The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-15
ISRAELITE DIVORCES.
The Simple Process in Vogue Among the
Polish Jews of New York.

new 1Ofh herald
Although get or religious divorce is
practically unknown among educated Jews,
as explained by the Rev. DR.. Gottheil inqui-
ry shows that the practice is prevalent among
Polish and Russian Jews on the east SIDE,
and at least one rabbi has the reputation OF
deriving the larger part of his income from
fees for divorces Rabbi Ash, of synagogue
Beth Hamedrash Hagodol, said last evening:
"a great many such divorces are granted,
and sometimes both the man and woman
marry again without securing q divorce IN
the courts 1t is the rabbis who grant a
get and the husband who secures it. The
wife cannot secure a divorce, and II she
wants one she must induce her husband to
apply for one. a divorce cannot be obtained
unless doth parties consent to it. If the
husband wants a divorce and the wife IS
not willing none can be granted, no
matter what complaint he has against her
The rules of procedure are found in the
'Getten' in the Talmud. Both parties come
before the rabbi 1t is his duty to inquire
the cause of the disagreement and to try to
reconcile husband and wife.
"If he succeeds he gets no fee, and so some
rabbits grant the get without asking the
cause of the trouble. There are present a
scribe and two witnesses learned in the law
of Moses. The divorce being granted, the
scribe is directed to write il. 1t is then
signed by the witnesses and delivered to the
husband, who makes a tear i'll it and delivers
it to his wife. She receives it in her joined
hands, raises it to her forehead, and then re-
turns it to her husband She is then free
woman, The rabbi keeps the get but de-
livers certificates to the man and woman and
warns them that if they want to marry
again they must get divorce in the courts. !"
Rabbi Ash exhibited get" 1t is beau
tifully written in Hebrew upon a sheet of
paper of foolscap size. Its purport was as
follows:
The - day of the week, - day OF the
month -, the year 5614 since the world began,
according to the count we have kept here in
New York, the town which ia situated on the
sea and on the river by the name Hudson
am the man by the name -, the son of -,
| who am living here in - street, New York, the
very same town which ia by the sea and on the
| river by the name Hudson. am willing, Of
my own free will with the greatest willingness
| daughter of -, who live here in New York,
| which is by the and on The river by the name
hudson. And you were my wife from before
| till now and now make you free and drive you
away that.you shall be free TO get married to
| every one You like and nobody shall be able to
| hinder you from this day forever, and you are
! free to every person, and this paper which you
shall have from me shall separate you from me
according to the law of Moses and of Israel.
The woman is called ''gresha," which
means east aside" The divorce fee is from
| S. up, and is like the marriage fee proper
tionate to the gratitude of the husband.
Rabbi Ash says ne grants eight or ten a year.
One rabbi is supposed to average one week.
1t costs less money and trouble to- divorce a
second wife than first A wife divorced by
get rarely makes trouble if the husband
remarries, unless he greatly increases in
| worldly prosperity.