As read in the Daily Mail, the New York Post and other news media, a former Orthodox Jewish woman is seeking to maintain the custody of her four children while awaiting a divorce, and raise them as she sees fit, though she unknowingly signed an agreement called a “beth din” requiring her to share child custody with her estranged spouse.
A “beth din” is a special contract made in the rabbinical courts. P.R. is hoping to overturn the agreement so that she is not bound to her ex-husband in shared custody.
The children are aged 5, 7, 8 and 9.
P.R., 30, claims to have suffered in an abusive marriage for several years, and, because she sought a divorce, also suffered abuse in her former orthodox Jewish community. She further claims that she was pushed into an arranged marriage with S.M.S. where the two experienced “issues” from the very start.
The couple resided in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York before P.R. left the marriage five years ago and moved to Lakewood, New Jersey. The two are not yet divorced as S.M.S. has failed to grant P.R. a legal, or Jewish, divorce.
P.R., is in the midst of a battle in which her husband, allegedly, has fought her at every turn. His claims against P.R. range from her wearing pants to being promiscuous, and he has found support in the Orthodox community.
In describing the abuse she endured during the marriage, P.R. states that S.M.S. referred to her as a “slut” in front of their four children and cut up one of her wigs.
P.R. said that S.M.S., in having her appear in a bad light, hopes to retain child custody.
P.R., for her part, maintains that though she herself no longer follows Orthodox teachings she is raising her children Orthodox.
As far as the strain between the former couple, after receiving a threatening text message from S.M.S., P.R. received a restraining order against him. P.R. said that the text read, “You are playing with fire and by the time you realize it will be too late.”
In regards to maintaining an Orthodox home, P.R. said, “I keep my home 100 percent Kosher in regards to the kids.”
In how she was treated by her family within the Orthodox community, P.R. commented to reporters, “My father gave me a very hard time. He didn’t want me to get divorced, period. They discouraged me from making police reports about abuse — my father, the rabbis and my husband’s family . . . His parents made a meeting with my parents. They called me (expletives) and my parents accepted it. It's more than emotionally draining- it's psychological, mental.”
P.R. has turned to social media for solace and support in her child custody fight. One of her Facebook pages is being used to raise money for her custody battle.
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