Rabbinical Court President Orders Transfer of Custody Case Amid Parental Alienation Claims

The President of the Rabbinical High Court, Rabbi David Yosef, has ordered the transfer of a child custody case from the Petah Tikva Rabbinical Court to a court in Jerusalem. The decision came just three weeks after an appeal was filed and during the court's recess period.

The case, which has been ongoing for over four years, involves a mother accused of severely alienating her three children from their father, leading to a complete estrangement for about a year and a half. The father's appeal, filed by senior rabbinical advocate Mordechai Sheinin, alleged that the Petah Tikva court failed to enforce decisions and ignored professional assessments and warnings regarding the deepening alienation.

Rabbi Yosef described the situation as "a matter of life and death for the minors, involving ongoing parental alienation from the father." He referenced a special directive he issued recently on preventing parental alienation and the need for emergency intervention. He stated that the court had been exposed to the case's handling over a prolonged period and found the situation "appalling," emphasizing that such alienation cannot be accepted and must be actively combatted.

Citing reasons related to the proceedings and the appearance of justice, Rabbi Yosef transferred the case to the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court, headed by Rabbi Yitzhak Oshinsky, who has previously published extensively on dealing with parental alienation in rabbinical courts. The father's advocate called the decision "brave and important," representing new hope for the children and demonstrating that the president's directive on parental alienation is being implemented.

An organization called "A Child's Longing," which supports families in alienation situations, noted the systemic message of the decision: when a treatment method fails to stop estrangement, it should not continue out of inertia, and changing direction is necessary for the children's welfare.