The Pain of Agunot – and the Power of Redemption

As we approach Passover, we reflect on the themes of freedom and redemption, recalling the journey of our ancestors from slavery in Egypt. But the festival is not only about looking back—it is also a call to recognize the ongoing need for redemption and freedom, both as a nation and in our personal lives.

This theme resonates deeply with me as someone who works daily with women who are legally trapped in marriages, suffering from abuse and other hardships as their husbands refuse to grant them a get, a religious divorce. These women remain bound, waiting—chained by a system that was meant to protect them, unable to move forward with their lives. For them, the promise of redemption remains painfully out of reach. At Yad La’isha, our lawyers, rabbinical court advocates, and social workers fight every day to change that reality.

Our team works tirelessly—navigating the legal system, advocating in rabbinical courts, and helping women understand their rights—all in pursuit of securing their freedom. But beyond the individual battles, we are also pushing for systemic change. When a case is finally resolved and a woman attains her freedom, her liberation is no less profound than the redemption we celebrate on Seder night.

One recently freed woman, Tehila, expressed the depth of this transformation in her own words:

I enter the Festival of Freedom as a free woman.
Free from limitations, from external and internal barriers.
Connected to my inner self, to my essence, to dreams, aspirations, and desires that had been extinguished.
I enter the holiday grounded in strength, in compassion, in acceptance and self-fulfillment.
I enter the Festival of Freedom with faith and hope for the good that is yet to come.
I enter the holiday with gratitude—to the Creator and to all those who stood by me on this journey.
I enter the holiday with prayers, faith, and hope for all those who have not yet been redeemed. I feel their pain and hold onto the belief that salvation will come for them as well, soon.
Every moment, every second of pain, frustration, tears, and helplessness—these were moments I had to endure, to experience, in order to reach this long-awaited moment of being free. Perhaps I needed to walk this long and exhausting path to emerge stronger for the road ahead, to truly know myself, my desires, and to refine what is right for me.
I pray and wish for the freedom of every person still trapped in this reality.

Tehila’s words capture her personal pain, gratitude, and joy. But they also serve as a reminder to us all. 

As we recount the miracles of the Exodus at our Seder tables and discuss the ideas of freedom and redemption, we must not forget those who are still in bondage. Countless women remain trapped, waiting for their own moment of liberation. Some have been fighting for years in the courts, pleading with rabbinical authorities, hoping that someone will recognize their suffering and act.

If we truly uphold the values of justice and compassion, we cannot allow this injustice to continue. We must demand systemic solutions so that no woman is ever forced to beg for her freedom. At the same time, our communities have a responsibility: to stand with agunot, to ensure they are not isolated, and to offer the support they need. No one should have to fight alone.

Even when their freedom is granted, the journey is far from over. Just as Am Yisrael left Egypt but still had a long road ahead before reaching the Promised Land, so too must women like Tehila overcome the next chapter: healing, reclaiming their lives, and finding their own personal redemption. This too is a process that requires support.

May this Passover mark the beginning of true freedom—for those still waiting, for those stepping into new beginnings, and for all of us who are charged with making redemption a reality.