Rabbinate judges rush a divorce deal to allow husband's marriage to another man
The man had just 'come out' but has already met his new life partner and wanted to join him abroad quickly; Rabbinical judges torn between indirectly supporting gay marriage, and leaving the man's wife a 'chained' women as her husband flies to Italy to unite with new lover.
The man, who is religious and a father of several children, walked in to the Netanya Rabbinate office in early March and asked for an urgent divorce — “right this instance.”
When the Rabbinate’s team inquired about the urgency of the matter, the man revealed he had recently “came out of the closet” and found a male partner who lives in Italy — who now awaits him there.
The Rabbis had fierce discussions and were torn whether their approval of the divorce means they will be indirectly supporting a homosexual relationship, forbidden by religious law.
Finally, fearing that the man’s wife will remain a "chained" women, bound in marriage until granted a divorce document that according to Jewish law can only be given by the husband, the Rabbinate approved the divorce.
“My lover is waiting for me there and he said that if I don’t get a divorce today — he’ll leave me,” said the man who sought to end his marriage. He added that he intends to leave Israel for Italy to marry his new partner.
_B.jpg "Tamar Zandberg from Meretz Party during a protest calling for gay marriage in front of the Tel Aviv Rabbinate (Benny Doitch)")
“I have to divorce my wife since I don’t want to ruin her life. She’s a very religious women and we have children,” the man explained, referring to the consequence of him leaving the country without a formal divorce leaving his wife unable to remarry.
The Rabbinical judges, fearing the man will leave the country if they don’t act immediately, quickly called in a scribe to write the divorce document. They even went as far as postponing other discussions they had scheduled for that day.
An hour after his arrival, the man was already divorced from his wife in accordance with Jewish laws and customs — and was off to the airport, to be united with his new love.
