Jan 3, 2023

Women’s Amutot Grant Offers Support For Women Trapped in Religious Marriages

“There are no words to express the feelings of freedom that I’ve experienced since being granted the get. I now can get on with my life.” These are the grateful words of Sarah, who successfully received a get (religious divorce decree) with the help of Federation’s Women’s Amutot grant recipient Yad La’Isha: The Monica Dennis Goldberg Legal Aid Center & Hotline. According to Jewish religious law, only once a woman is granted a get can she reclaim her individual rights and marry again. In some cases, like Sarah’s, men have withheld get documents as a form of abuse or blackmail, or to manipulate civil divorce or child custody terms. Many agunot (Jewish women have separated from their husband but unable to obtain a legal Jewish divorce) do not have the financial or emotional ability, legal representation, social clout or political influence to fight for their freedom. Yad La’Isha, which translates to “a hand for the woman,” remains the largest, most comprehensive and most experienced support center for agunot in the world, providing not only legal support in the rabbinical and civil courts, but also the services of in-house social workers and personal coaches who support clients and empower them to rebuild their lives. Founded in 1997, Yad La’Isha has branches in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Beersheba and serves approximately 800 women annually. Click here to learn more about the Women’s Amutot Initiative and this year’s grant recipients.