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I spend the winter in an age restricted community in S. Florida. The owners desire to have a quiet lifestyle, without the problems caused by "yung" families. (I am a renter.) The rules: No one under 55. No trucks. No motorcycles. No pets. No "kinderlekh."

Other than "vinter" vacation or Spring Break, you never hear "der gelekhter" (the laughter) of young children. There are no children in the swimming pool or in the clubhouse. There are no swings or water slides.

When you make a decision to buy/rent in an age restricted community, you place yourself in the position of following rules.

There's even a "Condo Commander" to make sure that you adhere to them. Here's one definition gleaned from the "internets" (internet):

CONDO COMMANDO
The condo commando is an egocentric person on a condominium's board of directors who rules by intimidation, putting his/her interests ahead of others, abusive to the property manager and any board member who gets in the way. Dominates meetings, won't let others speak. Can be prone to angry ("broygez") outbursts.

"An emese mayse" (absolutely true story), was told by Michael Mayo (Mayo on the side), Sun-Sentinel.

A woman's father had a unit in Century Village in Boca Raton, Florida. He passed away. Because of the current market conditions, the family hasn't been able to sell or rent it. She also lives in Century Village--in another building.

The family wanted to put the "leydik" (vacant) apartment to good use. The woman's 38-year-old "tochter" (daughter) has two children, ages 11 and 14, and has been struggling financially. She is a divorced woman ("grushe").

The woman let her daughter and two grandchildren move in. This makes "sekhl" (sense), right? Why have an "leydik" (empty) condo and a potentially homeless family when you can put the two together ("tsuzamen")? Especially when you consider the struggling family's relatives actually owns the unit.

That's not how things work in condo-land! The building is age-restricted, meaning only people "fuftsik un finf" (55)--and older--are allowed to live there.

So, it didn't take long for some folks to start complaining about the "kinderlekh" living there. The condo association took action and told the woman her family would have to move.

Where's the compassion? Where's our "mentshhayt" (humanity)? Where's our common sense? "Vos far a meshigas?"--What kind of nonsense is that?

A second story, posted on "Mayo on the side":

A woman who is living in a 55 and over community in Deerfield Beach (FL) is selling her condo due to the rule of no pets. Her physician has told her that a pet would be good for her health. She wrote a letter to the condo saying her reason for selling and was told that she bought the condo knowing that pets were not allowed. Yes, she was aware of the rule, but AT THAT TIME she did not need a dog for company.

Her advice: "DON'T BUY A CONDO...get a house of your own so u can do what u want."

There was even an episode on "Third Rock from the Sun" in which Sally joins the condo association and starts ruthlessly enforcing the rules. This included going after a neighbor with a mezuzzah on the doorpost!

In 2010, we have "milyons" of Americans whose homes are "underwater," meaning that they owe the mortgage lender more than their "heym" is worth. And--in the first story-- here's a perfectly "gut" condo that is going to sit empty.

This is not a "klotz kashel"--a foolish question. Shouldn't condos ease up on the rules for "di noyt" (the hardship) cases?

These three quotes say it all:

"Civilization had too many rules for me, so I did my best to rewrite them."
Bill Cosby

"Live one day at a time emphasizing ethics rather than rules."
Wayne Dyer

"Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
 

Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe is the author of a new book titled, "Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers." To order, click here.
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