Marking Israel's Family Day, the Yad La'isha advocacy group for women's rights announced a record-breaking month with respect to resolving cases involving agunot – women whose husbands refuse to grant them a divorce.
An agunah ("anchored") is a Jewish woman who is trapped in a religious marriage as determined by the Halacha – Jewish law. These cases sometimes involved the wives of soldiers missing in action or men who have disappeared under various circumstances, but for the most part, agunot cases involve men who simply refuse to grant their wife a divorce.
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Thousands of agunot live in Israel and around the world, waiting to be freed from their marriages. Ohr Torah Stone's Yad La'isha: The Monica Dennis Goldberg Legal Aid Center for women, is the largest support center for such women.
The center provides women with representation in rabbinical and legal proceedings, hires private investigators to locate missing husbands, and ensures these women receive the necessary assistance from welfare institutions.
Monday saw Yad La'isha reveal that is has been able to resolve 12 agunot cases, representing one of the most active periods in its history.
Each case handled by the Monica Dennis Goldberg Legal Aid Center and Hotline can involve months or even years of legal efforts and public advocacy, the group said.
"The 'aguna-problem' of women who are trapped in abusive or unviable marriages by their husbands deserves to be recognized as one of the most pressing challenges of the Jewish world," explained Rabbi Kenneth Brander, President and Ohr Torah Stone Yeshiva head. "Each of these 12 women that we have freed this month is achieving a personal exodus for themselves and their children. Each one represents a family saved."
According to Yad La'isha, each year over 2,400 women around the world – of all ethnic groups, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds, both religious and secular – become agunot. While many cases are eventually resolved amicably, all too often women do not have the resources to address the legal and emotional challenges involved when facing particularly recalcitrant husbands.
"We weep for every moment lost by the twelve women who were freed this month, but at the same time we are tremendously excited that we were able to bring about their release," said Yad La'isha Director Pnina Omer.
"This month's impressive success is the result of dedicated work, creative thinking, and exceptional expertise by our team of women advocates, lawyers and social workers who have been fighting to release chained women for over 20 years. We will continue to pursue their rights to freedom, until a full halakhic solution is found. "
