ICAR - International Coalition for Agunah Rights

Yad L’Isha

GOALS
Campaigning for the rights of agunot - women who cannot get a divorce - and their children.

BACKGROUND
ICAR was founded in 1989 to campaign for the rights of agunot and mesoravot get (women whose husbands refuse to grant them a divorce). At the beginning of 2002, SHATIL convened a conference and invited ICAR member organizations to participate alongside other women's organizations. In the wake of this conference, additional organizations joined ICAR and the coalition began its current activities. At present, there are 25 member organizations that represent a broad spectrum of women, including National Religious, secular, Mizrahi, Conservative and Reform.

STRATEGIES
Advocacy with legislators, the Ministry of Justice and the Rabbinical Courts. Education and consciousness-raising projects such as seminars, conferences and publishing publicity material.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Promoting amendments to Marital Property Law which will allow division of property upon separation as opposed to waiting for a full divorce settlement.
• Promoting enactment of the Bill for Annulment of Marriage in special cases.
• Promoting discussion in Knesset Committee on the status of children of agunot
• or mesoravot get.
• Lobbying and demonstrating for the appointment of suitable rabbinical court judges.
• Poster design competition
• Screening of the film "Sentenced to Marriage" which caused the Chief Rabbis to set up an internal audit committee of rabbinical court judges.
• Events and lectures for the general public.