A woman living in France was represented in a Chief Rabbi beis din last week for the purpose of obtaining a ‘get’ from her husband by the Yad L’Isha organization, which is affiliated with Ohr Torah Stone Institutions.
According to the story, the woman was given a ‘get’ 12 years ago but the rav in France refused to give the ‘get’ to the woman, who remained an agunah.
The story began in 2004 when the couple parted from one another. As part of the process, the husband deposited a ‘get’ in the hands of the rav in France, but when the wife asked to receive it so she is free to continue her life, he, the rav, refused, explaining she has fallen into the category of a moiser because she took her case to civil court to address the couple’s division of property.
The rav instructed the woman to compensate her husband to the tune of hundreds of thousands of euro, and until payment was made, he would not issue the ‘get’.
This resulted in ‘G’ being an agunah for twelve years as the rav was unyielding in his position. The husband on the other hand refused to take part in the process of serving the ‘get’ to his wife since in his eyes, he was done, having given the ‘get’ to his rav. It is reported the same rav married and divorced the man two additional times while the wife was an agunah.
Over a year ago, ‘G’ turned to Yad L’Isha seeking assistance and a request for a ‘get’ was filed with a Chief Rabbinate of Israel-affiliated beis din in Israel.
The Tel Aviv Beis Din agreed to give the ‘get’ again, aware that a ‘get’ was deposited with the rav in France as the woman came to Israel following the petira of her mother. She was represented in the beis din by attorney Tamar Oderberg. Baruch Hashem this was accomplished and the woman has been freed after 12 years.
