Golf, Tefillin, Boca

The headline could be part of the question: Which one of these things does not belong? Actually, it’s a complicated but at the same time simple story.

Here’s the story: Isaac Scharf, a relatively young businessman who resides in the upscale community of Boca Raton, Florida, is suing the Boca Grove community for $50 million. He is seeking economic relief because the board of directors of the almost 500-home community has filed a grievance against him and his family that prohibits them from using the community facilities for 90 days. In his lawsuit, his first complaint states: “Boca Grove has an ongoing problem with discrimination against its growing Orthodox Jewish community.”

The story began when Scharf invited golf social-media influencer Jake Adams to play at the BG golf course and post his impressions of the golf course. The lawsuit claims that country club staff and the manager were enthused to meet Adams and even delivered food to the players during his visit. So far so good.

Jake Adams putting on tefillin

After a few rounds on the course, Adams was invited back to the clubhouse where he was welcomed by a few of the members as well as some of Scharf’s longtime friends and neighbors. One of those present asked Adams, who is Jewish, if he wanted to put on tefillin, recite the berachah, and then recite the Shema, which was not part of his usual daily routine. Once the video was posted online, a grievance was filed against Scharf and his family. The so-called grievance had to be approved by a hearing committee, which it was over a short amount of time.

A grievance posted against a member includes fundamental restrictions such as not allowing them to enter the premises electronically through the security gate, forcing them to check in with the guard. In addition, neither Mr. Scharf nor any member of his family can use the facilities—like the golf course, clubhouse, fitness center, pool, dining rooms—or attend any organized community event so long as the grievance period is in effect.

What did Mr. Scharf do to deserve this type of treatment? According to Isaac and some of his neighbors I spoke with earlier this week, they were all stunned by the board’s actions. The neighbors I spoke with all insisted on anonymity because they feared being targeted by the Boca Grove board. That concern in and of itself is problematic and, interestingly, not a matter that is unique to Boca Grove. At the same time, looking at how anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head, especially over these last few years, the question is if this action truly represents legitimate anti-Semitism or perhaps is a dispute that emerged within the greater Jewish community due to its diversity. Furthermore, one has to wonder if disputes like this, particularly in these Florida developments in multiple cities around the state, might have arisen due to the palpable demographic shift in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic and the havoc it wreaked around the country.

Add to this the possibility that New York City might elect a communist mayor in November—Zohran Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Jews and Israel—and the uptick in migration from New York to Florida could be the same or greater than COVID time.

Let’s get back to Jake Adams, the Boca Grove golf course, the tefillin, and the $50 million lawsuit. Jake’s Instagram page contains videos of his reviews and impressions of what he calls “Jewish clubhouses” in South Florida. His style is similar to Dave Portnoy’s “One Bite Pizza Reviews” for pizza stores. But in the Boca Grove case, someone came up with the idea of having Jake wrap tefillin. It was the tefillin event that precipitated the grievance on the part of the board against the Scharf family. 

Are they serious? What is really going on here?

According to Jake Adams, the social-media influencer, his videos primarily focus on Jewish-dominated golf clubhouses in South Florida, and donning the tefillin was nothing more than an innocent gesture for his hosts.

Right now, as the preparations are underway for the trial or a settlement, Scharf says the actions of the Boca Grove board have done irreparable harm to his family. “How do I tell my children that they can’t use the pool because their parents were sanctioned by representatives of the community?” Scharf asks.

In its identification of the parties to the suit, the court filing reads: “Plaintiff Isaac Scharf is an Orthodox Jew who lives in Boca Grove and is a dues-paying member of Boca Grove on behalf of his family. Isaac is an upstanding member of the community who prior to the events described in this complaint has never been the subject of any grievance within Boca Grove nor been accused of violating any of its rules…”

Another subheading of the suit, which is available online, states: “Boca Grove has an ongoing problem with discrimination against its growing Orthodox Jewish community.”

The suit states that the plaintiff feels this type of discriminatory conduct does exist, and considering what took place with the golf and tefillin event, Mr. Scharf and his family are seeking redress and compensation for being targeted by the Boca Grove board.

It further states: “The growth of the Boca Grove Orthodox Jewish community has resulted in extreme financial benefit for the community.” It continues that in the aggregate, home values since 2020, when the Orthodox community had something of a growth spurt, increased from under $300,000 per home to several million dollars in most cases.

The 275-page lawsuit, filed in the district court in West Palm Beach, will be tried in that courthouse unless there is a settlement prior to the case being heard.

While this is an extreme and unusual case that seeks extraordinary damages, similar sentiments can be heard in communities similar to this on an increasing basis. In the aftermath of COVID, especially given how the pandemic regulations were handled in the Northeast, an influx of Jews—especially Orthodox Jews—moved to Florida. Many residents of communities in South Florida can attest to a level of discomfort expressed by some old-time residents, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to the arrival of Orthodox Jews.

After cases like this played themselves out numerous times in places like the Five Towns, West Hampton Beach on Long Island, and elsewhere, hostile residents should have learned that even subtle discrimination does not win. When it comes to our First Amendment rights as Americans and the freedom of religion that exists, there is something very wrong when a board with legal counsel concludes that wrapping tefillin on a Jew is offensive or a violation of communal rules in any way.

For the Boca Grove board, it will simply be a case of a lesson they should have learned long ago. n

Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.