A Reform Get
: Should Reform Rabbis issue a formal document of divorce(get)? Should we consider the document in the new Rabbis Manual to be a get?(Morton Cohen, Los Angeles , CA ; Karen Silverman, New York , NY : Michael Smith, Pittsburgh , PA )
ANSWER: An earlier responsum entitled;“Reform Judaism and Divorce”(W. Jacob(ed) American Reform Judaism# 162), provided the historical background of the divorce proceedings. It did not, however, deal with the technical problems of a get. This decision should supplement the previous responsum.
The get became important traditionally because of the question of mamzerut. In other words, the child of a union with a “married” woman or one otherwise forbidden would be placed in jeopardy and it is important for such an offspring to assume the status of its parent's marriage.
As we look at the entire area of divorce in the North American Jewish Community, we must ask ourselves what alternative paths are open to us. We can simply follow the procedure of the past, acknowledge civil divorce. This will continue to be appropriate for a large number of individuals, however, some individuals now desire a religious act to finalize the separation. It is religiously and psychologically satisfying to both parties
We might seek a uniform solution for all groups, Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox so that the document would be universally recognized. That is a praiseworthy goal, but with the current mood of the Orthodox community may be unattainable. Perhaps some liberal Orthodox would be willing to work out a compromise, but it would not satisfy the rest and so it hardly seems worth the enormous effort.
It might be easier to establish a common basis for divorce with the Conservative movement or a mutual recognition of