You can't choose your neighbors, but you can try

Anti-Semitism is apparently alive and well in parts of the Commonwealth.

The Brockton Enterprise News reports that a family in Lakeville was harassed repeatedly over a period of years after they purchased property on Long Pond in 2005 and began working on an island, nearby.

According to the newspaper, the dispute was over who had the right to a path leading to a small beach area; the local homeowners association earlier sued to gain access.

"A swastika was painted on a garage, association members secretly took photos of the families and their young children, and repeatedly filed unfounded complaints with police on the two families," according to India L. Minchoff, lawyer for Scott J Hyman.

“My Hyman was repeatedly referred to as a ‘kike.’ He was told that his quote unquote kind was not welcome in the Hemlocks,” Minchoff said. “A person who lived in the Hemlocks said that someone is going to burn Mr. Hyman out. That comment was made to a police officer who later testified. Mr. Hyman’s then primary residence in Middleboro was torched and burned to the ground a month later.”

The state Superior Court awarded $1.7 million in damages to the Hymans and to another family involved in the dispute. (The other family's name is "Prescott", which doesn't easily lend itself to bigotry ...)