Open Doors - Women testimonies from the Rabbinical courts
“The Head of the Rabbinical Court tried hard to make peace between us.”
Avigal
Age: 30
Time spent fighting for Get: 1 Years
Year of Get: 2016
“On the day of the Get, we were in court 8 hours; hours of rough fighting, because he didn’t want to give me the Get. This was horrible. We enlisted the help of some judges to speak to him, and some of his family that they should speak with him and the Court went through a great deal of effort. One of the Judges desperately tried to get him to grant the divorce, he worked so patiently.”
“I asked myself: why are they sitting there, waiting?”
Pnina
Age: 27
Time spent fighting for Get: 2 Years
Year of Get: 2017
“Prior to that moment, I didn’t know the Dayanim had the option of imposing sanctions. I was very surprised. Why did they wait until then? Why must an abused woman wait a whole year? Why did the Dayanim not suggest this of their own accord? Why must we wait and suffer? “
“The Dayanim only made things worse: they made us waste another six months and try to reach ‘Shalom Bait’ (spousal reconciliation).”
Sigal
Age: 44
Time spent fighting for Get: 2 Years
Year of Get: 2014
“When I got married I didn’t know that this was what I’d have to go through if I’d want to end things. I really hope that my children don’t get married through the Rabanut.”
“In court, there are rulings. They make decisions, straight to the point. He was not asked what he preferred or what he would like, whereas in Beit Din, the process was dragged out…”
Gila
Age: 55
Time spent fighting for Get: 11 Years
Year of Get: 2016
“I had a lawyer, but I was looking for a change and reached out to “Mavoi Satum”. Mavoi Satum’s lawyer organized a manifestation, which received media coverage. Ever since, things started to improve: the Dayanim took my case much more seriously, things moved faster and the Dayanim stated that they would impose sanctions. The moment they did so, my husband said he would grant me a Get. However, I waited 11 years for that moment.”
“I told him he was required to give you a get, but, what are you willing to relinquish?”
Shira
Age: 51
Time spent fighting for Get: 11 Years
Year of Get: 2013
“The rabbi attempted to convince me that there was no other choice, he said that in his opinion I would get nothing, and urged me to cancel the execution office file and relinquish the entire sum he owed me in order to receive the get. Following more negotiations, I agreed to cancel the execution office file and relinquish the money under the condition that he’d provide my get along with 500 NIS each month. I felt I no longer had the strength. I had to close that door, put it behind me and start a new life, so I agreed.”
“Before this whole experience I did not even know what an ‘Aguna’ was. I thought it was something prehistoric, belonging to ancient times. I did not even know it could happen in this day and age, and to me! And suddenly – it became my life…”
Keren
Age: 38
Time spent fighting for Get: 4.5 Years
Year of Get: 2017
“My experience in the Rabbinic high court was extremely difficult. Each time I was there, I felt that I was encountering resistance from the dayanim (rabbinic judges) who were very unhelpful. They did not listen to me, did not let me speak, and did not really care about my predicament. While I was speaking in court, one dayan fell asleep and another fiddled with his phone. I had travelled a long distance to arrive to the court sessions with my young child and the Dayanim would be late for court sessions and did not take these sessions seriously . Many of the hearings were postponed and I did not receive answers back in time. I felt helpless. “
Open Doors - Women testimonies from the Rabbinical courts
“The Head of the Rabbinical Court tried hard to make peace between us.”
Avigal
Age: 30
Time spent fighting for Get: 1 Years
Year of Get: 2016
“On the day of the Get, we were in court 8 hours; hours of rough fighting, because he didn’t want to give me the Get. This was horrible. We enlisted the help of some judges to speak to him, and some of his family that they should speak with him and the Court went through a great deal of effort. One of the Judges desperately tried to get him to grant the divorce, he worked so patiently.”
“I asked myself: why are they sitting there, waiting?”
Pnina
Age: 27
Time spent fighting for Get: 2 Years
Year of Get: 2017
“Prior to that moment, I didn’t know the Dayanim had the option of imposing sanctions. I was very surprised. Why did they wait until then? Why must an abused woman wait a whole year? Why did the Dayanim not suggest this of their own accord? Why must we wait and suffer? “
“The Dayanim only made things worse: they made us waste another six months and try to reach ‘Shalom Bait’ (spousal reconciliation).”
Sigal
Age: 44
Time spent fighting for Get: 2 Years
Year of Get: 2014
“When I got married I didn’t know that this was what I’d have to go through if I’d want to end things. I really hope that my children don’t get married through the Rabanut.”
“In court, there are rulings. They make decisions, straight to the point. He was not asked what he preferred or what he would like, whereas in Beit Din, the process was dragged out…”
Gila
Age: 55
Time spent fighting for Get: 11 Years
Year of Get: 2016
“I had a lawyer, but I was looking for a change and reached out to “Mavoi Satum”. Mavoi Satum’s lawyer organized a manifestation, which received media coverage. Ever since, things started to improve: the Dayanim took my case much more seriously, things moved faster and the Dayanim stated that they would impose sanctions. The moment they did so, my husband said he would grant me a Get. However, I waited 11 years for that moment.”
“I told him he was required to give you a get, but, what are you willing to relinquish?”
Shira
Age: 51
Time spent fighting for Get: 11 Years
Year of Get: 2013
“The rabbi attempted to convince me that there was no other choice, he said that in his opinion I would get nothing, and urged me to cancel the execution office file and relinquish the entire sum he owed me in order to receive the get. Following more negotiations, I agreed to cancel the execution office file and relinquish the money under the condition that he’d provide my get along with 500 NIS each month. I felt I no longer had the strength. I had to close that door, put it behind me and start a new life, so I agreed.”
“Before this whole experience I did not even know what an ‘Aguna’ was. I thought it was something prehistoric, belonging to ancient times. I did not even know it could happen in this day and age, and to me! And suddenly – it became my life…”
Keren
Age: 38
Time spent fighting for Get: 4.5 Years
Year of Get: 2017
“My experience in the Rabbinic high court was extremely difficult. Each time I was there, I felt that I was encountering resistance from the dayanim (rabbinic judges) who were very unhelpful. They did not listen to me, did not let me speak, and did not really care about my predicament. While I was speaking in court, one dayan fell asleep and another fiddled with his phone. I had travelled a long distance to arrive to the court sessions with my young child and the Dayanim would be late for court sessions and did not take these sessions seriously . Many of the hearings were postponed and I did not receive answers back in time. I felt helpless. “
