Justice Unbound: Women, Religion and the State of Israel

Susan Weiss and Rivkah Lubitch
  • 0.0 (0)
  • JUDAISM
Justice Unbound: Women, Religion and the State of Israel

Rivkah Lubitch and Susan Weiss take you behind the closed doors of Israeli Rabbinic Courts to reveal the real stories of women seeking justice under religious law in Israel. Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

Episodes

  1. (9) Grounds for Divorce

    4 DAYS AGO

    (9) Grounds for Divorce

    What must a woman prove to be divorced in a rabbinic court? Susan shares a shocking case where she learned firsthand that, no matter what a husband does—whether he rapes, beats, cheats, takes another wife, withholds intimacy, or even if his wife is utterly repulsed by him—none of it grants her the right to leave. No fault of his is considered grounds for divorce.   How is this possible? What does this mean for women trapped in these marriages?    Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

    20 min
  2. (8) Killer Wife

    FEB 9

    (8) Killer Wife

    According to Jewish tradition, a woman who outlives two husbands is labeled a “killer wife,” believed to bring misfortune to any future spouse. In Israel, a woman suspected of being a killer wife needs special permission to legally remarry. Susan and Rivkah dive into a fascinating 2014 rabbinic court ruling that allows one such woman to escape the stigma—while paradoxically reinforcing the very law that condemned her.   Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.   Book mentioned in this podcast: Pious and Rebellious: Jewish Women in Medieval Europe by Avraham Grossman

    16 min
  3. (7) Chalitza, Part 2

    JAN 27

    (7) Chalitza, Part 2

    As the war in Israel leaves countless families shattered, the issue of chalitza resurfaces with complicated consequences for widows. In this second episode on chalitza, Susan and Rivkah discuss halachic solutions--past and present--and why the current crisis makes it more urgent than ever to address. Learn about what the Center for Women's Justice is doing to ensure women’s freedom and dignity in their most vulnerable moments.   Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.   Check out CWJ’s halachic document that addresses chalitza, as well as CWJ’s full halachic prenuptial agreement, here: https://www.shtar-eng.cwj.org.il/

    23 min
  4. (6) Chalitza, Part 1

    JAN 19

    (6) Chalitza, Part 1

    Susan and Rivkah delve into the ancient ritual of chalitza, a halachic ceremony releasing a widow from marrying her late husband’s brother. What does chalitza mean for women today, especially in the modern state of Israel? What happens to a woman when chalitza can’t—or won’t—be done? Through personal stories, expert insights and a critical lens, we explore the halachic, legal, and cultural dimensions of this practice.    Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.  Mentioned in this episode: Family Law and the Challenge of Modernity: Debate about Levirate Marriage among Moroccan Sages by Elimelech Westreich  https://bit.ly/Westreich

    26 min
  5. (5) Millet System

    JAN 5

    (5) Millet System

    What does the Ottoman Sultan have to do with Jewish divorce in 2025? Susan and Rivkah delve into the surprising origins of Israel’s two-tracked civil system, consisting of religious and secular courts.    What is the difference between these secular and religious courts, and how do Israelis decide where to go? Are non-Jews in Israel also bound by religious courts? And how can a democratic state operate religious courts, anyway?    Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation. Mentioned in this episode: Scholarship of Dr. Yüksel Sezgin https://bit.ly/YSezgin

    17 min
  6. (4) Marrying Outside the Rabbinate, with Rabbi Chuck Davidson of Chuppot

    12/22/2024

    (4) Marrying Outside the Rabbinate, with Rabbi Chuck Davidson of Chuppot

    Chuppot is an independent rabbinic-halachic organization that marries couples in accordance with Jewish law--but outside the purview of the State Rabbinate. Since its establishment in 2018, Chuppot has married 1600 couples... and counting.    Why does an alternative like this exist? And what ramifications does it have for the next generation?    Rivkah speaks with Rabbi Chuck Davidson, director of Chuppot’s halachic department.   Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

    22 min
  7. (3) Just 17

    12/04/2024

    (3) Just 17

    Can a Jewish marriage that was never consummated be annulled? Not so fast. Susan Weiss and Rivkah Lubitch tell the story of a 17-year-old girl in a marriage she can’t escape.   The episode introduces the halachic concept of “ma’is alay”–“he disgusts me”–circumstances under which a woman cannot stand to sleep with her husband, which has implications for divorce.    Being repulsed by her husband did not help the 17-year-old girl get out of her marriage. What did?   Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

    16 min
  8. (2) Two Wives

    11/26/2024

    (2) Two Wives

    Is polygamy legal in Israel, and is it grounds for divorce? Susan Weiss and Rivkah Lubitch share the story of Rivkah’s client, whose husband married a second wife while refusing to divorce the first.    This episode underscores how women pay the price when religious law is imposed by the state.    Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

    14 min
  9. (1) Chained

    11/13/2024

    (1) Chained

    Susan Weiss and Rivkah Lubitch talk about agunot, Jewish women held in marital captivity. They explain marriage and divorce in Jewish Law, the legal system in Israel, and how things work in the state-backed rabbinic courts. This episode tells the story of one of Rivkah’s first clients, who waited 20 years for her get—Jewish bill of divorce.   Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

    12 min
  10. Welcome to Justice Unbound: Women, Religion, and the State of Israel

    11/13/2024

    Welcome to Justice Unbound: Women, Religion, and the State of Israel

    Rivkah Lubitch and Susan Weiss take you behind the closed doors of Israeli Rabbinic Courts to reveal the real stories of women seeking justice under religious law in Israel. Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

    6 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Rivkah Lubitch and Susan Weiss take you behind the closed doors of Israeli Rabbinic Courts to reveal the real stories of women seeking justice under religious law in Israel. Justice Unbound is made possible by the generous support of the Gimprich Family Foundation.

Information

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada