A couple was married in Yerushalayim 18 years ago. The wife is an Israeli citizen and the husband American. They moved to the USA for a period of time and two children were born, a boy and a girl. During their marriage the husband refused to sign documents permitting his wife to obtain citizenship. She felt as she was being held hostage, far from her family and unable to conduct a normal life, such as opening a bank account.

The father was reportedly uninvolved in the education and raising of the children as the mom traveled two hours in each direction daily to get the children to a Jewish school. The husband’s attitude to his wife became unacceptable and at times he struck her during arguments. The woman tried getting divorced a number of times, turning to rabbonim but no progress was made as the husband insisted on full custody of their children and she refused.

He eventually agreed to sign on her behalf, permitting her to obtain a Green Card. However, explaining the insults and embarrassments become too much for her to endure she ran away from their home and managed with the assistance of friends but their economic status was bleak on the best of days. She explains she always feared turning to the civil courts for a divorce for she believed such a move would result in her husband refusing to get her a get ever. The two lived separately for a decade and the wife saw no way out.

The wife recently learned the husband was coming to Israel to take part in a levaya of a family member. She contacted the Agunos Unit of the Chief Rabbinate, speaking with Rabbi Eliyahu Maimon. The latter instructed a private detective to follow the husband and finally he was confronted and persuaded to give his wife a get after she has been an agunah for a decade.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)