June 17, 2003

The Beth Din of America, the Rabbinical Council of America, and the Orthodox Caucus Announce the Release of a Revised Prenuptial Agreement

The Beth Din of America, in conjunction with the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and The Orthodox Caucus today announced the release of a revised halachic Prenuptial Agreement.

The Agreement was issued in its original form about 10 years ago, based upon authoritative rulings of leading rabbis in both America and Israel, and has become the preferred method in the observant community of preventing iggun (delayed divorce proceedings) inflicted by recalcitrant spouses. Many rabbis have taken policy positions by which they will not officiate at a marriage unless the couple has signed the Agreement.

Indeed, the Agreement has already proven helpful in numerous instances in divorce proceedings. As Rabbi Yonah Reiss, Director of the Beth Din of America puts it, “In a number of divorce proceedings that have come before our court, when a spouse has produced a signed copy of the Agreement any potential problems in withholding a Get (religious divorce) have been avoided.”

The Prenuptial Agreement that is both legally enforceable and halachically recognized has now been reissued in a revised and simplified format. Specifically, it clarifies various options available to the couple regarding jurisdictional matters pertaining to the Beth Din.

“Furthermore,” explains Rabbi Basil Herring of the Orthodox Caucus, “when a couple signs the agreement it in no way implies a problem in their relationship or a lack of good faith, but rather conveys an awareness by both parties that if all couples were to sign it prior to marriage, we would go a long way toward the goal of eliminating the scourge of iggun from our community once and for all.”

The Prenuptial Agreement may be downloaded at no cost from the Caucus website www.orthodoxcaucus.org, which also includes extensive additional background information, or from the home page of the Orthodox Union website, www.ou.org.

Further questions should be directed to [email protected] or to the Beth Din of America at (212) 807-9042.

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Download a copy of the prenuptial agreement

www.ou.org

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