Following a precedent-setting decision by the Supreme Court that from now on women will also be obliged to pay alimony, attorney Edo Divon of Divon & Co. responds:

“The ruling constitutes a real revolution in the law of alimony and in effect establishes a new law, not only in cases of joint custody, but in all the child support payments of parents to children. According to the ruling, when the children are in equal time with each parent and if their income is equal, the father will not be obligated to pay alimony to the mother.

Many fathers will view this judgment as a correction of substantive inequality that was determined for years according to halacha. On the other hand, many mothers will have a serious fear that they will be able to maintain a decent standard of living for their children, especially when fathers require joint custody just to be permitted to reduce their alimony payments.

This judgment leaves some discretion to the Family Court and may eventually, and contrary to what is expected, have a cooling effect on the willingness of family courts to establish a joint custody arrangement.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)