Father Stops Illegal Child Marriage in Yavne'el, Calls Community a Cult

The case of underage marriage in the local council of Yavne'el continues to unfold after Yossi, the father of a 15-year-old girl, discovered plans to marry off his daughter without his knowledge or consent. In an interview on the program "HaOlam HaBoker," Yossi described the shocking moment he learned about the intended marriage by chance through a relative who asked, "Did you hear they want to marry off your daughter?" He responded, "No." The situation stems from a painful estrangement from his children following his divorce, after which his ex-wife and her new husband moved to Yavne'el and cut off contact with him unilaterally.

Yossi believes his ex-wife also fell victim to the closed community, which he described as "a cult in every respect," characterized by family and social isolation and severe sanctions against those outside their group. Following this revelation, law enforcement intervened decisively to prevent the planned wedding. Israeli police raided the community compound in Yavne'el, arresting several suspects. Authorities seized conclusive evidence of the community's intentions, including a wedding dress, an engagement ring, and a "ketubah" (marriage contract) prepared in advance for the girl, confirming preparations for the illegal ceremony.

The Israel Police stated that every complaint or information regarding child marriages is thoroughly investigated. In recent months and earlier this week, police handled several cases involving suspected child marriages, detaining and questioning dozens of suspects, with investigations ongoing. The Ministry of Welfare responded that upon receiving reports, professional teams worked with the family and relevant parties to ensure the minor's protection according to legal authority, but due to confidentiality and privacy obligations, they could not provide further details.