Deerfield-News.com- Deerfield Beach,Fl
Inside of Deerfield Beach’s largest condo community a religious fight over praying at the pool has begun.
At the Berkshire pool a group of religious Jews have begun holding religious services in what is called “Common Area” in Condo Land . That is an area that belongs to all the owners of the entire condo community together.The clubhouse,the pools, the tennis courts etc that is “Common Area”, it belongs to not one particular Condo Association ,but all of them collectively.That apparently is where this story gets a little ugly.
Deerfield-News.com sources say a member of the Recreation Committee of COOCVE the Master Association for Century Village said “You Jews want everything”. That said the battle is on Deerfield Beach Pool or Shul Gentiles Versus Jews!
Apparently an issue being raised is the fact someone had the lights in bathrooms fixed so they would come on and off automatically. Religious Jews are not permitted to turn on or off lights on the Sabbath, nor cause them to be by installation of a blinking light sensor.Our consult with a religious Jew not part of this “Berkshire Pool Group” raised questions about the light going on and off even with a sensor not being “kosher”. Our source says all of these services could and should be held at “The Synagogues” or in someones home which are all in walking distance from the Berkshire pool.
The real issue seems to be the services are taking place on a “Common Area” available to all condo residents.In the forty years my grandparents and parents has lived in CVE, I do not remember a time where there had been religious services going on regularly in public at any pool on the Sabbath.As of this posting we have not heard back from either side in this issue of religious services. We plan to be at the pool this Sabbath and see if this situation turns uglier.
UPDATED-Breaking News-Deerfield Beach,Fl.
Our source on the religious Jewish side who by his choosing, wants to be called “Hesh” says the group of religious Jews will be out at the Berkshire pool this shabbas holding services. Hesh insists the lights are staying and so are he and his group praying, unless a court order comes to stop and to take the sensors out.
Deerfield-News.com does not believe that is needed, that in fact COOCVE has the authority to maintain and operate all pools in Century Village.Stay Tuned.
