This is the story of a woman living with an abusive husband in a country that does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. She fled her home, explaining he was physically and verbally abusive. She turned to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Agunah unit, which succeeded in obtaining her ‘get’ after five years by enlisting the assistance of persons in a third country.

Officials involved explain locating the husband and conducting negotiations with him was complicated since he lives in a country that is viewed as hostile by Israel. The Rabbinate officials’ realized they could not be directly in touch with him for they would be perceived as Israeli spies. The officials in the agunah unit contacted the Yad L’Isha organization that was founded by attorney Tehila Cohen, and the organization came to the woman’s aid, who was also in dire financial straits in addition to providing assistance pertaining to her language barrier and dealing with the system until the ‘get’ was issued.

The Rabbinate contacted three avreichim living in the hostile country and the husband signed in front of this ad-hoc beis din. From there the document was sent to the third nation, the mediating party, and the ‘get’ was written in front of the three witnesses in addition to witnesses who arrived from Israel. The ‘get’ was then delivered to rabbonim in Israel, to the Tel Aviv Beis Din, which convened during vacation to expedite the matter. Dayan Rav Zabadya Cohen adjudicated the matter.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

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