Israeli Rabbinical Judge Condemns Foreign Rabbis Supporting Husband Refusing Divorce

Rabbinical Court judge in Ariel, Rabbi Yechiel Chaim Freiman, sharply criticized rabbis abroad who supported a husband refusing to grant his wife a religious divorce (get) after she moved to Israel with their child. The couple, originally living overseas, separated when the wife decided to immigrate to Israel while the husband chose to stay. According to Jewish law, the husband is responsible for the marriage dissolution and must provide a get and fulfill the ketubah obligations. However, the husband conditioned granting the get on the wife signing a one-sided divorce agreement favoring him with significant property benefits, which she refused.

Rabbi Freiman condemned the husband’s refusal as coercive and unjust, emphasizing that the wife’s move to Israel is her right and a religious obligation. He stated the husband’s behavior constitutes "extortion" and that rabbis supporting him are "rebellious sons" who will be held accountable. The judge ruled the husband’s property agreement proposal unfair and ordered the property division to be handled by an actuary according to Jewish law.

In an unusual move, Rabbi Freiman ordered the public disclosure of the parties’ names in the ruling as a sanction against the husband’s get refusal. The wife was represented by attorney Rivka Shir Lavi Zinati, while the husband’s legal team included Ziv Berkovitz and Tzvi Geller. The case highlights tensions in religious divorce proceedings involving international residence and property disputes.