The new grant program of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA) to pay for “chained women” to freeze their eggs appears at first glance to be a humane and compassionate approach (“For Agunot, An Unexpected Fertility Lifeline,” March 8). However, on further review, the effort is misguided, counterproductive and expensive.
The problem confronting agunot is not that they are unable to have children because their abusive husbands refuse to grant them a get during their child-bearing years. The problem is the halacha itself, which grants only men the ability to initiate a divorce.
Accordingly, the ORA grant program perpetuates this archaic and abusive system by marginally mitigating one of its consequences and allows men to retain control over women. Perhaps a courageous Orthodox rabbi or two, knowing that halacha has always changed, will step up and grant women the right to initiate a divorce. Problem solved.
Montclair, N.J.
