Israeli Civil Court Awards Large Damages To Wife Whose Husband Spurned Religious Court Order

YNet News reported yesterday on a decision by the Rishon Lezion Family Court in Israel awarding civil damages to a wife whose husband refused to comply with a rabbinical court order to give her a divorce document ("get").  The civil court awarded damages equivalent to $182,850 (US). Judge Esther Stein wrote: "refusal to divorce constitutes a violation of the values protected by the ‘Basic Law: Human Dignity and Freedom,’ which includes: freedom of choice, the right to self-fulfillment, the right to dignity and equal rights." [Thanks to Joel Katz (Relig. & State In Israel) for the lead.]