Yad L'Isha

Yad L'Isha (Hebrew: יד לאישה, "A Hand for a Woman") is an Israeli nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting women who are denied a Jewish divorce, known in Jewish law as agunot (chained women) and mesoravot get (women whose husbands refuse to grant a divorce). Founded in 1997 by attorney Susan Weiss together with the Institute for the Training of Rabbinic Court Advocates of Midreshet Lindenbaum, which is part of the Ohr Torah Stone network, the organization has grown into what it describes as the largest and most expert body in Israel and worldwide working to free women from this situation. It operates as part of the Ohr Torah Stone network, which serves as its institutional home. The organization provides free or low-cost legal consultation, legal representation before the rabbinical courts, and personal support to women in divorce proceedings. Its services include initial legal advice, legal review of a woman's situation, representation in rabbinical courts for claims to compel a get, and referrals to other representative bodies. Yad L'Isha also employs private investigators to locate missing husbands and conducts investigations to assist in obtaining a get, and it provides social workers and personal coaches to empower women during the divorce process. A national hotline offers practical assistance and emotional support to women in divorce proceedings. Yad L'Isha has three branches, in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba, plus an additional branch in the north of Israel. According to figures provided by the organization's representatives, Yad L'Isha provides legal advice to about 600 women and legal representation to about 150 women each year. The organization believes that because the women who reach it represent "extreme cases," there are hundreds of women in Israel who are denied a get and have not sought help. In addition to direct services, Yad L'Isha offers lectures and study days for the general public and professionals to raise awareness of the problem of agunot and mesoravot get, and it works to change public policy and amend legislation to alleviate and solve the problem. It also operates a mediation center called "Mitgashrim" (מתגשרים) aimed at helping couples in divorce proceedings to divorce by agreement and with mutual respect. As of 2022, Pnina Omer headed the organization. Rabbi Ktriel Brander, president and head of Ohr Torah Stone institutions, has said that the get, which in Jewish law was a tool for protecting women, has over the years become a weapon used by spouses against each other, and that the organization began operating to free women "to prevent this disgraceful phenomenon, until we uproot it from our society." The organization's website states that it has been operating for more than twenty years and that as of its publication, about 1,000 women have received their freedom through Yad L'Isha.

Yad L'Isha was founded in 1997 by attorney Susan Weiss together with the Institute for the Training of Rabbinic Court Advocates of Midreshet Lindenbaum, which belongs to the Ohr Torah Stone institutions. The organization was established to assist women who are denied a Jewish divorce, known as agunot and mesoravot get. Over the years, it has grown into what it describes as the largest and most expert organization in Israel and worldwide for freeing women from this situation. It operates as part of the Ohr Torah Stone network, which has served as its home for its extensive activities. The organization has three branches, in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba, and an additional branch in the north of Israel. It operates a national hotline that provides practical assistance and emotional support to women in divorce proceedings. Women can request a legal consultation meeting about divorce, or a legal review of their situation, possible courses of action, and options for referral to representative bodies. The organization represents women denied a get and agunot in rabbinical courts in claims to compel and force a get. According to figures provided by the organization's representatives, Yad L'Isha provides legal advice to about 600 women and legal representation to about 150 women each year. However, the organization believes that because the women who come to it represent "extreme cases," there are hundreds of women in Israel who are denied a get and have not sought help. The organization offers lectures and study days for the general public and professionals, all with the aim of raising awareness of the problem of agunot and mesoravot get. It also works to change public policy and amend legislation, all with the aim of alleviating and solving the problem of agunot. All these services are provided to women free of charge or for a symbolic payment. Yad L'Isha also has a mediation center called "Mitgashrim" whose goal is to help couples in divorce proceedings to divorce by agreement and with mutual respect. As of 2022, Pnina Omer headed the organization. Rabbi Ktriel Brander, president and head of Ohr Torah Stone institutions, said that the get, which in Jewish law was a tool for protecting women, has over the years become a weapon used by spouses against each other, and that the organization began operating to free women "to prevent this disgraceful phenomenon, until we uproot it from our society." The organization's website states that it has been operating for more than twenty years and that as of its publication, about 1,000 women have received their freedom through Yad L'Isha.

• 2022

  Pnina Omer headed the organization.

• 1997

  Yad L'Isha founded by attorney Susan Weiss together with the Institute for the Training of Rabbinic Court Advocates of Midreshet Lindenbaum.

The largest and most expert organization in Israel and worldwide for freeing women denied a Jewish divorce, providing free or low-cost legal and emotional support.

1. 1Official websiteyadlaisha.org.il
2. 2Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Hebrew Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org