Days before Corvalis City Council meetings, folks working for our fair burgh publish a meeting agenda and a full packet of materials to go with it. Often informative, sometimes dry, and now again, emotional; we sort of wait for these packets with bated breath.
They often telegraph to us what our reporting will need to center on both instantly and going into the future. Last week, for instance, the packet contained and we reported on the Investment Resolution Analysis that examines potential legal and financial outcomes should the Council approve Councilor Briae Lewis’ BDS resolution. The BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions; it specifically targets Israel. The BDS movement’s website states the elimination of Israel to be one of their goals.
Anyhow, City staff are asking the Council to receive and approve the analysis and potentially offer staff further direction. We suspect that is what will happen tonight. Theoretically though, they could pass, table or reject a BDS resolution, so we’ll see.
But also, in this week’s packet there was a letter to Council from a constituent, a slice of broken neighborliness, and what our City is becoming, and what we really wish our City leaders would think about when it comes to Israel and BDS, and well, many a thing. We’ve included the letter below.
This newspaper has vociferously taken an editorial stance against Lewis’ resolution. Our position is rooted in the moral case against antisemitism and a BDS movement with the stated goal of eliminating the state of Israel entirely. And we can’t begin to conjure how folks have been hoodwinked to think BDS can bring any measure of justice or peace to the Palestinians. We reject the arguments that see only Israelis or Palestinians, instead of both. We’ve reported on what Americans can do that may, in reality, help.
And most strenuously we have objected to how the passage of Lewis’ resolution would shape the way Jewish people see and experience Corvallis. So, here’s that letter we talked about.
Letter to Council from a Constituent
To the City Councilors,
On Monday evening I spoke at the City Council meeting. In my short presentation I discussed the increase in antisemitic hate crimes in our country and the increasing fear of this with which Corvallis Jewish residents are living. I also mentioned the green-light effect of BDS-type resolutions on verbal and physical antisemitic behaviors. Never did I think my few minutes addressing this issue with you would become prescient.
I have been asked to write to let you know that on Tuesday morning shortly before 11am there was a knock at my door. Upon opening it, I was surprised to find my next-door neighbor standing there. I was surprised because she hasn’t spoken to me since shortly after October 7, 2025 because of the divergence of our views on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
I was concerned that there was an emergency at her house and asked if everything was okay. She responded by yelling, “you had your three minutes last night; now I’m taking my three minutes.” This began a stream of hostile antisemitic verbiage. When I tried to explain my fear that Israel, having been attacked since its inception, would be destroyed and with it Jews everywhere, her reaction was chilling. She indicated that would be fine with her.
She walked away, rather stomped away, of her own volition. At that point I phoned the police.
As I closed my door, I was shaking. I can still hardly believe it. Prior to October 7 2023, we had been good friends, walking together weekly and celebrating each other’s birthdays. On Tuesday she was on my property screaming at me, trying to intimidate me.
At that point I phoned the police to report the incident. I felt anxious and vulnerable all day. Her behavior at my door was definitely unstable, and I have become concerned that other hostile and harassing behaviors might occur.
I have emailed my surrounding neighbors to let them know what happened, and asked that they contact the police if they notice her on my property when I’m not home. They expressed support and a desire to protect me.
This woman is usually a mild-mannered, civic-minded person, but somehow has gotten a message that it is okay to be abusive to someone Jewish. It is of great concern that passing BDS-type measures will promote more antisemitic incidents like this, or worse. Please don’t give her or anyone else in our community more reason to think this way.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Amy Buccola 8/21/25
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include a definition for the acronym, BDS.
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