Orthodox Jews Seeking Divorce Solutions

For Orthodox Jews, divorce is a difficult issue. Under Jewish law the husband has unilateral power to end a marriage; if he doesn't want a divorce, he can prevent his wife from obtaining a divorce decree ("get") from a rabbinical court for years or even decades. This "get" is important because without it, subsequent marriages are treated as invalid and the children are subject to a great deal of stigma. Today there are thousands of women in this desperate situation and they are known as "agunot" or "chained women."

Orthodox Jewish leaders are beginning to understand the seriousness of this problem and are looking to develop solutions. Some groups are using prenuptial agreement that imposes fines upon the husband if he impedes a get. Others look to try and exert influence on the husband in order to make him see reason.

Unfortunately, the idea of giving women equal rights when it comes to divorce doesn't appear to be an option - just one more instance where traditional religion imposes a stiff penalty on a person just for being born female.

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• Orthodox Judaism