Agunah

Why would anyone use a contract to solve the Agunah Problem?

Halakha has dynamic contract doctrines with deep systemic ambiguities or loopholes– even in areas that impact ritual or family law.

Unchaining the Agunah

In Judaism, husband and wife must sever the relationsihp, hence a recalcitrant husband can mean a 'chained' wife.

Agunot: The stories behind the statistics

The stories of some of the women helped by Yad La'Isha, which aids women attempting to obtain a get. For International Agunah Day..

Yad La’Isha: Record-breaking month for resolved 'agunot' cases

Marking Israel’s 'Family Day', Israel-based Yad La’isha organization announces a record-breaking month of resolved ‘get-refusal’ cases.

Freed 'agunot' strengthened with songs of freedom

Former agunot who were freed from marriage strengthened in evening of communal singing.

Ad hoc rabbinic court helps Ethiopian plane tragedy families

Special Beit Din headed by Chief Rabbi untangles mourning and family issues for Ethiopian Air crash victim families.

'Chaining grandpa' fined for blocking daughter-in-law's divorce

Haredi businessman faces 5,000-shekel per-day fine for encouraging son to deny wife a divorce.

'Judges who abrogate agunah's marriage unworthy of being rabbis'

Rabbi Silman: 'Anyone doing such a thing must know he moves to a different camp. As far as we're concerned, he can't be rabbi and Dayan.'

Court annuls get-refuser's marriage

Court rules woman's status like that of never-married single woman. Leading rabbis in field approve verdict.

Agunah's long plight ends

Private rabbinical court finds loopholes in 20-year aguna's marriage, opening door to freedom but carrying dangers.

Divorce refuser who headed drug cartel located, arrested

Refuser in Israel grants wife divorce to wife in US through head of Tel Aviv Rabbinical Court.

'Are we looking for ways to be strict with the Jewish People?No'

'We've solved hundreds of cases, without noise, without advertising. We are doing all we can but we do not own the Torah. G-d does.'

High Court rules against Rabbinical Court: "Heaven forbid"

Judges rules that for next 21 days rabbinical court may not rule on efficacy of divorce granted to woman by comatose husband.

New order places criminal status on husbands who refuse 'get'

A new policy directive calls to enact criminal proceedings against husbands who refuse to grant a religious bill of divorce to their wives.

Haredi father who blocked son’s divorce given prison sentence

Man who pressured son to withhold divorce from disabled wife gets 30-day prison sentence.

Granting dignity to a 'chained woman'

'I am raising four children completely by myself, after my husband suddenly disappeared one night 10 years ago.'

Grandfather to pay child support after father fled to Uman

Israeli Supreme Court ruled that father of 'divorce refuser' who fled to Ukraine will pay 2000 shekels a month for grandchildren’s support.

Couple cannot leave Israel due to ‘Gett refuser’ son

Father of 'divorce refuser,' Oded Gaz, sentenced to 30-day imprisonment after son stops appearing in Court hearing.

Unprecedented: Father jailed for son refusing to divorce wife

Tel Aviv rabbinical court finds father encouraged son to leave disabled wife without religious divorce, sentences him to 30 days in jail.

Refuses 'Get' 14 Years - Gets Money, Zero Jail Time

Rabbinical court grants 100,000 shekels to Haifa resident who refused to divorce spouse for 14 long years.

Fewer Israeli Couples Divorced in 2014

Divorces drop by 2%; agunah situation also improves.

Divorce Refuser Extradited From US Gives Divorce

Man who fled to US leaving his wife an aguna and brought back in first of its kind extradition frees wife with divorce.

US Extradites Divorce Refuser To Israel

Bnei Brak man charged of serious crimes who fled to US, leaving his wife an agunah, brought back in first extradition of its kind.

Fighter for Women's Divorce Rights to Help Choose Dayanim

Dr. Rachel Levmore has been appointed to the State Committee for the Appointment of Rabbinical Court Judges.