For a while, the people of Solterra in Orlando Florida struggled with simmering resentment against the “Passover guests,” as they called the religious Jews who rented homes in their community on Pesach. Many of the visitor’s behaviors mystified the local residents or left them frustrated and embittered.
Avromi Perkowski has made every effort to make himself available to the non-Jewish homeowners and answer their many questions: Why do these Jews bring so many things with them? Why do they insist on covering security cameras and disabling motion detectors before the holiday begins? Why do they walk in the streets instead of the sidewalks, and why do they cut through other people’s private property on their way to shul?
“Communication is the key,” Avromi asserts today.
Perhaps one of his most memorable interactions was with Melissa (name changed), an unaffiliated Jew who served as the liaison of the local homeowners’ association before Pesach this year.
“There are two issues that the homeowners complain about every year,” Melissa informed him when he met with her before Pesach. “The first is the slaughtering of the lambs. This is a very big problem; it leaves blood stains on the carpets, and they are very irritated by it.”
Avromi was shocked. “Melissa,” he said calmly, “I can assure you that none of the guests are slaughtering lambs anywhere. Those stains are probably wine stains on the carpets from spills at the Seder meals.”
“The second problem is that the guests tend to walk through private backyards,” Melissa continued. “I explained to the other homeowners that this is because the Jews have an obligation to inhabit G-d’s land and they walk through the yards to show that the land belongs to them.”
Once again, Avromi was happy to clear up a misconception. “The people are doing this only because they are not allowed to drive on the holiday, and the walk to the synagogue is very long.”
Thanks to his efforts and congenial communication, Melissa ultimately proved to be a valuable ally who secured permission for specific shortcuts, to construct an eiruv, and hold minyanim in their tent. Melissa was even moved to begin exploring her own Jewish roots and joined the Perkowski family for some Yom Tov meals.
Rabbi Shraga Freedman is the Director of the Living Kiddush Hashem Foundation and author of Sefer Mekadshei Shemecha, Living Kiddush Hashem, and A Life Worth Living.
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