THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE RESOLUTION OF AGUNOT

March 7, 2012 / ""

FACT SHEET REGARDING THE EPSTEIN/FRIEDMAN AGUNAH CASE

In Jewish divorce law, both parties must consent to the granting of the divorce document called a get. When one party refuses to participate in the get process, the other party cannot remarry. Experts in the field of abuse and trauma have classified the refusal to issue a get as a form of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse, at its core, is about control, and a get-refuser controls the personal freedoms and future of the aggrieved party. A woman who is denied a get by her husband is called an agunah.

FACTS ABOUT THE CASE: Background: Aharon Friedman, 35, and Tamar Epstein, 28, married in April 2006, had a daughter in November 2007, separated in March 2008, and were civilly divorced in April 2010. Friedman currently lives in Silver Spring, Maryland and works as tax counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI4). Epstein lives with her family in Philadelphia and works as a nurse practitioner. Child Custody Details: All issues of child custody and visitation have been finalized in civil court. Friedman was the plaintiff in all civil proceedings pertaining to child custody and visitation. The Maryland courts have ruled repeatedly that it is in the best interests of their daughter for her to remain primarily with Epstein in Philadelphia. Friedman has visitation in Silver Spring every other weekend as well as on vacations and holidays totaling approximately 1/3 of the days of the calendar year. Friedmans weekend visitations begin on Thursdays at 5 P.M. Though the Maryland court originally determined that his visitations would begin on Fridays at 6 P.M., the visitation schedule was revised in July 2011 to address all possible concerns of infringing on Friedmans Sabbath observance. Ruling of Rabbinic Courts: In September 2011, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada issued a seruv, an order of contempt, against Friedman for his refusal to appear at their beit din, rabbinic court, in order to issue a get. The seruv was signed by Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, Rabbi Mordechai Wolmark, Rabbi Gavriel Stern, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, and signed onto by Rabbi Hershel Schachter. The case ended up at this particular beit din because Friedman himself had turned to one of their most prominent rabbis, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, for support. Prior to the issuance of the seruv, Epstein agreed to a settlement conference with Rabbi Belsky. Friedman walked out on the settlement conference, making it clear that he is unwilling to participate in the process. Though other rabbinic courts had been involved previously, they all relinquished jurisdiction over the case. The seruv states that Friedman is regarded as one who does not heed Jewish law, and therefore, any person who has the ability or opportunity to influence him to free Tamar Epstein from the chains of her agunah status is obligated to do so. The Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington has declared Friedman persona non grata in the Silver Spring Jewish community. JOIN TAMAR IN HER FIGHT FOR HER GET ORAs Tactics: ORA always approaches cases of get-refusal by conducting extensive research and making every possible attempt to quietly and amicably facilitate a resolution between the two parties. If all means of amicable facilitation have been exhausted, ORA uses all forms of pressure permitted by both civil law and Jewish law. In the case of Aharon Friedman and Tamar Epstein, we turn to Congressman Dave Camp to influence Friedman to give a get. We are not asking Congressman Camp to fire Friedman, but to distance himself from his earlier statement that getrefusal is mere gossip. Camp must condemn Friedmans action and rightfully declare that get-refusal is a form of domestic abuse. How You Can Help: 1. Sign this petition and share it with friends: http://chn.ge/CampPetition 2. Follow and Like the Facebook page for this campaign: http://on.fb.me/CampAgainstAbuse 3. Join our Twitter campaign: http://twitter.com/#!/ORAgunot For More Information: Call: 212-795-0197 / Email: freetamar@getORA.org
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