According to figures released by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the divorce rate in Israel was down 2% in 2014. The Chief Rabbinate this week released a report that showed there were 11,249 divorces in 2013 and that number dropped to 11,023 in 2014 based on the cases handled by the batei din around the country.

Despite the downward trend, the number of divorces was up in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. These cities have been in first and second place in recent years. Jerusalem led in 2014 with 874 divorces as compared to 733 in 2013. Tel Aviv came in second place with 779 divorces in 2014 and 678 in 2013. Haifa is in third place with 629 divorces in 2014, followed by Petach Tikvah with 439. Azor is in last place with 29.

89,551, divorce cases were opened in the Rabbanut system in 2014 as compared to 90,237 in the previous year. Regarding the cases in 2014, 7,541 addressed a desire for a couple to get divorces. 969 entailed shalom bayis but the Rabbanut only approved 2.6%. 3,437 cases were opened for alimony, 3,341 for inheritance matters and 2,501 for child custody.

Baruch Hashem the unit responsible for freeing agunos reports that it managed to secure a get for 184 agunos in 2014 as compared to only 159 in 2013. There were 191 decisions by batei din to impose sanctions on 40 recalcitrant husbands and in 184 cases, the husband has fled the country. Sanctions meted out by the batei din include a lien on one’s bank accounts and assets, preventing one from leaving the country, and preventing a recalcitrant husband from having a drivers’ license or being employed in the public sector. If imprisoned, such a person will have harsher conditions than convicted criminals.

The batei din system issues 16 arrest warrants to recalcitrant husbands as opposed to 19 in 2013. The batei din issues protective orders in 152 cases to protect wives from violence by their husbands as opposed to 140 in 2013. The Chief Rabbinate happily reports that in 2014, it took on an average forty days less until a case is addressed as compared to 2013. The average time reported to close a case is reportedly 56 days as opposed to 96 in 2013.

There is a reported drop in the civil judicial system interfering in the batei din system. In 2014, 45 petitions were filed with the Supreme Court against the batei din, of which only 4 were accepted.

The administration of the batei din points out the critical shortage in the number of dayanim continues to plague the system. That shortage is placed at 20% fewer dayanim than required to handle the caseload.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)