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Article Courtesy of First
Liberty
By Jayla Ward and Jorge Gomez
Published August 3, 2025
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The Loggers’ Run HOA in Boca Raton, Florida thought it could get away with
anti-Semitism.
But a federal district court said, “Not so fast.”
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First Liberty sued the
HOA in federal court last spring for discriminating against
Jewish residents. The association tried to get the lawsuit
thrown out, thinking it could escape responsibility.
This is the same HOA that at one point admitted it “did not
want religious Jews” in the neighborhood. One of the
managers even said they “should have ended your kind in the
1930s.”
This past week, a federal judge said “NO” to the HOA’s
attempt to dismiss the case.
That’s huge. It clears the path for the case to move
forward—to make sure we can hold the HOA accountable for its
illegal actions and horrible mistreatment of our clients,
Rabbi Naftaly and Henya Hertzel. |
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“We are grateful the court denied this motion to dismiss,” said Jeremy Dys,
Senior Counsel for First Liberty. “The HOA’s leadership has engaged in open
antisemitism against Rabbi Hertzel and created a hostile environment for
Jewish residents living in their community.”
For years, the HOA has made life difficult for the Hertzels. They’ve been
subjected to anti-Semitic insults by members of the HOA. Not to mention, the HOA
has abused its own rules and put up all kinds of barriers to keep Jewish
residents from gathering in the Hertzels’ home.
The Hertzels have lived under the Loggers Run HOA for 14 years and provide the
only religious services for Jewish residents in a six-mile radius. For the
Orthodox Jewish community, being able to walk to a synagogue is essential. Their
sincerely held beliefs prevent them from driving on the Sabbath and Jewish
holidays.
So, the Hertzels attempted to establish a permanent synagogue in the
neighborhood. The congregation currently meets in a storefront shopping center
nearby as well as in the Hertzels’ home. To better accommodate the congregants,
the couple purchased a neighboring home.
In 2017, they submitted a proposal to build a synagogue near several churches in
the neighborhood. When Henya specifically requested the proposal be considered,
board members did not bring the proposal up for a vote or even talk about it.
Ever since, the association has continued to harass the Hertzels.
On virtually every front, the HOA treated the Hertzels worse than their
neighbors. Some host multiple weekly meetings for a Baptist church, including
Bible studies twice a week. But the HOA made clear the Hertzels could not use
the new house for similar religious activities.
Vandals knocked down religious symbols, spray-painted property, broke windows,
flew drones over their home, and screamed anti-Semitic slurs outside while
meetings and religious gatherings were being conducted.
When some of the Jewish residents tried to run for the HOA board, the board
president campaigned saying that the “Jews are trying to take over” and to not
vote for them.
What the HOA is doing is patently illegal. In fact, our lawsuit explained to the
court that the HOA is guilty of 10 different violations of our clients’ rights.
The judge determined we have a legitimate claim on each count.
First Liberty is not going to let this HOA go unchecked.
If there’s something we should all agree on, it’s that anti-Semitism has no
place in our country. Plus, allowing people to worship peacefully is
Constitution 101. Worshiping in a private home is one of our most sacred and
protected rights.
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