Israeli Civil Court Grants Damages To Wife Whose Husband Refused To Grant Her A Religious Divorce

The Jerusalem Post reported last week that, for the first time, an appellate court in Israel has ruled that a Jewish woman who has been refused a religious divorce (get) by her husband may recover damages in civil court. The decision by the Tel Aviv district court was handed down in a case brought by a woman whose husband has refused for 16 years to give her a religious divorce document.  The woman married the man when she was 24 years old and sought a divorce three months after their marriage. The district court affirmed a family court's award of damages totaling NIS 700,000 ($191,500 US).  Unless appealed to the Supreme Court, the district court's decision is binding on all family courts in Israel.