Local builder refuses to sell home to NY resident because he made a Simcha during Covid

A local builder told a New York resident he refuses to sell him a house because of a Simcha he made, the Brooklyn resident told TLS.

The New York resident says he was discussing the home with the builder in Toms River, when he told the builder he would wrap things up next week because he’s making a Simcha this week.

“He says, you’re making a Simcha during Covid? It’s dangerous,” the resident relayed. “I said, I made it clear that those who don’t wish to attend or those with symptoms should not attend.”

He continued, “He tells me I should ask my Rav, to which I responded, I did, and my Rav said it was okay.”

The potential purchaser says the builder then told him, “if that’s the case, I don’t want to sell you a house,” and hung the phone up on him.

“It’s unheard of,” says the Brooklyn resident. “Never in my life have I see such despicable behavior and unprofessional work ethics.”

He added, “It’s okay, there are plenty other homes to purchase, and plenty other decent business people out there.”

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37 COMMENTS

  1. There are lots of emotions on both sides of the aisle. I am surprised this is newsworthy after nearly a year of COVID-19 stories. Don’t we know this by now?

  2. Is it more idiotic then somone making a simcahs torah full of lavish narishkeit or a mosad dinner fit for seudas achashveroish. Guess who else they killed a idiot mordechai , if somone makes a stand for what he believes (and most of the drs and rabbonim who aren’t scared to take a stand) is right, within a culture of conformity and social pressure and total disregard for a virus even to those that its truly dangerous for . He is a hero .

    The amount of people at high risk who cave to act negligently because of the social pressure amongst us is sad arent we a nation built on the value of veahavta lerayacha kamocha ?

    Dont we have a responsibility to limit the spread to make awareness and protect those that are vulnerable .

  3. I promise you it has nothing to do with covid. The builder got a better offer ,and he used covid as an excuse.

    The builders name should be publicized. This is horrible treatment and no one should buy the house. Ler him eat his words.

  4. While I think this is a bit extreme, I do agree with his sentiment. Let me ask the writer of this letter a question. What if you told the builder “I want to wrap this up as quickly as possible because next week I am attending a Simcha and randomly shooting a gun at people” would you understand his answer then? I know someone in my Shul who’s father (no health issues, as if that makes a difference) was recently niftar from Covid 2 weeks after attending a Chasunah! Im sure the Baal Simcha also thought there was no issue. As someone that is careful with Covid and perplexed by the callous attitude of many, including my own Shul where I haven’t Davened for 9 months, I salute the builder though I feel his response is extreme. Why can’t you understand that people like myself feel that you are endangering MY life? There have R”L been well over 100 people in Lakewood that have died from Covid, some I knew personally, to put it into perspective, that is one person every 3 days! How many more Karbonos do we need? Just be responsible, is that too much to ask for?

  5. All of a sudden the builder is a groisse tzadik. Gimme a break. He lines peoples pockets to get what he wants. Do not believe for a second that he was worried about anyones health!!!

  6. Can you please explain to me

    there hasn’t been any new information regarding Covid infection we all know what It can do however as an adult and as a torah fearing Jew you should consult your rabbi and ask him if it’s OK for you to attend and if he says it’s OK for you to attend and you are not concerned with catching the virus so be it. In our shul in BP we have over 500 Mispallelim many had the virus some were in bed longer than others NO ONE died. Not saying it’s not dangerous but I am saying that I don’t believe the media and we can all make our own decisions.

    Staying home and living in a bubble will turn you into a bubble man. And yes those that made a decision to stay home who started with a room temperature iQ will mostly likely end up becoming brain dead anyway.

  7. The oilam has to move on.
    There are very strong emotions on both sides. Each holds the other side is nuts.
    So stick with like minded people! If you don’t want to be careful, stay away from the stores that are insisting on masks! And if you want to be careful, well, don’t go to Satmar for Mincha…you are asking for it.
    But there is no reason to constantly publish articles pushing division in our community.
    Be tolerant of others. Neither side is evil; the ones who are petrified for their lives or the ones that need to live their lives the way it always was.

  8. The builder is a complete idiot, beyond a shadow of doubt!

    What goes on in one state has nothing to do with what goes on in a different state, and even within the same state, what goes on in one area of the state is nothing like what goes on in another area of the state.

  9. I hate it when the liberal media drop a “COVID” cardiac arrest at the ER for us to do CPR. I mean, if you’re going to make up a pandemic then at least don’t kill people just to prove a point.

  10. interesting. i wonder if this is the full story. as an aside, the risk of covid is very real .there is no reason to put older and vulnerable people at risk for no good reason.

  11. I’m one of those that tries to be careful. Masks avoiding crowds etc. But what do you all mean that people should be more considerate? Should everyone stop malting weddings??? If you have a child that nerds to get married what would you do?? No one is forcing or even encouraging anyone to come to their simchas. I’ve told quite a few balei simcha (some of them close family members) that I can’t come due to health concerns. They never tried to convince me otherwise

  12. This buyer is lucky. I know the builder (moderated) and he’s a known sick dude. Buy with reputable builders, not with some loser who conned an investor to go along with him.

  13. How dare the builder have his workers work during a pandemic! Its impossible to build a house with complete social distancing. What a rasha… Hope no one patronizes this “rodef”

  14. There is a story also surfacing of a owner of a cemetery just outside of Lakewood that does a similar shpiel. If when calling for a burial plot you inadvertently make mention that you hosted a family party, he will hang up the phone saying that he will not do business with you. If you call him a second time, he will threaten to ban your burial privileges as it pertains to his business for 1 full year.
    His actions are also in my opinion, reprehensible.

  15. @Sam, I assume your post was, at least partially, directed at me. I didn’t say people should be more “considerate”, though they should be. I said people should be more “RESPONSIBLE”. How? Make Simchos with less people, spread out, without hand in hand dancing, with fewer people per table etc. Shuls should practice social distancing, masks, better ventilation, responsible Kiddushim etc. Nobody that I know is advocating to stop living, but I am suggesting that at the same time we need to reevaluate “how” we are living and take practical and reasonable steps to avoid loss of life R”L. I get it, people are tired… I am too! I would also like to hug and spend time with my children and grandchildren, attend their Brisim and Simchas more fully, believe me, I get the fatigue, but the data doesn’t lie and nor does the stark reality that we live in, no matter how much we all just want to “move on” and burry our heads in the sand. We will ALL have to make a Cheshbon Hanefesh” some day… all of us, leaders and lay people. It may not be pleasant to think about, but what are we if we don’t think?

  16. Hashem is the One who is making people sick, and making people die. It has nothing to do with masks, social distancing, attending simchos etc. You can do your hishtadlus – isolate, vaccinate etc. or you can build up your immune system. You can stay home or go to simchos. In the end whether you get sick or not, or live or die, it’s up to Hashem. So don’t get uptight if people are doing whatever they think needs to be done.

    • This is absolute idiocy and not the view of the Torah.

      The Torah commands us to guard our body and soul. It is HaShem who has put that responsibility on us. So when you are sick you MUST go to a doctor and seek guidance and take your medicine. If you don’t and you end up dying, leaving dependents behind, or making others sick you are a poshaya!

      And hishtadlus is not some random thing where you are free to choice which hishtadlus you are going to do. For example, if you have no aptitude in math and you decide that your hishtadlus for parnassa will be trying to be an accountant and you end up frustrated and unemployed and destitute, you can’t claim that you did your hishtadlus. You are a poshaya.

      So when doctors and the CDC tell us to mask and stay socially distant, they are doing so based on hard medical evidence and experience on how this disease is transmitted. If you decide that you know better and that your hishtadlus will be to do something else, you are poshaya and you will have give Din vaCheshbon on your reckless behavior.

  17. I don’t understand the builder. He told him to ask his rov if it was okay to make a Simcha and he said his rov said it was no problem so why did he get upset at him for listening to his rov?

  18. All I can say is, if this is the Hashkafa this generation is learning, then we need Moshiach now more than ever. I hope and pray that our beautiful Mesorah is not lost, but I fear it is becoming very distorted. I wish everyone a beautiful Shabbos, as I work hard to look for the good in Klal Yisrael today.

  19. The purchaser should contact the NJ Real Estate Commission, Real Estate sales in NJ are regulated and this type of discrimination is prohibited.

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