Close to 100,000 shekels has disappeared as a couple in the midst of a divorce exchanges accusations, each accusing the other of stealing the money which was hid under their air conditioning unit.

As the shalom bayis deteriorated and the couple decided to divorce, the time came to open the air conditioner to take out the cash that was stored over the years. Each claims the other stole the money, exhibiting a look of surprise to find the cash was gone.

The couple has two children, and their divorce was processed by a Rabbinate Beis Din in Haifa. The couple decided to complete the ‘get’ process and then they would adjudicate the matter of division of property.

The husband, a contractor, explained that he sold the apartment owned by his later parents and received NIS 450,000. He took half of the sum to pay off the mortgage and the remaining sum in the safe in their home. At some point, he opened the safe and found a great deal of the 225,000 shekels was gone. The wife explained she used it to pay regular joint expenses.

At some point, the husband then took the remaining sum, 90,000 shekels, and placed it in the bottom of an air conditioning unit. As the divorce was ongoing, he opened the air conditioner and found the money was gone. He accuses his ex-wife of stealing it.

The wife denies taking any money from the air conditioner.

Av Beis Din Dayan Daniel Edri and Dayan Bentzion HaCohen and Dayan Elad Eli had to determine who was lying. The dayanim suggested a polygraph exam. The woman agreed but the husband refused.

After probing and investigating, the beis din found a number of factual inconsistences in the husband’s testimony. The beis din ruled that since he left the money at home, it belonged to both of them, a gift from the husband to his wife.

With the wife willing to take a polygraph and the inconsistences in the husband’s testimony, the beis din decided to exclude the money that was reportedly in the air conditioner in the division of joint property. The dayanim explained on the other hand, there was absolutely no proof that the wife stole the money.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)