Chicago Jewish Leaders Mobilize Against Illinois Anti-BDS Ballot Measures
Jewish leaders in suburban Chicago held a closed-door meeting to organize opposition against upcoming municipal ballot measures that challenge the state’s law protecting Israel from boycotts. The local push in Illinois arrives as voters across multiple municipalities prepare to cast ballots on symbolic measures regarding the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement on November 3.
The legislative framework under scrutiny dates back to 2015, when Illinois became the first state in the nation to enact anti-BDS legislation. That statute prohibits the state from investing pension funds in international companies that boycott Israel. While the state-level restrictions require formal action from the state legislature and the governor to change, activists have successfully pushed non-binding ballot referendums onto local voting registers in communities such as Oak Park, Champaign, and Peoria following the failure of a repeal bill in the statehouse.
Inside the Oak Park Referendum Fight
Oak Park represents the largest municipality in Illinois facing a referendum on the anti-boycott statute, boasting the most organized Jewish community among the affected towns. The ballot measure asks voters to urge the state to repeal laws banning public investments in companies boycotting Israel. Local activists with the group Oak Parkers For Free Speech gathered signatures to place the question on the ballot, calling its final approval a victory for democratic participation.
Dan Goldwin, public affairs director at the JUF, described the overarching campaign to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency as a true fight against coordinated progressive opposition. The JUF plans a strong and structured defense of the statute, while local organizers in Oak Park continue urging residents to reject what they term a misleading and divisive ballot question.
State Investments and the Air Canada Listing
The Illinois statute currently restricts state investments from flowing to 27 specific international companies identified as boycotting Israel. State officials maintain that the policy targets only politically motivated economic boycotts rather than limiting general freedom of speech. However, the enforcement mechanism has occasionally captured firms outside that explicit scope.
Goldwin acknowledged to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Air Canada remains on the state’s restricted investment list due to past news reports regarding the removal of Sabra hummus—a brand associated with an Israeli company—from its in-flight menus. According to Goldwin, the state investment board provided the airline an opportunity to clarify its policies, but Air Canada failed to respond, leaving the administrative listing in place amid heightened public scrutiny surrounding Israel-related policies.
Political Divisions Ahead of November Elections
The municipal consultations unfold amid a broader national shift in political support for Israel, particularly within the Democratic Party, following the military response to the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. State and local debates have intensified as progressive groups utilize municipal mechanisms to protest the investment bans.
Daniel Biss, a candidate for Congress in Illinois, voiced support for repealing the state law during a recent interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Biss argued that the government should not participate in the criminalization of freedom of expression and that the Illinois law is singular. Meanwhile, the representative for Illinois JB Pritzker has not issued public comments regarding the ongoing local ballot initiatives or the future of the 2015 legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific question will Oak Park voters answer on November 3?
Voters in Oak Park will consider a measure asking the state to repeal laws that prohibit public investments in companies participating in boycotts against Israel.
How many companies are currently restricted under the Illinois anti-BDS law?
The Illinois state investment board currently restricts financial holdings in 27 international entities identified as maintaining boycotts against Israel, a list that includes Air Canada.
When was the original anti-boycott legislation enacted in Illinois?
Illinois passed the pioneering legislation in 2015 under then-governor Bruce Rauner, marking the first time a U.S. state implemented rules barring pension funds from investing in firms boycotting Israel.
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