Jewish women exploring options

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Rabbis should convene and post-nuptial agreements explore in the wake of a failed bill designed to free women from Jewish marriages, a victim advocate said.

“We can pursue rabbis convening to think of some remedies to alleviate the concerns of these women, and we can explore other options, like post-nuptial agreements,” said Nancy Aiken, director of Counseling, Helpline and Aid Network for Abused Women, an agency of The Associated, the Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. “But these don’t solve the moral and ethical problems.”

The Senate rejected a bill Friday that would have required Orthodox Jewish men to grant their wives religious divorces when seeking civil divorces after lawmakers expressed concerns about the state intruding on religion.

Only men can grant a “get,” or Orthodox Jewish divorce, and women who are not given gets are forbidden from remarrying within the religion.

A post-nuptial agreement could be attained through a rabbinic tribunal, said Nat Lewin, an attorney who drafted similar legislation, which passed in New York 20 years ago.

Cynthia Ohana, a Baltimore City resident whose struggle to receive a get from Ephraim Ohana launched city protests, said she was “horrified” that some female and Jewish senators voted against the bill.

“Imagine the statement it makes to abusers,” said Ohana, who testified in favor of the legislation. “How do I possibly explain this to my children? What a slap in the face! I hold every person who voted against the bill personally responsible for the current hostage situation of Jewish women in Maryland.

“Domestic abuse is intolerable, but its enabler is absolutely unforgivable,” she said of the lawmakers who didn’t vote for the measure.

But Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, an American University constitutional law professor, said the proposal allowed the state to intrude into religion.

A House version of the bill sponsored by Del. Sandy Rosenberg, D-Baltimore City, has not been scheduled for a hearing.

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com

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