Companies that are pro-Isreal/ethical or moral purchasing

My mum's aunt is always sending me chain emails, many of which deal with Jewish humour, Jewish culture, history, etc. Recently, a lot of these have been more pro-Isreal than usual.

She did send me one today that I thought was fairly interesting. I'll include it below the jump for length. I also take no responsibility for its spelling or grammar. Basically, it lists a number of pro-Israel companies (defined by virtue of their founder/owner's beliefs, investments, donations, actions, etc.) and encourages support as a way of supporting Israel's cause.

I don't think it's particularly revolutionary to say how pervasive targeted buying - or boycotting - has become as a way of showing support for a particular cause or another. There have been numerous protests in front of Chapters and Indigo bookstores around the country because Heather Reisman, the owner, is an active and vocal supporter of Isreal. It stems from the same vein as choosing organic or fair-trade products as a matter of principle, or buying only apparel that is union-made. I try to buy organic/FT/local food and household products as much as possible (organic more because I am a paranoid health freak than anything else), but I will confess that when it comes to clothing I am a bit of a cheap fashion whore and will buy fair-trade and union-made as long as my budget allows it. Unfortunately, when it comes to clothing ethical buying is often prohibitively expensive.

However, not buying something based on principle is a lot easier and cheaper than buying something based on principle. My own position on Israel is somewhat conflicted, and while they are definitely in my bad moral books right now, I doubt that I would actively boycott any companies that support them. There are plenty of reasons for which I will avoid shopping at certain places. If I have to choose a big-box store in my suburban neighbourhood, it will be the Loblaws rather than the Wal-Mart. At the same time, I am more likely to seek out a company and buy their products based on environmental impact, the principle of supporting small business or endeavours (either locally, nationally, or globally), and their business practices, rather than not taking my business to company X based on one principle or another. Does that make sense?

The reason that I am so fascinated by the idea of ethical or moral purchasing is because I love to shop - for anything. Sometimes I try to rationalize it as stimulating the economy, but we all know that's not true. I dawdle in front of clothing store windows and love to just look around. Grocery shopping can take me hours (as many of you probably know), as I try to juggle buying within a budget and satisfying my above-listed principles. I know that throughout recent history, it has been women who are the most suceptible to ethical or moral purchasing campaigns because they have done the vast majority of the purchasing. I am interested in whether any of you (or our non-contributing readers) take these kinds of things into account when purchasing.

EDIT can't figure out how to hide the email so let me know if you want to see it.