been given, this is only minimally helpful, as it is easy to escape its jurisdictions.
The problem of the agunah in modern times has been solved in a number of different ways. Our Reform method simply acknowledges civil divorce. For the Orthodox an annulment is possible, but very difficult. Some traditional Jews solve the problem when the original marriage was Reform or Conservative by not accepting the witnesses who signed the ketubah and so denying its validity. As no marriage has taken place in their eyes, no get is necessary(Moses Feinstein , Igrot Moshe Even Haezer#74, #75: David Hoffmann, Melamed Lehoil Even Haezer#20)
Although this path may be technically correct from an Ortho dox point of view, it is insulting to all Reform and Conservative Jews ; it also does not satisty psychologically. One of the problems with this approach is the Jewish doctrine that Jews who engage in intercourse do so with serious intent; furthermore, individuals, who have lived together for a period of time and are recognized as husband and wife by the community in which they live, are so accepted(Git 81b). The Orthodox authorities who suggested the above mentioned solution claim that this ruling does not apply to sinners(Moses Feinstein , Op Cit.,#75; Jehiel Weinberg Seridei Esh Even Haezer#28).
A variety of modern proposals have incorporated some statement about divorce, or at least about the jurisdiction of the rabbinic court in the ketubah in order to solve the problem. The modern Orthodox scholar , Eliezer Berkovits , made such a proposal and urged the use of a conditional marriage; he subsequently defended it in his book Tenai Benisuin Vehaget. The rabbis of Turkey in 1924 made a similar proposal which was later rejected by Ben Zion Uziel of Israel (A. H. Freiman, Seder Kiddushin Venisuin, pp. 391 ff).
A most determined effort in this direction was made by Louis Epstein for the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly in 1930; he suggested that a conditional divorce be given at the time of marriage. This approach which is halakhically sound was rejected by the Orthodox rabbinate and Epstein’s efforts to defend it failed.(I. Epstein Hatzaah Lemaan Takanot Agunot; Lisheelah Haagunot). Many considered it inappropriate to deal with divorce in
the wedding document. The Conservative Rabbinical Assembly
has added a clause to its ketubah which simply states that the