B’nai B’rith Canada Urges National ‘get’ Reform

B’nai B’rith Canada is seeking changes in federal laws that would end or minimize what it charges are widespread abuses of the “get,” or Jewish religious divorce.

In a recently published report based on the first in-depth investigation of the subject in Canada, the BBC charged that recalcitrant spouses are using the “get” as a bargaining or extortion tool in the Jewish divorce process to obtain custody or property rights, support or maintenance to which they are not legally entitled.

The Ontario Family Law was amended last year at the behest of BBC, the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Ontario Vaad Harabonim and other Jewish agencies to eliminate the abuses. John Syrtash, legal counsel and chairman of the BBC’s “get” committee, said, “What we seek now is a similar amendment to federal law so that justice can be obtained for all Canadians.”