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The pattern has raised concerns among Jewish travelers about discrimination in Belgian vacation destinations, where religious observance, such as communal prayers, has drawn unwanted attention from neighbors and property owners.
By Shula Rosen
An ultra-Orthodox family from Belgium vacationing in the coastal town of Koksijde, about two and a half hours from Antwerp, was ordered to leave their rental apartment after hosting Shabbat prayers and a meal.
The father told the ultra-Orthodox news site B’Hadrei Haredim that the incident began when neighbors reported a “suspicious gathering” to the landlord.
The family had invited several friends to join them for Friday night prayers and dinner, but neighbors described it as a “party” in a quiet vacation property.
“When the owner came, I explained that it was just a half-hour gathering,” the father said. He later added that only eight people were present.
On Saturday night, the family again hosted a small prayer quorum, which had been arranged before Shabbat. The following morning, the landlord sent an email demanding that they vacate the property.
The father said neighbors also photographed his family, including the children, and shared the images in a WhatsApp group with the landlord. “I told the landlord that if anyone photographs us again, I’ll call the police—and since then, it’s been quiet,” he recounted.
The case follows other recent incidents in the area. Just a week earlier, two additional ultra-Orthodox families from Belgium reported being denied vacation rentals near Koksijde Beach after landlords discovered they were Jewish.
One relative said a landlady canceled their booking after seeing their photos, returning the deposit without explanation.
The pattern has raised concerns among Jewish travelers about discrimination in Belgian vacation destinations, where religious observance, such as communal prayers, has drawn unwanted attention from neighbors and property owners.
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