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Dr. Rachel Levmore

Agunah and Get-Refusal Prevention Project, Int'l Young Israel Movement in Israel

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Dr. Rachel Levmore, To’enet Rabbanit - Rabbinical Court Advocate, is the Director of the Agunot and Get-Refusal Prevention Project, of the International Young Israel Movement in Israel and the Jewish Agency – assisting women and men within the Rabbinical Courts to achieve a divorce within Jewish law. Rachel is one of a team that developed a Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of Get-Refusal─ “The Agreement for Mutual Respect" (iyim.org.il/prenup/). As the first (newly legislated) female member of the State of the Israel Commission for the Appointment of Rabbinical Court Judges Dr. Levmore has participated in the appointment of thirty-two Rabbinical Judges: 22 to the Regional Courts and 10 to the high Rabbinic Court of Appeals. An expert on the agunah problem, she is the author of "Min'ee Einayikh Me'Dimah" on prenuptial agreements, published in Hebrew. Dr. Levmore is a recipient of the prestigious Bonei Zion Prize. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Jewish Law from Bar Ilan University; writes and lectures about halakha, women in halakha and divorce in Jewish Law, in Israel and Jewish communities around the world.

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Sample lecture topics:

"Women in Rabbinical Roles: Israel vs. the United States"

"Prenuptial Agreements for the Prevention of Get-Refusal—a Comparison between the Beth Din of America, Rabbi Moshe Tendler’s and the 'Agreement for Mutual Respect'"

"The Halakhic Prenuptial Agreement vs. Romance"

"A Thoughtful Interpretation of the Basic Sources of Jewish Divorce Law"

"The Yearning for a Child to Carry on—Halakha Reflecting Human Nature as regards single women choosing to become a parent"

"Judging the Judges: Women Appointing Rabbinical Court Judges in Israel"

"The Agreement for Mutual Respect: an International Halakhic Prevention of Get-Refusal"

"Thinking about weddings? From the Sources to the Solution: The Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of Get-Refusal"

"The Duality of our Existence: Clashes and Enrichment"

"The Jewish-Democratic State—Straddling the Hyphen"

"Women Rabbinical Court Advocates and their function within the Israeli Rabbinical Court System—History, Stories and Ideology"

"Agunot and Victims of Get-Refusal: Living Stories"

"Women in a Man’s World: Agunot released with the help of a Female Rabbinical Court Advocate"

"Solutions to the Agunah Problem—An Analytical Blueprint"

"The Power of the Community and its Limitations in cases of Get-Refusal"

"Self-Perception vs. the Rov's Truth (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik)"

"Seminar of Jewish Law: Divorce according to the Halakha"

"Harchakot D'Rabeinu Tam—Halakhic communal sanctions in the sources"

"Changes in Rabbinic Discourse in Divorce Cases in Israeli Rabbinic Courts: Harchakot d'Rabbeinu Tam and 'shaming'"

"Two Women unchained: Between Israel and the Diaspora"

"Solving the Agunah Problem: What YOU can do"

 

Publications:

• "The Agreement for Mutual Respect for the Prevention of Get-Refusal", co-author, 2000. (Hebrew & English)

• Minee Eiynayich Me'dimah: Heskemei Kdam Nissuin l'Meniat Seiruv Get, (Translation: "Spare Your Eyes Tears: Prenuptial Agreements for the Prevention of Get-Refusal") Ariel Torah Institute and the Council of Young Israel Rabbis, Jerusalem 2009, 274 pp. (Hebrew)

• Doctoral Dissertation: “The Changed Universe of Halachic Discourse Within the Israeli Rabbinical Courts: An Halachic and Analytical Study of the Rulings of the Rabbinical Courts Regarding Personal Status Issues”, Advisor: Prof. Daniel Sperber, Talmud Department, Bar Ilan University, 2010. (Hebrew)

• “Pre-Nuptial Agreements for the Prevention of Get-Refusal at the end of the Twentieth Century”, Masters Thesis Summa Cum Laude, Advisor: Prof. Daniel Sperber, Talmud Department, Bar Ilan University 2001. (Hebrew)

• “A View From the Other Side”, TRADITION 49:1, (July 2016), pp. 49-58.

• "Preventing Get-Refusal: From the Beth Din of America to the Israeli Agreement for Mutual Respect", Rabbinical Council of America, Aug 27, 2013

• "Romance vs. Prenuptial Agreements to Prevent Get-Refusal: A Practical Guide for Presenting the Topic", Rabbinical Council of America, Aug 27, 2013

• "Stern College's Obligation to Obligate Prenups", Rabbinical Council of America, Aug 27, 2013

• "'The Agreement for Mutual Respect': The Workings of a Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of Get-Refusal as a Halakhic Autonomous Tool", Jewish Law Association Studies XXIII (Fordham volume), Dec 2012/Jan 2013, p. 147-172.

• "Changes in the World of Jewish Divorce", Mishpetei Shalom: a jubilee volume in honor of Rabbi Saul (Shalom) Berman [ed: Yamin Levy], Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School: Riverdale, N.Y. 2010.

• "Get-Refusal and the Agreement for Mutual Respect: Israel Today", Hakirah 9 (Winter 2010), pp. 173-190.

• "Rabbinic Responses in Favor of Prenuptial Agreements", Tradition 42:1 (Spring 2009), pp. 29-49.

• "Ethics of the Agunah Problem", Conversations 8 (August 2010), pp. 112-123.

• "הסכמי קדם נישואין: לציון יום העגונה הבינלאומי תש"ע", פרשת תרומה (תענית אסתר), תש"ע, גיליון מס' 367, משרד המשפטים - המחלקה למשפט עברי והמרכז להוראת המשפט העברי ולימודו - מכללת "שערי משפט"

• "ציון יום העגונה מדי שנה בתענית אסתר –דברי הסבר להצעת חוק בכנסת", אתר מרכז רקמן לקידום מעמד האישה 17.2.10.

• "הסכמי קדם נישואין: לציון יום העגונה הבינלאומי תש"ע", פרשת תרומה (תענית אסתר), תש"ע, גיליון מס' 367, משרד המשפטים - המחלקה למשפט עברי והמרכז להוראת המשפט העברי ולימודו - מכללת "שערי משפט"

• "ציון יום העגונה מדי שנה בתענית אסתר –דברי הסבר להצעת חוק בכנסת", אתר מרכז רקמן לקידום מעמד האישה 17.2.10

• “Legal Presumptions Regarding Women in the Halacha and the Possible Effect on Personal Status”, Appeared in: To be a Jewish Woman: Proceedings of the First International Conference-Woman and Her Judaism [ed. Margalit Shilo], Jerusalem 2001. (Hebrew)

• “Get Refusal in the United States and One Method of Prevention: Prenuptial Agreements”, Women in Judaism [ed. Tova Cohen], Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 2001. (Hebrew)

• “Divorce, Get-Refusal and an Agreement for its Prevention: Facts on the Ground”, Tzohar 20 (Tevet, 5765), Israel. (Hebrew)

• “Changes in the World of Jewish Divorce”, Appeared in: To be a Jewish Woman: Proceedings of the Third International Conference-Woman and Her Judaism [ed. Tova Cohen, Aliza Lavie], Jerusalem 2005. (Hebrew)

• “The Agreement for Mutual Respect: a Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of Get-Refusal", Interdisciplinary Department of Conflict Management Journal, Bar Ilan University, 2005. (Hebrew)

• "The Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of GET-Refusal", JOFA Journal Vol. V (4), summer 2005.

• “Prenuptial Agreements in Israel for the Prevention of Get-Refusal ", Shnaton Hamishpat Ha’ivri 23, Jerusalem 2005. (Hebrew)

• “The Agreement for Mutual Respect: An Explanation of its Clauses and its Advantages”, Appeared in: To be a Jewish Woman: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference-Woman and Her Judaism [ed. Tova Cohen], Jerusalem 2007. (Hebrew)

• "The Prenuptial Agreement of Mutual Respect, Get and English Law", Jewish Law (Dec. 2008)

• “Positive Rabbinic Voices in Relation to Prenuptial Agreements”, Appeared in: To be a Jewish Woman: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference-Woman and Her Judaism [ed. Tova Cohen], Jerusalem 2009. (Hebrew)

• “Prenuptial Agreements vs. Romance: Practical Guidance for Presentation of the Topic”, B’Maagalei Zedek 10 (Tammuz 5766), Israel. (Hebrew)

• "The Aguna: a Statistical or a Real-Life Problem?", Jerusalem Post Aug 30 2009.

• "Of Eternity & Grandchildren", Jerusalem Post, Oct 6 2009.

• "Jews, We have a Problem", The Jerusalem Post, Feb.21, 2010, p.14.

• "The plight of an ‘aguna’ reaches Capitol Hill", Jerusalem Post, Jan. 13, 2011, p. 16.

• "International Women’s Day: What’s the point?", Jerusalem Post, March 7, 2011,Page 15.

• "Recognizing Shame On International Agunah Day", The Jewish Press, March 9, 2011

• "Agunah Day" in the Israeli Knesset", JOFA, March 15, 2011

• "‘Wanted’ on International Aguna Day", Jerusalem Post, March 17, 2011, p.14

• "הארד טו גט: מניעת עגינות על ידי הסכם קדם נישואין", ערוץ המדע-אונ' בר אילן והארץ Online, 3.8.2011 

• "Lady Freedom is Weeping", Jerusalem Post, Nov 1, 2011, page 16

• "Held in contempt by the rabbis", Washington Jewish Week, Jan 4, 2012

• "The Ties that Bind", The Jerusalem Post, Arts & Entertainment section, Feb. 17, 2012, page 24

• "Two Little Words", Jerusalem Post, March 5, 2012

• Position Paper to the Israeli Knesset: Committee for the Advancement of Women, "The Committee for the Appointment of Rabbinical Court Judges: The Absence of Women", March 13, 2012 (Hebrew)

• "Should the Government 'Get' Involved?", The Forward, May 2, 2012, issue of May 11, 2012

• "Feminine Orthodox rabbinics", The Jerusalem Post, May 22, 2012, page 13

• "Stern College's Obligation to Obligate Prenups", The Observer, May 19, 2012

• "The Agunah Problem and its Solutions in Israel: a Descriptive Analysis", JOFA Journal, Vol. X Issue 2, Fall 2012, p. 19.

• "נישואין עם מוצא", מעריב, 11.10.12, עמ' 22

• "הסכמי קדם נישואין ככלי למניעת עיגון וסירוב-גט", בית הלל-הנהגה תורנית קשובה, עלון מס' 1, כסלו תשע"ג, עמ' 7-6

• "A New-Old Voice", Times of Israel, 31 Jan 2013

• "Prenuptial Agreements as a Tool for the Prevention of Get-Refusal and Agunot", Beit Hillel, Winter 2013, Tevet 5773, Issue 1, p. 6.

• "A number so that we'll ask", The Times of Israel, 6.2.13, Top Ops

• "Agunah After Agunah on Agunah Day", The Times of Israel, 12.2.13

• "Entering an Agunah's Story", The Times of Israel, 19.2.13

• "בעיה כלל חברתית ביום העגונה", בית הלל-הנהגה תורנית קשובה, עלון מס' 2, אדר תשע"ג

• "תענית אסתר: פועלים למען העגונות במישור החברתי", מעריב nrg, 21.12.2013

• "A coalition to solve the agunah problem", Jerusalem Post, 24.2.13, p. 14

• "Prisoner Escapes from the Israeli Rabbinical Court", The Times of Israel, March 6, 2013

• "International Women's Day", Jerusalem Post, 11.3.13, p. 15

• "Israel's Savta Brigade", JOFA Journal (Spring 20130, p. 25-26.

• "And now, appointing the chief rabbis...", Jerusalem Post, 2.4.13, p.15

• "For many potential agunot halachic prenups indeed break their chains", Times of Israel, Dec. 15 2013

• "Model Rabbinic Leadership", Jerusalem Post, Feb.6 2014, p. 16

• "Divorce Statistics in the Israeli Courts", Times of Israel, Feb 19, 2014

• "The drama of Agunah Day", The Jerusalem Post, March 6, 2014, p. 16

• "International Agunah Day – An Opportunity for Change", Shabbat MiTzion, Issue 521, Vayikra 5774, (Torah MiTzion, March 8, 2014), p. 2

• "The important difference between 'chained' wives in Israel and abroad", Ha'aretz, March 13, 2014

• "Underlying Inhibitors to Commitment in a Relationship", Times of Israel, Oct. 20, 2014

• "Is 'Gett' a Realistic Portrayal of Israeli Divorce?", The Forward, Feb. 10, 2015

• "'Gett': An Inescapable Experience", Times of Israel, Feb 16, 2015

• "Why did the Fast of Esther become International Agunah Day?", The Forward, March 3, 2015

• "יש שופטים בירושלים. הבעיה: אין דיינים", ynet יהדות, 22.7.15

• “On International Agunah Day: Follow my lead”, Jerusalem Post 22.3.16, Jpost.com 21.3.16

• “International Agunah Day: Taking Matters into Our Own Hands”, My Jewish Learning, 22.3.16

• “Examining appointments to Israel’s highest rabbinical court”, Jerusalem Post 19 June 2016, p. 16

 

Sample of teaching:

Source Sheet

Video

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Target audience:

Adults, communities, Torah-study programs (yeshivot, midrashot, Rabbinic Ordination programs) synagogues, university students and 11th-12th grade high school students

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Speaking fee:

$800 - $1000 per weekday lecture, $3000 per Shabbat Scholar in Residence