Mavoi Satum

Mavoi Satum (Hebrew: מבוי סתום, meaning 'Dead End'), now known as Matirot (מתירות), is an Israeli nonprofit organization (amuta) founded in 1995 by Leah Ein-Glob. It advocates for and supports agunot (women whose husbands disappear or are unable to grant a divorce) and mesoravot get (women whose husbands refuse to grant a Jewish divorce). The organization operates two main branches: direct support for women in need, and systemic advocacy to solve the problem of get refusal. Direct support includes a volunteer accompaniment program (melavot) that pairs each woman with a volunteer to guide her through the complex process of obtaining a get, including accompanying her to rabbinical court hearings, providing emotional support, and helping find solutions to specific problems. The organization also offers psychological support through support groups, an empowerment program to help women develop life skills such as vocational training and assistance in starting a business, and legal aid for complex legal cases. Systemic advocacy includes the 'Private Marriage According to Halacha' initiative, which offers a private marriage track for couples who wish to marry in a halachic, egalitarian, and respectful manner outside the Chief Rabbinate. This track involves signing a prenuptial agreement for mutual respect and a condition in the betrothal (tnai bekiddushin) to protect against get refusal or aginut. The organization also engages in education and prevention activities targeting young people before marriage and the general public to promote prenuptial agreements, public awareness campaigns to put the issue on the public agenda, and legal and lobbying activities to promote changes in civil and rabbinical law. It submits halachic rulings to rabbinical court judges, proposes legislation, and petitions the High Court of Justice (Bagatz) to fight discrimination against women in Israel's religious establishment. In 2014, the organization represented the 'Agunah from Safed,' a woman whose husband fell into an irreversible coma. The Safed rabbinical court, headed by Rabbi Uriel Lavi, granted the agunah a get based on the halachic principle of 'zachin leadam shelo befanav' (one may act to another's benefit in their absence). Following an appeal to the Great Rabbinical Court in 2017, Batya Kahana-Dror, then CEO of the organization, petitioned the High Court of Justice against Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, arguing that an appeal cannot be accepted from a non-party to a divorce. The High Court panel, headed by Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, ruled that the rabbinical court cannot hear the appeal. This affair sparked sharp public controversy, especially in the rabbinic world. Also in 2014, following a petition by Batya Kahana-Dror, the High Court ruled that a woman could be appointed as director of the rabbinical courts (the appointment was made in August 2017). The organization's current CEO is attorney Orit Lahav. Mavoi Satum is a member of the Israeli civil society sector and works alongside other organizations such as Yad La'isha. It is registered as a nonprofit on GuideStar Israel and maintains a presence on Facebook and YouTube.

Mavoi Satum was founded in 1995 by Leah Ein-Glob. The organization was originally named Mavoi Satum (Dead End) and later changed its name to Matirot (מתירות). It was established to address the plight of agunot and mesoravot get in Israel. Over the years, it has developed two parallel branches of activity: direct support for women and systemic advocacy. In 2014, the organization represented the 'Agunah from Safed,' a woman whose husband was in an irreversible coma. The Safed rabbinical court, headed by Rabbi Uriel Lavi, granted the agunah a get based on the halachic principle of 'zachin leadam shelo befanav.' This was a significant legal victory. However, an appeal was filed with the Great Rabbinical Court in 2017. Batya Kahana-Dror, then CEO, petitioned the High Court of Justice against Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, arguing that an appeal cannot be accepted from a non-party to a divorce. The High Court, led by Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, ruled that the rabbinical court cannot hear the appeal. This case sparked sharp public controversy, especially in the rabbinic world. Also in 2014, following a petition by Batya Kahana-Dror, the High Court ruled that a woman could be appointed as director of the rabbinical courts. The appointment was made in August 2017. The organization continues to operate under the name Matirot, with attorney Orit Lahav as CEO. It remains active in supporting women and advocating for legal and social change.

• 2017

  Appeal to Great Rabbinical Court; High Court ruled rabbinical court cannot hear appeal.

• 2017

  First woman appointed as director of rabbinical courts (August 2017).

• 2014

  Represented the 'Agunah from Safed'; rabbinical court granted get based on halachic principle.

• 2014

  High Court ruled a woman could be appointed as director of rabbinical courts.

• 1995

  Founded by Leah Ein-Glob.

Advocacy and support organization for agunot and mesoravot get in Israel, combining direct aid with systemic legal and public policy change.

Product categories. NGO services

1. 1Mavoi Satum - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2מתירות (עמותה) - Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org