TA Rabbinical Court Emissary Transfers Get To Woman Jailed In High-Security Bangladesh Prison

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a heroic and complex operation, the Shaliach (emissary) of the Tel Aviv rabbinical court travelled all the way to a maximum-security jail in Bangladesh, where he passed a get (divorce document) through the bars in order to enable a jailed woman to be divorced.

The woman, a member of the Benei Menashe community, got involved in drug trafficking and has been sentenced to twenty years in jail in the Kolosiv prison in Bangladesh. Her husband, who lives in Israel, submitted a request for a divorce by consent.

Rabbi Eyal Yosef, a member of the court, wrote up the special emissary’s get based on a ruling by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. The court appointed Rabbi Eli Birnbaum, who has wide experience of travelling to far-flung communities, to be the emissary. He travelled first to Dubai, then to New Delhi and in a third flight to Calcutta. From there he hired a job and travelled for seven hours through the dangerous mountains and jungles of northern India.

When he reached the jail he was told that there are no visits allowed for any kind of visitor. After covert diplomatic efforts, Rabbi Birnbaum and a local Chabad emissary who served as a witness were allowed to enter the jail. Via the prison bars the get was passed through to the woman to formalize the get.

72 hours later Rabbi Birnbaum returned to the court to testify that the get had been given in a kosher manner.

Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, head of the rabbinical courts, praised Rabbi Yosef and Rabbi Birnbaum for their efforts to secure the get and said that the rabbinic system would do all it could to continue releasing chained men and women in whatever places they might be located.