Resources

Bulka, Reuben P. Jewish Divorce Ethics: The Right Way to Say Goodbye. Ivy League Publishing, 1992.

Cohen, Diane. "The Divorced Woman: Toward a New Ritual.” Conservative Judaism, Vol. 44, No. 4, 1992.
A discussion of the emotional and spiritual experience of divorce for women, suggesting and detailing a new ritual to be performed in addition to the get which acknowledges the feelings of the divorcee.

Firestone, Tirzah. "Healing the Jewish Divorce Ceremony and Ourselves.” New Menorah, Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal.
A personal story about a couple’s divorce process and ritual, emphasizing the spiritual work of divorce and the supportive role of the community.

Goldston, Ruth Berger. "Separating: A Havdalah Ritual for When a Marriage Comes Apart.” Lilith, Spring 1993, pp 28-29.
A ritual for healing from divorce in which the divorced woman can disclose the story of her marriage among friends, seek closure through renunciation of marriage vows and destruction of an object from the marriage.

Greene, Lisa S. and Milsk, Laura. "Tekes Ishur V’Shleimut: A Ritual of Affirmation and Wholeness After Divorce.” CCAR Journal, Summer 1997, pp 114-119.
An interview with a rabbi and a divorced woman about the ritual they created based on the traditional Rosh Hashanah ceremony of tashlich, or casting off.

Haut, Irwin H. Divorce in Jewish Law and Life (Studies in Jewish Jurisprudence). Sepher Hermon Press, 1983.

Hollander, Vicki. "The New, Improved Jewish Divorce: Hers/His.” Lilith, Summer 1990, pp 20-21.
Suggestions for a ritual to incorporate and surround the get ceremony. The ritual focuses on mourning the divorce and draws on traditional Jewish mourning rites.

Horowitz, Sara R. "Opening a Gate at the Closing of the Gate: Towards a New Ritual at the Getting of the Get,” in Jewish Women Speak Out: Expanding the Boundaries of Psychology. Ed. Kayla Weiner and Arinna Moon. Canopy Press, 1995.
A personal story of a traditional divorce ritual, with ideas for rituals speaking to women’s experience of divorce.

Jacobson, Burt. "A Jewish Divorce Ritual for Our Time.” New Menorah, pp 6-7. Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal.
A detailed egalitarian divorce ceremony, which includes the traditional ritual along with a number of new elements including blessings.

Kahn, Yoel H. Document of Separation ("Teudat Preidah"). 1993.
An equalized document for heterosexual or same-sex couples, in Hebrew and English. The document is available electronically so that couples can make desired changes. Available at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, 220 Danvers St., San Francisco, CA, 94114, www.shaarzahav.org.

Kinberg, Myron. Get: A Document of Release from the Holy Bonds of Matrimony. An egalitarian adaptation of the traditional Jewish divorce ceremony. Available from Temple Beth Israel, 2550 Portland St., Eugene, OR 97405, www.tbieugene.org.

Lerner, Leigh. "Liberal Divorce Ceremony.” In "Divorce," Keeping Posted 25:1 (1981), Leader’s Edition, pp 8d-e.
A suggestion for a modernized Jewish divorce ceremony, including changes in language and gestures.

Mehlman, Bernard H. and Sonsino, Rifat. "A Reform Get: A Proposal.” Journal of Reform Judaism, Summer 1983, pp 31-36.
A specific proposal of a divorce ritual for Reform Jews.

Netter, Perry. Divorce is a Mitzvah: A Practical Guide to Finding Wholeness and Holiness When Your Marriage Dies. Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003.
How to overcome Jewish literature’s uncharacteristic silence about divorce to seek holiness as a marriage is ending. Deals with very practical as well as spiritual issues; the afterword by Rabbi Laure Geller adds a feminist perspective.

Plaskow, Judith. "Jewish Feminism: The Year of the Agunah.” Tikkun, vol. 8, no. 5, 1993, pp 52-53, 86-87.
A well-known Jewish feminist theologian speaks about activism to help agunot.

Porter, Jack Nusan, Ed. Women in Chains: A Sourcebook on the Agunah. Jason Aronson, 1995.
Traditional and non-traditional sources and solutions related to the problem of the agunah in Jewish law.

Reform Judaism, Vol. 42. Spring 2000.
This issue of Reform Judaism contains many articles on the meaning and practice of divorce in Judaism and on a variety of divorce experiences and rituals.

Riskin, Shlomo. Women and Jewish Divorce: The Rebellious Wife, the Agunah, and the Right of Women to Initiate Divorce in Jewish Law. KTAV, 1989.
A discussion by a well-known modern Orthodox scholar of legal solutions to women’s disabilities in Jewish divorce law.

Rosenberg, Lisa. "Determination/Despair: Agunot Speak About Their Choices.” Canadian Women Studies, vol. 16, no. 4.
An article probing the experiences and decision-making processes of women whose husbands refuse to give them a divorce.

Schwartz, S. H. "Conservative Judaism and the Agunah.” Conservative Judaism, 36 (1982), pp 37-44.
An analysis of the Conservative movement’s legal responses to the problem of “chained” wives.

Seltzer, Sanford. When There is No Other Alternative: A Spiritual Guide for Jewish Couples Contemplating Divorce. URJ Press, 2000.
An examination of guidance from traditional Jewish sources about about this difficult juncture in individuals' lives, including issues of domestic violence, children in intermarriages, and the necessity of a get.