Morris emails: "another jerk rabbi gives pro feminist lecture an agunot. may they all burn in hell. Luke, perhaps the reason why there are so many singles outhere,is because these feminists are causing fear in these men who dont want to marry and have all these "AGUNOT" organizations demonstrate or harass them!!"
Highland Park, NJ – Speaking in Highland Park, two experts in Jewish divorce called for remedies to fix a “broken” system that allows recalcitrant husbands to exploit their estranged wives.
Rabbi Elazar Teitz, head of Elizabeth’s Orthodox community, and Esther Macner, a New York divorce and family lawyer, spoke Feb. 9 at the Orthodox Forum of Edison and Highland Park at Congregation Ahavas Achim.
The two described how a significant number of women remain agunot, or “chained” wives, unable to remarry because their husbands have refused to grant them a get, a decree of Jewish divorce. In Jewish law, only a husband can grant a get.
According to Teitz, in most instances the husband is simply holding out for revenge or to force a better deal in the distribution of property and assets.
The problem, he said, is compounded by differing practices of rabbinic courts, or batei din. Other batei din are simply unscrupulous, he added.
***** Miriam emails:
Obviously… Morris respects women and dose not believe in broad generalizations!!! With such lovely qualities no wonder singles like him— are single. The problem with Agonot stems from the archaic Halachot Gittin (Divorce.) They must be updated. If a couple decides to get a divorce In civil court, they stand in equal footing in front of a judge. No one grants it to the other. With all do respect to Halacha, the laws of Gittin by which a man only can grant a divorce to his wife, leaves the women open to blackmail. e.g. If you (or your family) don’t pay me astronomical amounts of money/property/the kids… I am not granting you a Get! This woman can NEVER get married again. Even during work a man cannot be with her in a room, as she is Eshet-Ish (a wife of a man). All of this in the year 2008. Forget the Tailbones and Moslem laws. We are worst than all of them. Morris, You are mean spirited and a bitter man. How dare you falsify the scenario and turn it into: "An All Women’s Fault." Have you no heart? Aguna means: A woman in shackles. Have you no mother or sister? Have you no shame??? The women you maligned, are forced to raise their children in extreme hardships. All of this – so a man can save some Shekels… In Hebrew, we call a person like you: Chammor. In English,,, an Ass!
