L., who had been denied a religious divorce for three years, received her long-awaited get in recent days after heavy financial sanctions were imposed on her recalcitrant husband, who lives abroad but owns property in Israel.
The couple, who lived together for more than a decade in the United States, separated in 2023. Since then, L. had tried unsuccessfully to obtain a get. Despite proceedings she pursued in rabbinical courts in the U.S., and despite a ruling requiring the husband to grant the get, he continued to refuse, declaring he would never give it.
L. turned to Yad La’isha, which represents agunot and women denied a get, for help in securing the divorce. After learning that the husband owned real estate in Israel, attorney Tehila Cohen, who represented L. on behalf of Yad La’isha, petitioned the Haifa Rabbinical Court to impose liens on his properties and bank accounts in Israel.
After the court granted the request and the husband was notified of the liens, the parties agreed to arbitration in the U.S. Despite a ruling in the case, the husband continued to impede the proceedings.
In response, Cohen and the Agunot Department of the rabbinical courts moved to renew proceedings against him, including a ruling in Israel obligating him to grant the get and the transfer of his seized assets into receivership.
Once he realized he could lose his property in Israel, the financial pressure had its effect. Just days before a hearing scheduled to advance the proceedings against him, the husband unexpectedly appeared at the rabbinical court and agreed to grant the long-awaited get.
“Once again, we have seen the enormous leverage financial sanctions can provide against men who refuse to grant a get, even when they do not live in Israel,” Cohen said. “Thankfully, L. received the long-awaited get thanks to the dedicated cooperation of the Agunot Department and the Haifa Rabbinical Court, and she can now continue her life as a free woman. We will continue working for the freedom and independence of every chained woman in Israel and abroad.”