Sinclair staff boycott music venue over fundraising concert for Israel

Chants of “Free Palestine” and “Never again” filled the air on Tuesday evening in front of The Sinclair music venue in Cambridge. A group of around 150 people, including Sinclair workers and supporters, gathered outside of the venue to protest Israeli singer-songwriter Ishay Ribo’s concert that raised funds for the “healing and rebuilding of Israel,” according to the event webpage. Hosted by Harvard Chabad, the event featured two performances on Feb. 27. (A second show was added after the first sold out.)

According to several Sinclair staff members, the entire staff of approximately 40 people boycotted, and third-party workers were hired to staff the event. A spokesperson from The Sinclair declined to comment about event staffing; Harvard Chabad did not return questions about event staffing.

The event was booked relatively last minute, about two to three weeks before the scheduled date, according to several members of Sinclair staff. As soon as they found out about former Israeli Defence Forces soldier Ribo’s pro-IDF stance and the ticket sales fundraising for Israel, they acted to organize workers, who collectively agreed to not work the show.

“I do wish that if we're the people that patrons are seeing every night, that are physically making the venue run, we should have say as a collective towards what happens,” said Max Morton, a security staff member at The Sinclair. “I myself am a Jewish person … The Sinclair staff come from all different types of places and we're standing up against genocide and mass violence.”

In a petition shared with WBUR, Sinclair workers requested the cancellation of the event, with 38 signing and sending it to The Bowery Presents management, the company that owns the venue, on Feb. 20.

“We are concerned about the security implications of hosting this event would have for the staff … Would the host provide us with additional security for the duration of the event to protect the event space and staff from harm?” the letter read. “As an organization committed to upholding human rights and promoting inclusivity, we believe it is imperative to take a stand against actions or statements that may contribute to the perpetuation of violence and oppression. In light of the gravity of the current situation in Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced people are being massacred after months of well-documented war crimes being committed against them, we kindly request the cancellation of the scheduled show with Ishay Ribo.”

A second petition was delivered to Bowery management on Feb. 26, a day before the show. “We are in the belly of the beast here in the United States, as our tax dollars fund this ongoing genocide to serve the interest of Western imperialism and big energy companies. It is the responsibility of every American citizen to oppose the Palestinian genocide,” the second letter read. Since the start of the conflict, when Hamas militants launched an attack into Israel on Oct. 7, 1,200 in Israel and 30,000 Palestinians have died in the fighting, according to NPR.

A spokesperson for The Sinclair said the venue’s involvement in the Ribo show was limited to leasing and staffing the room. “Harvard Chabad rented out The Sinclair for an event which they produced and promoted. The Sinclair’s involvement is only limited to leasing and staffing the room for the evening, as we routinely do for third-party rentals.”

Student tickets were priced at $36, Jewish nonprofit professionals tickets were $45, general admission cost $180, VIP section tickets were available for $500 and a VIP section ticket and reception with Ishay Ribo cost $1,000. Sponsorships at three different levels were offered, ranging from $3,600 to $18,000.

Harvard Chabad did not specify what the ticket sales would fund.

“Love, peace, and music will prevail,” said Harvard Chabad founder Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi in a statement ahead of the concerts. Adding that if concert proceeds came in, they will “absolutely go to the healing and rebuilding of Israel, who is recovering from and fighting off an enemy seeking its destruction.”

Initially intended to be a picket for Sinclair workers, the event sparked community support from organizers with Jewish Voice for Peace and Harvard Jews For Palestine.

According to Eli Gerzon, an organizer at Jewish Voice for Peace for nine years, they spread the word on social media to raise awareness for the event and encourage people to contact The Sinclair and Bowery Presents.

“[The Sinclair is] a very welcoming space in many ways for queer people and people from all sorts of backgrounds,” Gerzon said. “But when we see The Sinclair supporting genocide, we want them to know that [genocide support is] not welcome here in Cambridge, especially in a city that just passed a ceasefire resolution. ”

G Laster, an organizer at Harvard Jews For Palestine, had similar reasons for attending.

“I hope it sets the precedent of continued solidarity across identitarian lines with workers,” they said. “That truly is the way forward, I believe. People stepping out, draining institutions of their credibility. Togetherness, through solidarity, through struggle.”

The protest was largely peaceful, lasting from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Cambridge Police officers were present, standing in front of the venue. However, tensions rose when concert attendees exited the venue, some holding Israel flags. The pro-Palestine and pro-Israel sides faced off with each other, shouting chants and waving signs.

“It felt really good to stand with a lot of my coworkers and to feel like I was a part of a larger force,” Morton said.