concern in Jewish philanthropy circles about the rise of a "statement culture" around the Israel-Hamas war, in which a range of organizations, regardless of their primary mission, are taking positions on the issue. This has the potential to fray relationships between Jews and non-Jews in institutions across the country, as Jewish groups grapple with the responsibility of ensuring the causes they support align with their values.

The Delicate Balance: Advocating for Causes and Maintaining Community Relationships

The situation also raises questions about the role of charities in navigating sensitive political issues and the delicate balance between advocating for causes and maintaining community relationships. While the Jewish groups believe they have a responsibility to ensure the causes they support align with their values, the decision to withdraw funding can have the unintended consequence of feeding into pernicious antisemitic stereotypes about Jewish power and influence around Israel, and could even hurt the marginalized communities the groups set out to help.

A Continued Dialogue: Seeking Common Ground and Mutual Understanding

Despite the tensions, both the Jewish groups and the Oregon Food Bank have expressed a desire to continue the dialogue and find a way to collaborate in the future. The Oregon Jewish Community Foundation, for example, is pursuing "a different type of collaboration" with Hygiene4All, a nonprofit that had initially been included in a funding campaign but was removed after it issued a statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict. The foundation and Hygiene4All are now working towards "deeper discussion" and a "collaborative effort for improving the world."