Article Courtesy of The
Palm Beach Post
By Mike Diamond
Published June 7, 2021
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BOCA RATON — A federal judge has ruled against a woman who alleged that Seven
Bridges discriminated against her because she was a Christian living in a
predominantly Jewish community.
The lawsuit sought $7 million from the
HOA for alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act, claiming
the HOA has a responsibility to address discriminatory
behavior if it is made aware of it.
At issue was whether the HOA did anything
to control discriminatory conduct against the Christian
woman who allegedly was called “a stupid Shiksa" (a
disparaging term to describe a non-Jewish woman) and was
told to move out of Seven Bridges because it is 80% Jewish.
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Judge Donald Middlebrooks concluded there was not enough
evidence to bring the case to a jury, noting that the
alleged conduct, while reprehensible and offensive, was “not
so pervasive that it created a hostile housing environment.”
He ruled that alleging religious discrimination must involve
more than two incidents of offensive conduct.
“I conclude as a matter of law that that no reasonable jury
could find a hostile housing environment on this record,”
Middlebrooks said. The HOA called on the judge to dismiss
the case as part of a summary judgment motion.
Seven Bridges dispute escalated over Facebook posts
The case revolves around a bitter feud between two women at
Seven Bridges, Deborah LaGrasso and Rachel Tannenholz.
LaGrasso is Christian; Tannenholz is Jewish. Middlebrooks
questioned the conduct of both women. |
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A federal judge has ruled against Deborah LaGrasso,
who alleged that Seven Bridges discriminated against her because she
was a Christian living in a predominantly Jewish community. The
lawsuit stems from an argument and subsequent fight her children
were involved in with residents on the tennis courts at Seven
Bridges.
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hey became involved in a heated dispute over an anonymous Facebook page that
LaGrasso created a year ago. LaGrasso's posts criticized the clubhouse
restaurant, claiming that pest feces and insects were in the food. Board
members were also criticized and some of the posts were deemed to be
antisemitic. In response, the HOA imposed a $5,000 fine on LaGrasso and
suspended her for 330 days from using the pool, clubhouse and tennis courts.
Tannenholz responded to one of LaGrasso posts by urging her to move if she
was so unhappy. Tannenholz advised her to “move to a Klan neighborhood … a
white supremacist area.”
LaGrasso called Tannenholz the "Seven Bridges community stripper,” adding,
“OH MY those platform shoes are horrendous.. must be so hard to type and
dance on the pole at the same time.!!! [sic]"
When Tannenholz learned that the anonymous Facebook page was administered by
LaGrasso, she went to LaGrasso’s home in an effort to have her remove the
“humiliating post,” according to court documents.
She rang the doorbell repeatedly, banged on the front door and yelled for
LaGrasso to come outside. LaGrasso allegedly threatened to shoot Tannenholz
if she did not leave. Sheriff’s deputies threatened to file a trespassing
complaint against Tannenholz if she came back to the property.
Middlebrooks said Tannenholz's conduct was tempered by LaGrasso publicly
accusing her of being the "community stripper," noting: “While Tannenholz's
conduct and language were by no means justified, it bears noting that such
conduct did not rise out of thin air but instead was the product of a
relationship infused with considerable animosity for reasons that appear to
have had nothing to do with religion.”
Plans for a rehearing?
The case may be far from over. LaGrasso’s lawyer, Scott Weires, said he
plans on asking for a rehearing and if that fails, he will appeal the
judge’s ruling.
“Dismissing months of harassment and instead focusing on just two instances
that occurred over several days misses the point, and cuts against
well-established legal precedent. Courts should not infer a proper purpose
where, as in this case, an offending resident mocks the plaintiff at
association meetings, rallies others on social media to torment the
plaintiff, goes to the home of the plaintiff to taunt the family, and
continues to loiter on their cul-de-sac in what is a large neighborhood of
700 homes. Inferences are for juries and a jury should be allowed to infer
that the 'totality of the circumstances' created a hostile housing
environment.”
Efforts to obtain comment from the lawyer for the HOA were unsuccessful.
LaGrasso has had other issues with the HOA. In an unrelated incident, the
HOA found that she assaulted some women in December 2019 on the tennis
courts over a dispute concerning her daughters’ taking too many courts for
lessons. She was barred from using any of amenities for 90 days. There was
no allegation of religious discrimination related to that incident.
Meanwhile, Tannenholz has filed a lawsuit of her own in Palm Beach County
alleging that the posts on LaGrasso’s Facebook page amounted to defamation.
The state case is pending.
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