Untitled Document

LOCATION OF BEIT DIN
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	330 Elmora Avenue Elizabeth , NJ 07208 Meets in the JEC school building
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	235 East Broadway New York, NY 10002 Meets in the Agudath HaRabonim Central Office
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Young Israel of Avenue K 1240 East 29th Street Brooklyn , NY 11230 Meets in synagogue or in R. Ralbag's home office
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	305 Seventh Avenue 12 th Floor New York, NY 10001 Meets in office building
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Law Offices of Michael Rackman, Esq. 270 Madison Ave, 8 thFloor New York, NY 10016 Meets in the law office
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Young Israel of Kensington 305 Church Avenue Brooklyn , NY 11218 Meets in the synagogue or the Igud HaRabonim Central Office

CONTACT INFORMATION
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	PHONE: 908-352-9586 CELL: R. Elazar Teitz 908-403-9841 R. Eliyahu Teitz 646-522-5592
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	PHONE: 212-964-6337
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	PHONE: 718-258-5596 FAX: 718-252-8418 EMAIL: Ralbaga@aol.com
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	PHONE: 212-807-9042 FAX: 212-807-9183 EMAIL: menahel@bethdin.org WEBSITE: http://www.bethdin.org
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	HOTLINE: 718-434-6246 EMAIL: agunah@agunahinternational.com WEBSITE: http://www.agunahinternational.com MAILING ADDRESS: Agunah International 498 East 18th Street Brooklyn , NY 11226
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	PHONE: 718-851-6203 718-871-4543 FAX: 718-871-7104

DAYYANIM
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Elazar M. Teitz Eliyahu Teitz Howard Jachter Other dayyanim appointed as needed
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Confidential; does not reveal names
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Aryeh Ralbag Chaim Kraus Elemelech Liebowitz Yisroel Belsky
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Gedalia Dov Schwartz, Rosh, Mordechai Willig, Ass't. Av Beit Din, Yonah Reiss, Menahel, Michael Broyde, Chaver Beit Din, Shlomo Wahrman, Herschel Schachter, Moshe Dovid Tendler, Aaron Levine, Yosef Blau, Steven Pruzansky, Ronald Warburg, Daniel Rapp, Joseph Karasick, Julius Berman, Kenneth Auman, Michael Hecht, Yossi Prager, Adam Berner, Richard Stone, David Pelcovitz, Yaakov Lichter (Dayyanim rotate; not all give equal time)
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Emanuel Rackman Haim Toledano Asher Murciano Eugene Cohen
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Rabbis Steinberg, Brissman, Epstein, Singer, Elbaz, Lustig, Kurzrock, Belsky, and Hecht (Some dayyanim sit more often than others)

ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH NEW JERSEY	YESHIVA: Jewish Educational Center of Elizabeth, NJ
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	NATIONAL RABBINIC ORGANIZATION: Union of Orthodox Rabbis of U.S. and Canada, Agudath HaRabonim
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	NATIONAL RABBINIC ORGANIZATION: Union of Orthodox Rabbis of U.S. and Canada, Agudath HaRabonim (Brooklyn based, affiliated with New York Branch)
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	NATIONAL RABBINIC ORGANIZATION: Rabbinical Council of America
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	NATIONAL AGUNAH ORGANIZATION: Agunah International Inc.
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	NATIONAL RABBINIC ORGANIZATION: Rabbinical Alliance of America, Igud HaRabonim

CASES PER YEAR (contested and uncontested)
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	100-150 per year Mostly uncontested
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	100 per year 50% are uncontested Few unresolved
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	300 per year 33-50% contested 18% unresolved
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	300 per year 75-80% uncontested 15-20% contested 3% unresolved
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	20 per year All are contested Voids marriages when there are grounds for hafka’at kiddushin
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	50-75 per year 50% contested 10% unresolved

LANGUAGES**
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	English Documents are not translated but are explained
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	English Yiddish Hebrew Documents translated
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	English Yiddish Hebrew Other languages if necessary Documents translated
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	English All documents translated
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	English. All dayyanim are fluent in Hebrew. Interpreters found for other languages. All documents are in English and Hebrew
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Language of litigant Documents translated Interpreters found for all languages

SHTAR BERURIN (binding arbitration agreement)
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Not required in uncontested cases Required in litigated cases
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	YES
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Not required, but very strongly preferred
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Not required in uncontested gittin Required in litigated cases
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	NO
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Not required in uncontested cases Required in litigated cases

HAZMANOT (summons to appear before beit din)
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	After first call by a dayyan, hazmanot issued every 7-10 days Automatic by computer
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Hazmanot only issued if requested. Once requested hazmanot issued every 10 days. If matter is urgent the interval between hazmanot may be shorter.
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	First issued immediately After the first, hazmanot are sent two weeks apart.
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Hazmanot are issued automatically, need not request. 3 are sent over a 30-day period
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Endeavors to secure appearance and cooperation of husband. Generally, husband has already refused hazmanot of other batei din. Seeks evidence for legitimate application of hafka’at kiddushin
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Sent one week apart

**SERUVIM (contempt of court citation) *****
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Very few issued Seruv may be issued two weeks after third hazmanah
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Will issue seruvim, but try to avoid it
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Not automatic; seruvim issued after a month or two
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Will issue seruvim, when deemed appropriate by Av Beit Din
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Not applicable
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	No information as to when issued; sent as personal letter on beit din stationary

TIMING OF WRITING/DELIVERY OF GET
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Encourage writing/delivery of Get as soon as it is clear reconciliation is not possible. Rabbi Teitz is shaliach. Pturim released only after civil divorce is final
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Get is not written early in divorce process
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Sometimes will write Get early in divorce process and hold at beit din, for release when rest of issues are settled
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Encourage writing of Get and delivery to wife as soon as it is clear no reconciliation is possible; pturim released when civil divorce is final
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Not applicable
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Does not write Get early in divorce process and hold it at beit din, because it can become invalid

APPROACH TO BRINGING A WOMAN FOR SUPPORT
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	May bring someone. Must notify beit din if bringing someone
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Will allow it
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Will allow it.
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Women are advised to bring someone, or the beit din will provide female support
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	May bring someone. Agunah Int’l workers also provide support
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	May bring someone, or the beit din will provide female support

ATTITUDE TOWARD CIVIL LITIGATION OF FINANCIAL MATTERS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Parties are encouraged to settle monetary matters in beit din, but may go to civil court if both parties agree
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Prohibited Beit din decides
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Advises not to go but beit din does not prohibit. Encourages beit din resolution to all issues, including finances
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Prefers beit din resolve all issues, including finances
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Not applicable
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Parties are obligated to settle finances in a beit din; if they refuse the beit din will still handle the Get. When beit din decides finances, takes into account NY State guidelines

KETUBBAH MONEY
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Sometimes will collect. Feel New Jersey equitable distribution law more favorable so generally applies it
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Yes will collect, if wife demands it. Approximately $5,000 according to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (based on current value of silver)
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Yes, tries to collect. $10,000 for first marriage $5,000 for second marriage
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Beit din considers a variety of factors to determine monetary settlement. Will evaluate worth of ketubbah if party(ies) request
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Not applicable
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Yes, collects. Part of monetary consideration of overall settlement

ATTITUDE TOWARD CIVIL LITIGATION OF CUSTODY
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Prefers civil court decide, but beit din will decide if both parties wish and a shtar berurin is signed
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Prohibited Beit din decides, and consults “experts” when necessary
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Advises not to go but does not prohibit. Urges use of beit din to resolve all issues, including child custody. When deciding custody consults with “experts”
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Employs “best interests of child” standard. Sometimes, if parties elect, will decide custody, and consults with experts
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Not applicable
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	May settle child custody in civil court or in beit din - it is up to the couple. When beit din decides takes NY law into account, and consults with “experts”

RECORDS OF DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Drafts only. Deliberations are not recorded, but beit din may have notes. Also keeps records of Rabbi Spitz’s decisions
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Decision (psak) written down with notes. Rabbi Ginsberg has access
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Deliberations and decisions written down; only Rabbis Ginsberg and Ralbag have access
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Deliberations taped, decisions written
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Sessions tape recorded, computerized and written records are kept. Decisions written and signed by dayyanim
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Yes Both parties have access after names are erased (to prevent reuse by another party)

LOCATION OF RECORDS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	File cabinet at beit din
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	On file in Manhattan office of Agudath HaRabonim
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	On file in Manhattan office of Agudath HaRabonim, copies at Rabbi Ralbag's home
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Beit din office or storage, director has access
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Dayyanim and litigants have access to records. Ptur is in the office of Agunah International Inc.
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	On file in office of Igud HaRabonim – Rabbinical Alliance of America

FEES
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Litigants pay dayyanim directly. Simple Get: $400-$500 plus extras if applicable. Prefer litigants split fees but litigants decide. Withhold ptur if fees not paid. Adjustments based on need
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Each party pays the beit din $50/hour per dayyan. Beit din then pays the dayyanim per case. Parties notified about fees prior to litigation. Adjustments based on need
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Get: $400 and up. Hazmanot: $36 for first one, up to $1,000 for a seruv. Litigants pay dayyanim directly. Adjustments based on need
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Get proceeding itself $500 paid to beit din. If shlichut, (delivered by messenger) -$650. Litigation $150-$225 per hour depending on number of dayyanim (dayyanim receive payment from the beit din based on time worked) Adjustments based on need
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	No fees
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Get $300/hour for the hearing. Each litigant pays half. Adjustments based on need

QUALIFICATIONS OF DAYYANIM
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	English speaking, "like minded," not clear what level of secular education is required
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	No secular education required; when necessary consult “experts”
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Smicha Secular education not required
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Based on expertise. Most but not all have Smicha. All are college educated. Some rabbis are lawyers, other dayyanim are learned lawyers but do not have smicha
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	All have Smicha All have university degrees.
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	No information

*RULES GOVERNING RELATIONSHIP OF DAYYANIM* TO LITIGANTS**
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Dayyanim often know parties; inform parties if they know only one side and recuse themselves if objection raised
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	If dayyan knows parties or families of parties recuses himself
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	If personally acquainted with litigants or family member, dayyan recuses himself
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Discloses any association dayyan may have with a party; if either party is uncomfortable dayyan recuses himself
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Discloses association with one party to other party
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	If related to litigants, dayyan recuses himself

*Note: We advise all litigants to be cautious about revealing confidential information to members of the beit din.
** Note: No document should be signed without obtaining an accurate translation.
*** Note: Community rabbis are generally not notified about seruv.

This guidebook is not intended to replace consultation with a rabbi or an attorney, nor is it intended to give legal or halakhic advice.

JOFA does not assume any responsibility for actions taken by any person as a result of information in this Guidebook.

The inclusion of a beit din in the Comparison Grid does not constitute and should not be viewed as an endorsement by JOFA.

ROSH (AV) BEIT DIN
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Rabbi Elazar M. Teitz
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Rabbi Hersh M. Ginsberg
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Rabbi Gedalia Schwartz
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Rabbi Emanuel Rackman
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Rabbi Herschel Kurzrock

CONFIDENTIALITY (unless information is about a crime that has been or will be committed)*
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Guaranteed
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Guaranteed
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Guaranteed
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Guaranteed
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Guaranteed
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	At discretion of beit din

TOANIM (Jewish law advocates)
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Discouraged
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Allowed
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Allowed
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Not Allowed
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Allowed
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	Allowed

CIVIL ATTORNEYS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	May attend Can speak to rabbis
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	May attend
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	May attend
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	May attend Can speak to rabbis
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	May attend Also contacted in pre-beit din counseling sessions as needed
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	May attend

ATTITUDE TOWARD JEWISH PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	Recognized and encouraged (Prefers the RCA pre-nup)
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	Not recognized
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	Recognized
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Recognized and strongly encouraged
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Recognized
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	No information

*RECOGNITION OF BEIT DIN* BY ISRAELI RABBANUT**
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	YES
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	YES
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	YES
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Yes Works with batei din in other countries
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	No Only by individual Rabbis
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	YES

COMPUTERIZATION OF RECORDS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY	In process
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM	NO
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)	NO
BETH DIN OF AMERICA	Yes, in process; records computerized going back 5 years, may not go back farther
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Yes, except pturim which are in hard copy only
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA	NO

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
BEIT DIN OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM
BETH DIN OF AGUDATH HARABONIM (BROOKLYN BRANCH)
BETH DIN OF AMERICA
BEIT DIN L'INYANEI AGUNOT	Dedicated to applying halakhic solutions after all efforts including seruvim and demonstrations have failed to convince husband to issue a Get
BAIS DIN OF IGUD HARABONIM OF AMERICA