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As one of the organizers of Buy Israel Week from Monday, Feb. 25 through March 3, StandWithUs is encouraging people to purchase Israeli goods from stores and markets all over the Bay Area.

In particular, the pro-Israel organization is making a request that people patronize Cliff’s Variety in San Francisco and Zand Market in Albany. “Both have been targeted by anti-Israeli activists for daring to sell Israeli products,” a StandWithUs press release noted.

Cliff’s sells SodaStream home carbonation products, and Zand sells chocolates, teas and foods, all made in Israel, the release noted.

To show support for Cliff’s, StandWithUs/SF Voice for Israel held a “buy-cott” rally at the store on

Feb. 10.

“These groups have not only protested outside, they have entered the store and disrupted its business,” noted Dr. Mike Harris, spokesman for SWU/SF Voice for Israel.

Harris said “several dozen” supporters showed up to the Feb. 10 rally, and when they entered the store, they presented the staff with a giant card “thanking them for standing up to bullies.”

“The staff at Cliff’s really appreciated our community’s response,” Harris added. “We let them know that if they continued to be subjected to that type of intimidation that we would respond with more of these buy-ins.”

For a list of Northern California stores that sell Israeli products, visit www.buyisraelgoods.org and click on the San Francisco Bay Area. A broad menu of small and large retail outlets as well as online sources are listed. Cliff’s Variety is located at 479 Castro St., S.F., and Zand Market is at 1401 Solano Ave., Albany.