Rabbis supporting Agunot, רבנים תומכים אגונות

Here is an interesting development about the practice of the Beth Din in America upholding the support of agunot (married women whose husbands refused to give a Jewish divorce).

This tragedy is felt personally by Ms. Tamar Epstein (formerly of Silver Spring) who has been determined to be an agunah - a chained woman - according to Jewish Law. This is the case, as Mr. Aharon Friedman has refused (as of this printing) to give her a Jewish writ of divorce - a get - in accordance with the order issued by the Rabbinic Court of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada. Mr. Friedman, a lawyer, is a member of U.S. Rep. Dave Camp's staff (D-Mich.). Although there is a civil divorce in place, he has refused to remove all obstacles from Ms. Epstein's path to freedom from his control, namely to give her a get.

Therefore, in accordance with the seruv and Jewish Law, the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Washington issued a letter of directives to the community. Firstly, Mr. Friedman was called upon to give his wife a get. Barring that, the rabbis called upon all synagogues to suspend his membership; all Jewish organizations to remove Mr. Friedman from any committees or positions of honor; to refrain from giving him any recognition, including calling him to the Torah in any synagogue. The rabbis continued to direct synagogues to remind their membership periodically that Mr. Friedman is in violation of the order of the rabbinic court. All those who have contact or influence over Mr. Friedman were urged to persuade him "to promptly give his wife the required get." Until that time, "the announcements shall remain in effect." When the get is delivered, the Vaad will announce that each of the "steps shall be removed and that Mr. Friedman be restored to a normal status within the community."

source: Washington Jewish Week