Daphna Hacker
Daphna HackerGil Ronen

Following last week's revolutionary ruling on child support by the Supreme Court, Dr. Daphna Hacker – one of Israel's most prominent radical feminist academicians – has told her followers to stop marrying men.

Hacker, an associate professor at the Tel Aviv University Law Faculty and Women and Gender Studies Program, was obviously saddened by the court's unanimous decision to make women responsible for their proportional share of child support, in cases involving divorced couples that share joint physical custody of their children.

While a few feminist groups – like Na'amat and Mavoi Satum – tried to put on a brave face and complimented the court, Hacker made no effort to hide her despondency.

She penned what she termed "an emotional plea to the young women of Israel" on Facebook.

"Boycott the institution of marriage," she demanded. "Do not get married under any circumstances." Those who insist on getting married anyway, she added, should ask themselves: 'Will this man be an active father? Will he make me miserable if we divorce? Is this man a feminist?'"

"If one of the answers is problematic," she insisted, "keep looking, or bring a child into the world without a man, or choose single life, a commune, or any other non-heteronormative arrangement."

Hacker warned her female acolytes not to forego their careers, "even if it means postponing motherhood and a less intensive motherhood". After all, she reminded them, "there is a 1 in 3 chance you will divorce."

In addition, she instructed: "Refuse to get married without a formal document of understandings in which the future father commits to take care of the children on a daily basis, in an equal division of time with you, and promises rehabilitative alimony, maternal custody and child support in case of divorce."