Why hundreds of Jewish women are on a sex strike in New York protesting divorce laws

Over 800 women from the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community near New York City have embarked on a sex strike. This unconventional protest aims to address what they perceive as a systemic issue trapping wives in abusive marriages. The action, centered in Kiryas Joel, an insular enclave where religious leaders wield significant influence, is garnering attention for its controversial stance and the heated reactions it has provoked.

At the heart of this movement lies a fundamental dispute over the interpretation and application of Jewish law, particularly concerning divorce proceedings.

Under the existing law, commonly known as 'get,' a husband must issue a formal declaration in Aramaic—a 'get'—to grant his wife a divorce. This process, requiring the endorsement of three rabbis, effectively grants men unilateral authority over marital dissolution, leaving women vulnerable to manipulation and coercion.

Malky Berkowitz, a 29-year-old woman from Kiryas Joel, has become a symbolic figure in this struggle. Separated from her husband since 2020, Malky has been unable to obtain a 'get,' rendering her unable to remarry. Her plight epitomizes the predicament faced by countless women labelled as 'agunahs' or 'chained women'—trapped in marriages they wish to escape.

Drawing parallels with legal advancements in the UK, where withholding a 'get' is now considered a criminal offense, the leader of the strike wants urgency of reform within the US judicial system.