A sign created and distributed by Apartheid Free Baltimore at Common Ground in Hampden. (Steve Schuster)

Walking into Common Ground Cafe in Hampden, guests are greeted with far more than a taste of food and beverage selections. A large sign welcomes customers, decorated with the familiar pattern of the Maryland flag and a pattern often found on a Palestinian keffiyeh. In big black letters, it reads “Proud Partner — Apartheid Free Baltimore,” and states “this business has no business with Israel.”

The sign is created and distributed by Apartheid Free Baltimore (AFB), an organization run in collaboratively by Jewish Voice for Peace Baltimore, Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America and DMV Palestinian Youth Movement.

Apartheid Free Baltimore was formed in 2024 with a goal of aligning with the ideals of the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement, which looks to affect change in Israel and Palestine via economic pressure. For AFB, that means encouraging businesses to not source products from companies it calls “complicit in Israel’s human rights violations” and avoiding investments in companies that “are helping facilitate the genocide of Palestinians” according to the organization.

Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, said the economic boycott ignores key nuances of the situation.

“There are plenty of members of the Baltimore Jewish community who are uncomfortable or disagree with actions of the current Israeli government, just like there are plenty of Baltimoreans who disagree with the actions and leadership of the current American government,” Libit said. “In neither case does boycotting the businesses and economic activity of the people present a way to make the change.”

Common Ground is one of 40 Baltimore businesses that has signed the Apartheid Free Baltimore pledge and 37 that have followed through and completely divested — meaning per the pledge, they have effectively banned the sourcing of products from companies that financially support Israel.

That list includes:

Wishbone Reserve
Soul Soil Healing
Holy Frijoles
Atomic Books
Lovelyarns
Common Ground
Meta Wellness
In Watermelon Sugar
Bazaar
Crafted Hair Salon
Red Emma’s
Koshary Corner
Motzi Bread
B. Willow
Fruit Camp
Beyond Video
Baltimore Yoga Studios
Baltimore Bicycle Works
Thread Coffee Roasters
Neighborhood Fiber Co.
Mera Kitchen Collective
Baby’s on Fire
Making Space Bmore
Dear Globe Coffee
Le Mondo
Current Space
Fielder’s Tavern
Lark Hair Space
Scrap Creative Reuse
Hello Bonita
Stoop Coffee Shop
Aunt Hazel’s Witchcraft Project
The HOUSE Handcrafted
Calamansi Counseling

Jesse Gold, a JVP Baltimore organizer involved with Apartheid Free Baltimore, said outreach to Baltimore businesses has produced successful results, including many new partnerships.

“While each business has its own unique mission and perspective, they share a common desire for their business practices, and for the city as a whole, to reflect their values and commitment to human rights. Many businesses express gratitude at the invitation to be a part of this campaign and show solidarity with Palestinian liberation,” they said.

For Apartheid Free Baltimore, its commitment to human rights for Palestinians means doing its part to combat “the Israeli military’s war crimes, apartheid and genocide,” according to Gold.

The organization says its philosophy is rooted in one that first took shape against South African Apartheid decades ago.

Libit said that likening the South African Apartheid system to modern Israeli society and law is a dangerous comparison.

“The truth of the matter is that Arab citizens of Israel have voting rights. Members of the Arab community in Israel serve on the Supreme Court, serve in the Knesset. It’s a false comparison. It always has been,” he said.

Abby Cocke, an organizer with JVP Baltimore who works with AFB, declined to delve into specifics of what the organization’s end goal is or what it wants to see happen in the Levant, but stated that a future “grounded in justice and safety for all humans” includes “upholding Palestinians’ right to self-determination and right of return to their homes.”

Cocke also noted Apartheid Free Baltimore explicitly opposes all forms of racism and discrimination, including antisemitism.According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), “JVP uses its Jewish identity to shield the anti-Israel movement from allegations of antisemitism and to provide the movement with a veneer of legitimacy.”

The ADL further states JVP further partners with organizations that deny Israel’s right to exist.

When asked about the likelihood of the Apartheid Free Baltimore’s campaign deterring Jewish customers, Cooke said the organization’s “work at its core is grounded in all peoples’ right to live in safety and freedom, a commitment that many Jewish Baltimoreans share.” Apartheid Free Baltimore is funded Greater Baltimore DSA.

In addition to support from 40 businesses, over 400 individuals have made a pledge with AFB to boycott businesses that support Israel.

Libit, however, denies that the Apartheid Free Baltimore’s campaign is representative of what Jewish Baltimoreans want. He characterized JVP as a “fringe” group that doesn’t “speak for the Jewish community as a whole.”

He added that the campaign is antisemitic because it specifically targets the world’s only Jewish state.

“They aren’t choosing to target any of the other conflict zone places … there’s no call to boycott Chinese companies because of China’s treatment of some of their minorities, there’s no call to boycott certain African companies and nations where they’re committing genocide against people, the one place they want to target is the Jewish democracy,” he said.

For Libit, the AFB campaign will have serious ramifications for Jewish patronage of area businesses. He summed up his feelings, and likely those of others, succinctly.

“If I see it, I won’t go,” he said.

Editor Steve Schuster contributed to this report.

aguckes@midatlanticmedia.com

This story has been updated to reflect new information.