Support for Agunot

[Attorney]

Not everyone will understand this term. It is used to decribe a Jewish
woman who may be divorced from a man in civil court, but who cannot
secure a religious divorce (Get) from her former husband. As a result,
she may (depending upon whether she or a prospective husband recognizes
Orthodox Jewish mandates) find herself unable to remarry. Most States
do not have a requirement that a husband give a Get prior to the
receipt of a civil judgement of divorce. Some do, like New York (it
requires that "all barriers to remarriage" be removed). In any event,
whether Jewish or not, Orthodox or not, most people in this group
should recognize that great inequity can result by the withholding of a
Get. There are numerous groups that do support agunot, and there is a
vast network of services available to them.