Court Dismisses Mother's Alimony Claim After Father Files Divorce First

A family court in Tel Aviv recently dismissed a mother's alimony claim for her two daughters, ruling that the rabbinical court has jurisdiction. The decision came after the father preemptively filed for divorce in the rabbinical court, including the issue of the daughters' alimony within his filing. Judge Keren Gil determined that the rabbinical court was the proper venue for the alimony dispute.

The couple married in 2013 and separated in the summer. The mother had initiated a dispute resolution process with the rabbinical court in December 2025, but proceedings were delayed. Approximately two weeks after the physical separation, the father filed for divorce, also requesting the rabbinical court address the daughters' alimony. The mother's attorney argued that the daughters' claim was independent and that the father's inclusion of alimony in his divorce filing lacked sincerity, especially since the rabbinical court had not yet held hearings on the matter.

However, Judge Gil rejected these arguments. She clarified that a child's right to file an independent claim is meant to reopen prior agreements, not to circumvent a court's jurisdiction. The judge found that since no prior agreements on alimony existed, parallel proceedings in different courts were not permissible. The claim of insincerity was also dismissed, with the judge stating that the father's lower financial estimate for the daughters' needs did not inherently indicate bad faith. She concluded that the rabbinical court's jurisdiction was established upon the filing of the divorce petition, regardless of whether a hearing had occurred.

Consequently, the father's request to dismiss the case was granted, and the mother's alimony claim was thrown out. The mother was ordered to pay the father 1,200 shekels in legal costs.