Local rabbi accuses HOA of restricting religious display despite allowing others in Cooper City community
By Brandon Beyer, Jack Royer, Kevin Boulandier
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COOPER CITY, Florida (WSVN) — A South Florida rabbi is in a religious dispute with his homeowners association after, he said, they are restricting him from expressing his religious views ahead of the Jewish holiday.
Rabbi Shmuel Hurwitz lives in the Embassy Lakes community in Cooper City, and he likes to have his menorah out year-round and play his shofar.
But this year, Hurwitz said, the community’s association told him he couldn’t do it.
“The most recent threat from the lawyer is that they will not allow us; they’re saying you’re not allowed to go and gather,” said Hurwitz. “Again, this is residents of Embassy Lakes that want to gather together in their own common area.”
Hurwitz said the association has even threatened to go to his house and take down the menorah.
“‘We’ll come onto your lawn, and if need be, cut the menorah at its base.’ This outraged many people in this community,” said Hurwitz.
He said he had played the shofar for the last four years on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate the Jewish New Year with his neighbors.
“It’s basically to coordinate God as our king and announce that, ‘God, we are committed to you, and please make this year filled with blessings and success,’” said Rabbi Pinny Andrusier, who is supporting Hurwitz.
He believes the association is unfair to him, as other religious symbols such as the Virgin Mary and a Buddha are allowed in the community.
“If you walk around this neighborhood, you’ll see that there are other religious statues, and which rightfully so, let them have that up,” said Hurwitz.
The association released a statement on Wednesday saying that they are enforcing the covenants in the community.
“A small group of owners believes that they can conduct themselves in any manner they choose under the veil of antisemitism, to excuse anything they choose to do, whether approved or not. In other words, once told that their actions are against the covenants, they assert the actions are antisemitic, trying to scare the Association into submission. Using antisemitism as a threat to bolster one’s desired look of their residence only dilutes its true meaning and purpose and should never be done in such circumstances.”
The rabbi said everyone should feel welcome in the Cooper City community.
“I want to believe that Embassy Lakes should be a place free for religion and not free from religion,” said Hurwitz.
The rabbi hopes to be able to keep his menorah and to continue celebrating the Jewish holiday in his neighborhood.
“I want everyone to express their beliefs and religion without the fear of people coming after them,” said Hurwitz.
The rabbi is now waiting on what the association will do as the deadline to take down his menorah has passed. He said he might have to file a lawsuit to settle the issue and make a change.
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