Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-13
YIDDISH DIVORCES.
They Are Boldly Advertised for in the
East End of London.
From the London Standard

From the London Standard.
Matrimonial advertisements are nothing
new either in this country or abroad. But
there will probably be something novel to
most people in the idea of married folk adj
vertising for a divorce in the same public
and businesslike fashion. Rather an I'M
common proceeding anywhere. many read
ers will. 1 imagine. be inclined to remark.
Far from 1t. though! 1t is quite an ordi-
nary thing among the mixed and motley
foreign multitude quartered in the ghettos
of east London. Here. in the very first of
batch Of Yiddish journals on which 1
CHANGED to lay hands in the East End,
come across one of these singular adver-
tisements. It is typical Of it's kind, and is
inserted by a woman residing In the Aid
gate district, who requests her absent nus.
band to oblige and send her divorce much
In the same way as a dealer would ask
customer to favor him with a remittance
IN the ordinary course of trade. The notice
is headed. in Yiddish. of course, "Ikh zikh
min Manu." that is, Il am looking for my
husband" 1t sets forth that the said
mann has left his wife and children for
some time. The wife has, however man.
aged to build up quite biznes,' which Is
too much for her to carry on alone. so he
may return and help. If not, the advertise
ment concludes, will he at once send her
a divorce, and she will go back 'derheim'
add, nothing anonymous about the notice,
no suppression, no attempt to conceal the
Identity OF the parties concerned. The
names are given in full, as well as the adj
dress to which the desired document is to
be transmitted. All. in fact, is plain, direct
and straightforward, suggesting at once
that the giving Of such divorces must be
quite an ordinary proceeding among the
foreign Jews over here. And so, indeed 1t
is. 1t is really reduced to a business a
business which, in its details and circum.
stances. throws an instructive light on some
of the singular actualities of Yiddish life
in east London.
The divorce here referred 30, and GUS
tomary among the Jewish eastenders Is
not, of course, divorce according to the
law of the land. 1t is the so-styled rab-
blnical ghet, the modern equivalent OF
husband under the Mosaic dispensation
could hand to his wife, and so get rid OF
her. But, for all practical purposes. so far
as the Yiddish residents here are concerned,
this ''ghet" is effective as though it
were granted by the highest tribunal of the
ments above quoted, the woman chooses to
return to Russia, the divorce is valid ac-
cording to Muscoyite law. The Jews
throughout the cars dominionS have the
privilege of their own marriage CODE and
a divorce. under rabbnical prescription is
marry again there and return here, when
her second union, being valid in Russia,
will be deemed valid here. And if the wos
man should elect to remain in this country
there are scores Of East End rabbis who,
for consideration, will undertake to re1
marry either of the sundered parties accord.
ing to Yiddish custom, in what is known
throughout east London as a ..ShtilIe
Hupa," sometimes "a Saturday night mar
riage,' Of which more presently.