Rabbinic Court Tells Lesbian Mother To Keep Children Away From Partner
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
A government rabbinic court in Jerusalem has issued an order prohibiting a woman from bringing her children to meet her female romantic partner.
According to Israel’s Center for Women’s Justice, the rabbinic court’s order came during divorce proceedings between the woman and her husband. The couple agreed that the woman would have custody of the children, but the husband asked the court to issue an order prohibiting the woman’s partner from seeing the children.
Without such an order, the husband said he would refuse to grant his wife a get, or a ritual divorce. The court has agreed to his request.
The Center for Women’s Justice filed a petition this week with Israel’s Supreme Court on the woman’s behalf challenging the rabbinic court’s order. Because Israel does not allow civil divorce, Jewish couples must divorce through the rabbinic court system.
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