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Israeli Court Orders American Husband To Grant Wife A Religious Divorce

By Howard M. Friedman

In Israel, a Tel Aviv Rabbinical Court has for the first time imposed sanctions on a man who is not a citizen of Israel to force him to grant his wife a religious divorce (a "get"). Thursday's Jerusalem Post reported on the case-- a divorce proceeding of an American couple that had been dragging on for six years. The court held that the husband had sufficient contacts with Israel for the court to assert jurisdiction because he had been traveling back and forth between Israel and the U.S. for the past two years. Israeli law was changed three years ago to give Rabbinical Courts jurisdiction over Jews residing in Israel even if they are not citizens. Upon petition of the wife, the court ultimately arrested the husband and banned his leaving the country until he granted his wife the get. The husband relented and agreed to do so after three nights in jail.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 31, 2009 (boomark / email).