NEW YORK (VINnews) — Jeff Hafif, a man who withheld a Get for 17 years while marrying a second woman, finally gave a Get on Sunday morning.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
This breaking update follows a report by VINnews last week that Hafif was arrested after a recording circulated in which a voice sounding like Jeff’s was heard abusing his wife and children.
Hafif’s case was also just one out of many cases that are the center of a new but quickly growing movement on social media, in which Jewish influencers are using their platforms to promote and gain public support for Agunos, taking back control of a broken system that has thus far failed to help these victims properly. Many of these social media campaigns resulted in public rallies outside the homes of these recalcitrant husbands, effectively creating a social pressure unlike any that had been seen before.
The message is clear. The community is no longer willing to tolerate Get withholding, and community members are willing to step up and make their voices heard publicly.
Hafif gave his Get on Sunday morning aftert meeting with some Rabbonim in the local Syrian community, inluding Rabbi Eli Mansour.
View this post on Instagram
According to reports, Mr. Harry Adjmi was also instrumental in helping the Get come to fruition. This is at least the second Get Mr. Adjmi was involved with over recent weeks. As reported by VINnews, Mr. Adjmi was instrumental in the Get of the #FreeElizabeth movement as well.
BREAKING IN FLATBUSH: Jeff Hafif Gives Wife A Get After SEVENTEEN YEARS As Movement Grows To Pressure Husbands!!!
Let's keep the pressure on and get these women the freedom they deserve!
Who is next? @RStomel @skjask— Rabbi Dr. Noam Weinberg (@NoamNechama) March 14, 2021
EVET IS FREEEEEEEE ON ROSH CHODESH NISAN!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/STMuEPL2Qi
— Abby Marcus (@AbbyMarcus92) March 14, 2021
MAZAL TOV! BH AFTER 17 YEARS EVET IS FREE!! https://t.co/9gC5BmjCUC
— Bracha Kahane (@brachashap) March 14, 2021
Eliabeth and Evet may have their Get, but much work remains to be done as there are still many women in the community who are still stuck in limbo marriages.
The social media movements remain strong, and there are many rallies being planned at this time where community members will come out and offer support in calling for these husbands to finally free their wives.
Last night, Flatbush was witness to another rally, in which the public called upon David Ohayon to free his wife Esther.
https://twitter.com/brachashap/status/1370361076362141699
Speaking at the #FreeEsther rally tonight about how fiercely I am & will continue to fight for women & this cause. Also, speaking about the bill which is currently sitting in the state legislature that calls for coercive control a Class E Felony. Lets support it & make it happen! pic.twitter.com/3e0tbtoAjy
— Amber Adler (@AmberAdlerNYC) March 14, 2021
As the movement continues to build momentum, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton has tweeted in support of rallies being organized for Tuesday March 16th to compel Aaron Silberberg to grant a Get to his Agunah wife.
Devorah has worked closesly with me and other rabbonim in Boca and elsewhere. We are aware of the entire situation and she has our full support. 2/3
— Rabbi Efrem Goldberg (@RabbiGoldberg) March 14, 2021
I hope and pray that Aharon does the right thing before Tuesday, but if the get is not given by then, please join us for rallies in Boca and Lakewood. You can begin by sharing this post.
In this season of redemption and freedom, let us ensure that nobody remains shackled! 3/3
— Rabbi Efrem Goldberg (@RabbiGoldberg) March 14, 2021
Silberberg’s Siruv can be read in full below.
Another case worthy of mention is Dovid Wasserman, who has withheld a Get from his wife Nechama for 14 years. #FreeNechama
View this post on Instagram
Listen to the podcast below to learn more about Nechama’s story.
I’m glad these rallies are helping some people , but in most cases , they don’t . I also believe if a man is being denied child visitation , in defiance of court orders , that he should plan rallies in front of his wife’s home , as well .
This guy and Elliot Hirsch were paid off big time by rich benefactors in the Sefardic community to give a get. All this is doing is enabling future husband’s to hold out for a payday. These animals get paid off for their abusive behavior at the expense of future victims. Disgusting.
I obviously don’t know all the facts in this case and I don’t even know all the facts in my sons break up, as I don’t live in his house. But one thing I do know is that the wife can be just as viscous as any man. In my son’s case his ex wouldn’t except a get unless she got thousands of dollars in cash. she knew he didn’t have a penny to his name. Basically she acted like Lavan with the support of her cronies. They wanted her to be set for life. B”h there wasn’t a problem with visitation but I know cases where the wife refused visitation or made it very difficult. Then there were issues with playgroups and schools. My son was ready to give a get the day they separated. She held out for over two years. ITS NOT ALWAYS THE HUSBAND.
I am happy these women have received their gets. However, there are several cases where the women act like complete dogs. I am reading all these comments elsewhere that say a get should never be used as leverage. But children should be? If a woman wont let the father see the kids, she should not get a get! Why in the world should she have leverage and he cant? Tired of this garbage. Some of these protests will no doubt be in front of houses where the husband was abused every which way- he is entitled to see his kids regularly- but some women with an agenda are absolutely vicious and have no rachmanus.
Somehow I don’t think we’re being told the full story. Is it just a coincidence that this guy was arrested just a few days ago and now he gives his wife a get? Or is it likely that the arrest and subsequent related negotiations/threats were causative factors? In other words, maybe the rallies and protests are a waste of time.
There’s no question that in general, Rabbonim have been unacceptably lax in helping agunos (the last time some Rabbonim did something about the problem, in Monsey I think it was, they took a foolish approach and nebach went to jail…), but one can’t, neither realistically nor halachically, get all excited about a man who refuses to give a get unless a) one really know the facts (which usually very few people if any do), and b) a daas Torah has said this man belongs in cherem or whatever for his behavior. So I don’t see where “social media” becomes a preferred platform in the solution.
Please place Hoffman in the line for protests.