January 6, 2011 / א' שבט תשע"א
Regarding “Religious Divorce Dispute Leads to a Secular Protest” (New York Times, January
4th, 2011):
Though the Maryland Court Order states that Mr. Friedman’s weekend visitations begin
at 6 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Ms. Epstein, who is an Orthodox Jew, has always been
accommodating in providing Mr. Friedman with ample time before the Jewish Sabbath to begin
weekend visitations with their daughter. Contrary to the implication of the article, Mr.
Friedman has never been denied access to his daughter due to his observance of the Sabbath.
Thus, Mr. Friedman’s refusal to issue a get (Jewish divorce) is not a quid pro quo for Ms.
Epstein’s alleged refusal to provide him with reasonable access to their daughter. Rather, Mr.
Friedman is trying to use the get as leverage by forcing Ms. Epstein to accept a drastically
modified visitation schedule which, according to the Maryland court, is not in the best interests
of the child, in order for Ms. Epstein to receive her get and be free to remarry within her faith.
We at the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA) believe that a get must never
– under any possible circumstance – be used as leverage to negotiate the contentious issues of a
divorce settlement. Mr. Friedman’s behavior is extortionary, and it is that abuse which we will
continue to protest.
Rabbi Jeremy Stern
Executive Director, ORA
Miriam S. Colton, Esq.
Director of Cases, ORA
551 West 181st Street, Suite 123, New York, NY 10033 | (212) 795-0791 | info@getORA.org | www.getORA.org
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