Jewish women in Israel seeking divorce are handicapped by the dominance of the Rabbinical Courts. One woman learned that the hard way.

In 1976 when she filed for divorce due to domestic violence, the Rabbinical court ordered the couple to try and reach matrimonial reconciliation. The violence escalated when the husband raped and threatened to kill her, after which she was forced to flee with her six children.

The two rabbinical courts she appealed to dragged their feet, holding multiple hearings. Apparently one finally granted the religious divorce, only to have it annulled by the other court!

In desperation, the woman recently filed a negligence suit against the husband and Justice Ministry, which oversees the Rabbinical courts. She is seeking $1.14 million in damages, claiming that hostile courts have victimized her and the Justice Ministry has failed to act.

The situation in Israel is very complicated. They have two coexisting legal systems, with religious courts, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druse, and Civil courts. Even though you may secure a divorce in the Family Civil court, Jewish couples wed with a Jewish contract must also go to the Rabbinical court for a religious divorce.

Religious courts can compel husbands to grant a divorce where there is wife beating. I can't understand why after eighteen years this woman couldn't get a divorce.

Religious courts seem to favor husbands and are unfair to women. Rabbis in Israel won't officiate at a wedding if either party has been divorced without a religious divorce. It's gotten so cumbersome that some Israelis aren't marrying under the auspices of the Rabbinate, just in case they need a divorce some day.

I don't think her suit will be successful, given that the cards are stacked against women. However, I trust that the publicity generated by this case will force the Rabbinical court to issue a decree.

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