Judith* is no longer living with her abusive husband, but she needed support and reached out to SHALVA as she navigated both a Jewish and a civil divorce. It was important to Judith to receive a Jewish divorce (“get”) early in the civil divorce process, so the get would not be used as a negotiating tool regarding money or time with her son. Her SHALVA counselor helped Judith sort through the emotions of going through divorce and strategize for the future. Our legal liaison helped Judith find an attorney to represent her in the civil divorce.
Judith also found support through a rabbi from SHALVA’s Orthodox Rabbinic Task Force. The rabbi guided Judith through the get process, reaching out to the rabbinic council (“Beit Din”) and also helped by speaking to her husband’s rabbi to set a date for the get. Even with this help, Judith was still worried and anxious that her husband would refuse to give the get.
With the help of a team, Judith went to the Beit Din with a SHALVA advocate and received her get. The advocate spent time with Judith afterward so that she was not left alone to sort through all that she just experienced. Judith continues to meet with her SHALVA therapist, her lawyer and her rabbi as her civil divorce works its way through the legal system.
Just in time for Passover, Judith can celebrate her personal path toward freedom.
*Name has been changed for confidentiality.
