The Center for Women's Justice (Hebrew: מרכז צדק לנשים, romanized: Merkaz Tzedek LeNashim) is a public interest law firm devoted to advancing and protecting the rights of women to justice, equality and dignity under Jewish law in Israel.[1] CWJ is a member organization of ICAR, the International Coalition for Agunah Rights.[2]
First cases and approach to changing the systemedit
The Center for Women's Justice (CWJ) was founded in Jerusalem in 2004, by attorney Susan Weiss. CWJ initiated the practice of suing recalcitrant husbands (men who refuse to divorce their wives under the authority of Jewish law) for financial damages (torts) in Israel's civil courts. CWJ has stated that they intend to file as many claims for get abuse as possible across the country. Their declared goal is to make it an established legal certainty in Israeli courts that get refusal is no longer understood as a religious right, but rather as a civil wrong requiring the awarding of financial damages.[3]
In 2007 CWJ sued the Israeli Justice Ministry for NIS 4.5 million on behalf of an Israeli woman who had been denied a divorce from her husband for 18 years. The suit alleged that the Supreme Rabbinical Court was guilty of criminal negligence for having assisted the husband in extorting the wife in exchange for a divorce.[4] In 2010 CWJ was one of a number of organizations who filed suit against Israeli Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman to repeal an Israeli law which prevents women from applying for the position of the executive director of the Rabbinical court.[5] CWJ currently provides professional training for attorneys, legal advocacy and education about harmful rabbinic practices.[6] They are funded by a variety of foundations including the New Israel Fund,[7] the Hadassah Foundation and the National Council of Jewish Women.[8]
Involvement in conversion issuesedit
CWJ became involved in conversion issues in Israel when they took on a client whose Jewish status had come into question during a standard divorce case. In the process of divorce proceedings the Rabbinic judge began to question the religious observance of the wife, a convert to Judaism. Instead of receiving a divorce, the Rabbinic courts revoked the conversion[9]—an unheard of decision—as according to Jewish tradition a conversion once completed is irrevocable.[10] The original decision not only revoked the woman and her children's Jewish status, but also brought into question all of the conversions done under the authority of Rabbi Haim Drukman, the head of the Conversion Authority within the Israeli Prime Minister's office. CWJ was joined in the suit by several organizations including Na'amat, WIZO and Emunah.[11]
In May 2009, the Israeli High Court of Justice gave the dayanim of the Supreme Rabbinical Court 90 days to justify their decision to revoke the conversions done under the auspices of Rabbi Haim Druckman's conversion court. One of the petitioners was represented by CWJ. Shimon Ya'acobi, attorney for the Rabbinic courts argued that the matter rested solely under the jurisdiction of the religious courts and the secular courts had no authority to rule on the matter.[12] Druckman's special conversion court, while dealing exclusively with religious conversion, operated out of the Prime Minister's office and was not under the jurisdiction of the Rabbinical courts.[13]
Educational projectsedit
CWJ's educational efforts include a series of YouTube videos. These videos feature a fictional character known as Savta Bikorta (lit. Grandmother Criticism) who narrates the stories of some of CWJ's real-life court cases in a highly sarcastic tone.[14] In the summer of 2011, CWJ introduced a blog. Blog posts feature CWJ staff, volunteers and interns grappling with the issues they encounter in their daily work with the organization.[15] CWJ Social Awareness Coordinator Rivkah Lubitch has a regular column on Ynet, a major Israeli news site, in which she discusses issues of religion, state and gender as experienced in her work with CWJ.[16]
Referencesedit
^Rabbi Angel, Marc. "Rabbis: No More Alibis". Jewish Institute for Ideas and Ideals. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
^. New Israel Fund (NIF). Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
^"Acknowledgements". מרכז צדק לנשים. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
^Gorenberg, Gershom. . Hadassah Magazine. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
^Avi Sagi; Abraham Sagi; Tsevi Zohar (2007). Transforming identity: the ritual transition from gentile to Jew – structure and meaning. Continuum. ISBN9780826496713.
^Izenberg, Dan. "Court to decide on rejected conversions". June 6, 2008.
^Izenberg, Dan. . The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
^Barkat, Amiram. "Conversion is a temporary matter". Haaretz. Retrieved October 19, 2004.
^"Savta Bikorta videos". Center for Women's Justice.
^Lubitch, Rivkah. "Ynet columns". Ynetnews. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
Further readingedit
Maltz, Judy (November 29, 2015). "Group challenges ban on women's Torah reading at Western Wall". Haaretz. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
External linksedit
Weiss Advice
Center for Women's Justice community blog
Agunah International
November 02, 2023
center, women, justice, hebrew, מרכז, צדק, לנשים, romanized, merkaz, tzedek, lenashim, public, interest, firm, devoted, advancing, protecting, rights, women, justice, equality, dignity, under, jewish, israel, member, organization, icar, international, coalitio. The Center for Women s Justice Hebrew מרכז צדק לנשים romanized Merkaz Tzedek LeNashim is a public interest law firm devoted to advancing and protecting the rights of women to justice equality and dignity under Jewish law in Israel 1 CWJ is a member organization of ICAR the International Coalition for Agunah Rights 2 Contents 1 History 1 1 First cases and approach to changing the system 1 2 Involvement in conversion issues 1 2 1 Debate over civil and religious jurisdiction 2 Educational projects 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editFirst cases and approach to changing the system edit The Center for Women s Justice CWJ was founded in Jerusalem in 2004 by attorney Susan Weiss CWJ initiated the practice of suing recalcitrant husbands men who refuse to divorce their wives under the authority of Jewish law for financial damages torts in Israel s civil courts CWJ has stated that they intend to file as many claims for get abuse as possible across the country Their declared goal is to make it an established legal certainty in Israeli courts that get refusal is no longer understood as a religious right but rather as a civil wrong requiring the awarding of financial damages 3 In 2007 CWJ sued the Israeli Justice Ministry for NIS 4 5 million on behalf of an Israeli woman who had been denied a divorce from her husband for 18 years The suit alleged that the Supreme Rabbinical Court was guilty of criminal negligence for having assisted the husband in extorting the wife in exchange for a divorce 4 In 2010 CWJ was one of a number of organizations who filed suit against Israeli Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman to repeal an Israeli law which prevents women from applying for the position of the executive director of the Rabbinical court 5 CWJ currently provides professional training for attorneys legal advocacy and education about harmful rabbinic practices 6 They are funded by a variety of foundations including the New Israel Fund 7 the Hadassah Foundation and the National Council of Jewish Women 8 Involvement in conversion issues edit CWJ became involved in conversion issues in Israel when they took on a client whose Jewish status had come into question during a standard divorce case In the process of divorce proceedings the Rabbinic judge began to question the religious observance of the wife a convert to Judaism Instead of receiving a divorce the Rabbinic courts revoked the conversion 9 an unheard of decision as according to Jewish tradition a conversion once completed is irrevocable 10 The original decision not only revoked the woman and her children s Jewish status but also brought into question all of the conversions done under the authority of Rabbi Haim Drukman the head of the Conversion Authority within the Israeli Prime Minister s office CWJ was joined in the suit by several organizations including Na amat WIZO and Emunah 11 Debate over civil and religious jurisdiction edit This section may contain material unrelated or insufficiently related to the topic of the article Please help improve this section or discuss this issue on the talk page August 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message In May 2009 the Israeli High Court of Justice gave the dayanim of the Supreme Rabbinical Court 90 days to justify their decision to revoke the conversions done under the auspices of Rabbi Haim Druckman s conversion court One of the petitioners was represented by CWJ Shimon Ya acobi attorney for the Rabbinic courts argued that the matter rested solely under the jurisdiction of the religious courts and the secular courts had no authority to rule on the matter 12 Druckman s special conversion court while dealing exclusively with religious conversion operated out of the Prime Minister s office and was not under the jurisdiction of the Rabbinical courts 13 Educational projects editCWJ s educational efforts include a series of YouTube videos These videos feature a fictional character known as Savta Bikorta lit Grandmother Criticism who narrates the stories of some of CWJ s real life court cases in a highly sarcastic tone 14 In the summer of 2011 CWJ introduced a blog Blog posts feature CWJ staff volunteers and interns grappling with the issues they encounter in their daily work with the organization 15 CWJ Social Awareness Coordinator Rivkah Lubitch has a regular column on Ynet a major Israeli news site in which she discusses issues of religion state and gender as experienced in her work with CWJ 16 References edit Rabbi Angel Marc Rabbis No More Alibis Jewish Institute for Ideas and Ideals Retrieved July 11 2011 ICAR member organizations Tort of Get Refusal Center for Women s Justice Archived from the original on March 24 2012 Izenberg Dan 18 year Aguna suing Justice Ministry The Jerusalem Post Retrieved October 29 2007 Sztokman Elana The Masculinization of All Things Religious Forward com Sisterhood Blog Retrieved August 4 2010 About מרכז צדק לנשים Retrieved May 3 2018 2016 Grantees New Israel Fund NIF Archived from the original on May 4 2018 Retrieved May 3 2018 Acknowledgements מרכז צדק לנשים Retrieved May 3 2018 Gorenberg Gershom Oops You re Not Jewish Hadassah Magazine Archived from the original on June 7 2011 Retrieved November 1 2008 Avi Sagi Abraham Sagi Tsevi Zohar 2007 Transforming identity the ritual transition from gentile to Jew structure and meaning Continuum ISBN 9780826496713 Izenberg Dan Court to decide on rejected conversions June 6 2008 Izenberg Dan High Court Justify conversion annulments The Jerusalem Post Archived from the original on March 26 2012 Retrieved May 18 2009 Barkat Amiram Conversion is a temporary matter Haaretz Retrieved October 19 2004 Savta Bikorta videos Center for Women s Justice cwjisrael blog Retrieved August 18 2011 Lubitch Rivkah Ynet columns Ynetnews Retrieved July 1 2011 Further reading editMaltz Judy November 29 2015 Group challenges ban on women s Torah reading at Western Wall Haaretz Retrieved January 29 2016 External links editCenter for Women s Justice Weiss Advice Center for Women s Justice community blog Agunah International Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Center for Women 27s Justice amp oldid 1125889550, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
