Good News for Trader Joes in SD:

Oh yeah, major success in SD, CA - here's the email I received:

Subject: Direct action at Trader Joe's was a success..but not in the way our 'cousins' had intended

Hi, all!

Well, it seems we may have struck a blow for Israeli commerce, at least in San Diego :)

I walked into the Trader Joe's in La Jolla at about 1:30pm PDT, and was relieved to see no Israeli products adorning the floor. I then went up to the Customer Service desk, and asked to be pointed in the directon of all the Israeli products they sold. They did not have to ask why; I was informed that throughout the day, customers had been coming in, and specifically asking to purchase Israeli products. In fact, the chopped garlic had already sold out, and the remaining 4 items (couscous, cilantro, basil and feta cheese) were on their way to being sold out!

When I asked whether the run on the Israeli products was a coincidence, the TJ's people said it was no coincidence. While maintaining their apolitical stance, they said that word of the anti-Israel stunt had served to accomplish only one thing: it had actually spurred the sale of Trader Joe's Israeli products!

So thanks to all of you who helped to spread the word in 36 hours...ya done good! Special mention goes to Nicole Blacher (who initially informed me via the newsletter I forwarded on Thursday) and to Gary Rotto, who hastily assembled the following online column:

http://www.jewishsightseeing.com/#rotto

After I returned, I went online to express my support to the stalwarts at Trader Joe's. I suggest you do the same. Here's the web address of their Feedback page:

http://www.traderjoes.com/general_feedback_form.aspx

This is what I wrote:

Sirs,
I very rarely write to corporate entities but extraordinary stands require
extraordinary measures. I very much want to register my gratitude to Trader
Joe's for deciding NOT to cave in to anti-Israel organizations, and continuing
to sell products made in Israel.
I know your stand is apolitical in nature but anyone attempting to convince you
that the organization behind the plan to deshelve Israeli products in your
stores is pro-Palestinian is a tool...in both senses of the word. The
deshelving action is simply an extension of the worldwide Arab boycott of
Israeli goods, an official boycott that goes way back to the creation of the
Jewish state in 1948. Trader Joe's finds itself in good company. Organizations
that have been threatened include Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson,
Burger King, AOL Time Warner, Disney, Estée Lauder, Nokia, Revlon, Marks &
Spencer, Selfridges and IBM. Up until 5 years ago, I had not heard of Trader
Joe's; I had been living in the UK
for the previous 10 years. However, shortly after my return to San Diego, I was introduced to your store,
and have become a devoted customer ever since. After learning about Trader
Joe's refusal to succumb to the boycott of Israeli goods, I wouldn't think of
shopping anywhere else. In fact, I made a special point of visiting your La Jolla store earlier today to buy one item of every
Israeli product that you sell, including frozen cilantro...AND I HATE CILANTRO!
One of the items you normally sell, chopped garlic, had sold out, apparently
not by coincidence. I was informed by various store personnel that there had
been a steady stream of customers all day long who had been buying Israeli
goods in support of your apolitical stance. Once again, I applaud that
apolitical stance. I choose to SUPPORT organizations, not BOYCOTT them! :) Kind
regards (and thanks), Henry Shillet

Thanks to everyone for their help!

B'shalom,

Henry Shillet

THE CONNECTOR