Israel – ‘Get-Refusers’ To Be Banned From Religious Sections In Jail

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    A couple shows a wedding ring. CREDIT: REUTERS/UESLEI MARCELINOIsrael – A bill drafted by Yesh Atid MK Dov Lipman that would ban men who refuse to give their wives a bill of divorce from residing in the religious sections of state prisons was approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday for its first reading in Knesset.

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    Lipman drafted the bill in consultation with Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and in cooperation with Deputy Religious Services Minister Eli-Ben Dahan.

    According to Jewish law, a man must voluntarily grant his wife a “get,” or bill of divorce, before she can remarry and have children, while a woman must similarly accept the document before the divorce can be finalized.

    However, some men, as well as women, use this law to try and extort favorable conditions in the divorce settlement, such as alimony payments and child custody.

    The rabbinical courts are empowered to impose sanctions on so-called recalcitrant husbands, including preventing them from traveling abroad, confiscating drivers’ licenses, and even imprisonment.

    But there are cases in which a recalcitrant husband who is imprisoned still refuses to give his wife a bill of divorce.

    The proposed legislation is designed to make the terms of imprisonment for religious recalcitrant husbands less comfortable in order to pressure them into giving the bill of divorce.

    According to the terms of the bill, such men would not be housed in the religious wings of prisons, where they have access to a synagogue and are in the company of other religious convicts with whom they can study.

    In addition, they would be denied telephone privileges to anyone apart from their lawyer and rabbinical adviser.

    Lipman believes that the current prison conditions available to recalcitrant husbands are so comfortable that they can continue their regular lifestyle of religious study while incarcerated, and that this reduces the motivation to comply with the rabbinical court’s ruling.

    “This is an important step in the long path to achieving zero ‘chained’ women in Israel,” Lipman said following the approval of the bill, using the term “agunot” for women whose husbands refuse to give a bill of divorce.

    “The path is still long, but in the meantime this law will provide an answer to the most serious agunot cases who are married to the most obstinate men.

    “Preventing such men from being housed in the religious wing will break the spirit of men who take cover under the shelter of religion in order to harm their wives. This law is a small step in reducing the phenomenon of ‘chained’ women in Israel,” the MK said.

    Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post


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    10 Comments
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    9 years ago

    I looove the idea!!!!!!!!!! Been there suffered that from my frum EX

    bahby
    bahby
    9 years ago

    This is a great idea!! As a former agunah, I’m all for it.

    9 years ago

    At some point, these guys are so “dug in” that I’m not sure any amount of pressure will persuade them to give a get to their wives…they are mentally ill and rational pressure doesn’t seem to work, and sometimes, only causes them to become more stubborn

    SGMoish
    SGMoish
    9 years ago

    And what happens to women get refugees?
    Why would get refuser be singled out? What about molesters, theifs, and other criminals??
    And since when do “get refusers” sit and learn all day long?

    charliehall
    charliehall
    9 years ago

    Anyone who ignores an order of a beit din isn’t religious.

    SouthernBubbie
    SouthernBubbie
    9 years ago

    Bravo to MK Lipman! This is long overdue!

    FranZ
    FranZ
    9 years ago

    Good! A long time coming!

    Shtarker
    Active Member
    Shtarker
    9 years ago

    Thank you, MK Lipman. Under the present system, these men are learning, maybe, with other criminals, not working, not seeing their wives or children and living off the Medinah. It’s no different from their lives on the outside.

    9 years ago

    Thank you #6 . I agree with you whole heartedly. To all the aguna posters my heart goes out to you. I will give you the benefit of the doubt that in your situation your ex- husband was the complete animal .And you behaved in a proper dignified manner . That includes NEVER ever punshing him or threatening him or playing any games with his visitation rights. And I mean no games, including that if your child sneezes that doesn’t mean he has a terrible cold and can’t speak or visit his father. However, there defintley are women out there who play both sides. They won’t take the get unless its under their terms. Meanwhile they will yell aguna and strip the husband of visitation rights.
    As a side note the term aguna in modern times is used very lossley. In the gemara it meant when a husband travels overseas and you will never hear from him again. The gemara never uses it to mean when two people are in a dispute and can’t work out their differences in a civil manner.
    I truly believe its a 50 50 toss up with often both sides not acting with proper middos. We really need laws/ shuirim that require both sides to behave. Not one sided either way.
    Yes I am man who went thru the parsha.