Kiryas Joel update: Bigamist Haredi husband flees after Satmar Rebbe's ulti

Kiryas Joel update: Bigamist Haredi husband flees after Satmar Rebbe's ultimatum

Yesterday, the Satmar Rebbe issued an ultimatum to a Haredi man who used a halachic loophole to marry a second wife– while he was still married to the first wife, whom he refuses to divorce. The Satmar Rebbe told him either to issue a divorce or to face severe consequences. In fear, he fled to Monsey.

In a dramatic development that has shaken the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in the United States and abroad, a man who allegedly married a second wife while refusing to grant his first wife a religious divorce (get) has fled the town of Monroe for Monsey, just ahead of being formally expelled from the community.

The Satmar Rebbe, one of the most influential leaders in the Ultra-Orthodox world, made a second appearance at the community's main study hall last night to address the situation. This follows his unprecedented 24-hour ultimatum to the man to resolve his marital status according to Jewish law.

According to senior Satmar community officials, the man relocated to Monsey "at the 99th minute," just before the community was set to formally expel him in disgrace. During his address, the Satmar Rebbe acknowledged the man's departure from Monroe, noting that the responsibility for handling the situation now falls to the rabbinical authorities in Monsey.

"We have fulfilled the biblical command to 'remove evil from your midst,'" the Rebbe stated, attributing this achievement to the merit of his predecessor who established the Monroe community. "I felt a sacred obligation to handle this matter with the full force of religious law."

The case has taken another turn as the detained rabbi at the center of the controversy, Rabbi Avraham Katz of Monsey, remains in custody in Israel.

Elad Zamir, who represents his first wife, issued a strong statement: "My client has been an agunah (trapped wife) for 10 years. We petitioned the Great Rabbinical Court, which took the unprecedented step of detaining Rabbi Katz. Surprisingly, Rabbi Katz himself petitioned the High Court of Justice against the Rabbinical Court, but his petition was summarily dismissed."

The attorney emphasized that they would "pursue all available channels to free my client from her status as an agunah" while firmly stating they "will not cooperate with any extortion attempts."

Before leaving Monroe, the husband reportedly sent a lengthy letter to the Satmar Rebbe explaining his position and claiming that rabbis supporting his case have faced intense pressure and threats. He also mentioned ongoing negotiations for a divorce settlement through designated mediators.

The situation continues to generate intense debate within the Orthodox Jewish community, highlighting the complex intersection of religious law, communal authority, and civil legal systems in matters of marriage and divorce.

Kikar Shabbat contributed to this article.