About seven years ago, a man who refused a divorce escaped from a hearing in the Great Court in Jerusalem and his traces disappeared, and only last August was he arrested thanks to an extensive operation led by the Yad LaIsha organization from Or Torah Stone.
Today (Tuesday), after his story was revealed in "Israel Today" and at the end of 135 days in which he was detained and continued to withstand his refusal, he agreed to grant the divorce and set the woman free.
This is one of the most difficult cases of docking and refusal in Israel, which ended today with the release of Uri Vital after nearly 14 years in which she was imprisoned in her marriage prison.
The story begins when Orly met R. in a secular high school where they studied together and became a couple. The two eventually separated, but after a few years they renewed their relationship and even got married. The couple had four children, but after a few years the marriage ran aground and Orly asked to end it. From that moment, a six-year ordeal began, during which the husband refused to grant Orly the divorce. While seeking peace from the rabbinical court, the husband told Orly more than once that he would never grant her a divorce unless she surrendered to his financial demands.
Orly turned to the Yad LaIsha organization from the Or Torah Stone network, which represents agunot and those who refuse a divorce, and who conducted the procedure for her.
About seven years ago, the case was brought before the Great Court in Jerusalem, where Rabbi David Lau made it clear to the husband that if he did not grant the divorce, he would be arrested.
During the hearing, the husband asked for a short break to consult with his lawyer, but as soon as he left the courtroom he ran away and his traces have since disappeared, leaving Orly Aguna behind and abandoning his four children.
After his disappearance, he was officially declared a divorcee, the court issued an arrest warrant against him and approved the publication of his picture alongside the imposition of a series of civil, community and halakhic sanctions, but to no avail.
The Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem, Photo: Dudi Vaknin - Archive
More than seven years have passed, as mentioned, from the moment Ronen fled the courtroom.
Orly did not give up and built a new life for herself and her children, despite being imprisoned in her marriage prison.
During this time the Yad LaIsha organization did not give up either and employed an extensive team of private investigators in an attempt to locate the husband, without success.
When there seemed to be no more hope, last August the first thread was revealed in the affair - following new information and thanks to a generous donation, Yad LaIsha launched an extensive operation that included hundreds of hours of surveillance and investigation in an attempt to reach Ronen's exact location with a total cost of over 100 A thousand shekels.
After a few days, the efforts were successful and the husband was arrested in south Tel Aviv.
135 days have passed since the husband was arrested, but he persisted in his refusal to release Orly, while raising various demands before the court as a condition for granting the divorce.
Realizing that his demands would not be met and that he was expected to continue to remain behind bars, he today agreed to grant the divorce and released Orly after nearly 14 years in captivity.
Orly Vital: "There is a rule that they do not negotiate with terrorists, easy and material not after they are already handcuffed and bound. "My last, the war of truth against the lie I have lived in for over 14 years - and now no more. I thank Gd for setting me free and the staff of Yad LaIsha for fighting for me and not giving up, even for a moment, until the divorce is granted."
Advocate and claiming Rebbetzin Tehila Cohen, who represented Orly on behalf of the Yad LaIsha organization: "The excitement is indescribable for all of us.
"A 14-year journey on the road to freedom, came to an end today in one exciting moment, thanks to one determined and powerful woman who did not give up and fought for her freedom, and now all that is left is to wish her all the best in the world."
"Orly today came to the end of a long road of butts that should not have happened at all," said Pnina Omer, director of the Yad LaIsha organization. Katz, for making great efforts to bring the affair to an end.
"Yad LaIsha" is fighting and will continue to fight to get every aguna and refused a divorce to freedom, but the time has come to find a halakhic solution that puts an end to the sad reality of refusing a divorce. "
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