Jewish Marriage in Israel

Regarding the movies we watched this past Sunday for Professor Mendelsson’s class, I was both surprised and saddened to learn of the problems that Israeli society faces concerning the issue of divorce.  When a woman desires to divorce her husband and there is evidence that he has been unfaithful to her, the rabbinate court in many cases is reluctant to grant a divorce if the male desires otherwise.  Israel, upon its establishment, delegated to the Jewish rabbinate the power to oversee marriage issues.  An increasing number of women experience hardship when it comes to divorcing their husbands, because Jewish law forbids divorce unless the husband allows it.  The unavoidable fact that civil marriage does not exist in the Jewish state is problematic, in my opinion, if Israel wishes to consider itself a democratic nation.  Women, along with every other citizen of the state, should have the freedom to live healthily, happily, and stress-free.  If a woman’s freedom and happiness are rendered dependent on a man’s will, then her rights have been infringed upon.  For a Jewish democracy to be realized, which in my mind is very difficult considering the tumult situation involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a Jewish man must at least be willing to cooperate with his wife.  Ten or more years, waiting for a divorce from a husband is simply outrageous and unjust.  I’m not insinuating that every Jewish man in Israel is unfaithful or unfair towards his wife.  However, the fact that any percentage of Jewish Israeli men treats their wives with disregard for their happiness and well-being is unacceptable.  In every society around the world, there are unfaithful men.  The point I am attempting to establish is the following: if Israel wants to be recognized as a truly democratic nation, then a change needs to happen where Jewish Israeli women do not have to worry about fighting the rabbinate courts in addition to their husbands in order to settle a divorce.  Either the institution of civil marriage must be established, or accommodations to the current establishment have to be made in order for women to realize a healthy amount of freedom and a high amount of reliance on the nation’s institutions.