A get-refuser is fighting back against a massive social media campaign that was initiated to bring awareness to the plight of his Agunah and others. Ironically, he claimed a VIN posting with his photo was “bullying”. Bullying is something a get-refuser is accused of.
On Sunday, VIN published the case of Dovid Wasserman, who has kept his wife chained for the past 7 years. The facts of the case are, that Nechama Wasserman has made it remarkably easy for Dovid to give her a Get. As soon as they were separated, she arranged a very generous custody deal, which saw Dovid get 40% of custody. Besides for that, she is not requesting any child support or alimony. The only thing she has asked for is the right to move on with her life. Yet for 7 years, Dovid has refused to allow her that right. He also refused to ever come to Beis Din. Multiple Siruvim have been issued to this effect.
For this reason, it is ironic when Instagram notified VINnews that an instagram post laying out the facts about Dovid was removed for “bullying and harrassment,” as clearly Dovid is the bully in this scenario.
Below are the documents that were included in the instagram post in question.
What is perhaps even more disturbing in some ways, is that Dovid’s family has allegedly actively supported him these entire 7 years, without showing any evidence of trying to compel him to unchain his wife. In fact, VINnews was told that they went as far as to ask Nechama to pull out of the court process.
The only feeble attempt that was ever allegedly came after 4 years of being separated, when one of the brothers reportedly told Nechama that he was just on the phone with Dovid and asked him to give a Get, but “he yelled at me” and I “yelled at him,” and the conversation ended there.
Dovid resides in his mother’s home in Monsey, New York. No public records indicate that he is currently employed, and is reportedly getting financial support from a family trust fund. His family has paid for lawyers to represent him and continually subvert the divorce process.
According to information obtained by VINnews, no member of the Wasserman family has ever agreed to sit down with a Beis Din to discuss a path forward, despite being called to the table many times.
Dovid’s mother, Rivka Wasserman, is a known and well respected teacher at Bais Rochel in Monsey. It is inconceivable that someone of her supposed stature would sit idly by while her son exhibits such unconscionable behavior, let alone actively support him.
Yet when she was confronted by nechama’s brother and his brother-in-law in 2018 at a Shiur she was giving, she called the police and filed a restraining order that was actually approved for 2 years.
In response to this incident, Mrs. Wasserman testified in court against Nechama, saying that Dovid is a good father and that Nechama alienated the children. Her “proof” that Nechama alienated the children was that she told her story publicly on a podcast, and in addition, she allowed her brother to walk into her Shiur and “scare her”.
Bais Rochel of Monsey has been approached many times and questioned about their continual employment of Mrs. Wasserman, despite her support of Dovid’s behavior. However the school stood behind her every time, always saying that Mrs. Wasserman is a Rebbetzin, and if there’s anything she could actually do to help, they’re sure she would.
Bais Rochel of Monsey can be reached at (845) 352-5000.
In another similar example of Dovid’s family resisting confrontation rather than help Nechama, the same relative of Nechama’s visited a pre-school ran by Dovid’s sister Yocheved Adelman, to make other parents aware that they’re entrusting their children with someone who enables such behavior.
In this case also the police were called.
If the recent outpouring of support for social media campaigns calling for the release of Agunos is any indication, the Jewish community has had enough.
See this post by @swaddlebee as an example
No longer are ordinary community members willing to stand by and watch women chained to their husbands with no hope to move on with their lives.
The Brooklyn Jewish community has put that on display recently by coming out in large numbers and rallying publicly in front of the homes of recalcitrant husbands.
As a result, we have seen at least 2 women receive their Get over the last week.
[ELIZABETH IS FREE! Flatbush Agunah Receives Get As Momentum Builds To Support Trapped Women]
[BREAKING UPDATE: Jeff Hafif Gives Get After 17 Years, More Rallies Planned For Other Get Refusers]
Dovid’s behavior is inexcusable, and should not be tolerated by the community.
The enabling behavior of Dovid’s family is also inexcusable, and should not be tolerated by the community. It is up to Dovid’s family to take control of the situation, or at least come to the table for a discussion.
Dovid’s Parents:
Pinchos Wasserman
Rivky Wasserman
Dovid’s Siblings:
Shaya Wasserman
Shmuly Wasserman
Avi Wasserman
Yocheved Adelman
Sarala Muschel
Chany Barnetsky
Miriam Fruchter
Yanky Wasserman
In 2019, Nechama went on the Halacha Headlines podcast to tell her story publicly. Readers are encouraged to listen to it to learn more.
#FreeNechama
(This article originally appeared on VINnews)
I don’t think it’s fair to present only one side of the case and will not base my decision solely on the basis of this article
Why are they going so hard after the family??? I know people will say “enabling”, but isn’t there a limit to how much you can expect from the family?? Isn’t there only so much they can do??? Who says he’ll listen to them?
Why isn’t it collective punishment??
YOU WORSHIP THE EIGEL HAZAHAV
FEH FEH FEH
will you be allowing comments ?
Or is this a one sided discussion
Thank you!!!
MATZAV – Please do your part. Please post this on the front page every day until he gives the get.
I do not know anyone involved.
What I do know is other such stories have circulated in recent years.
There are (at least) two sides to every story.
This is one side of the story.
I don’t know what the other side(s) are, but why would I believe one side over the other?
I would ask the Wassermans to explain their side before assisting a smear campaign.
For all you know, you may have ruined an innocent (or not-so-guilty) man’s life.
So sad…
How would any Rav allow the printing if the siblings names – it just doesn’t make sense – Beis Din has no authority to call a sibling or a mother into Beis Din. So I’m not sure how any Siruv could have possibly been issued against the relatives.
I said it once and I’ll say it again, which Halachic authority allowed them to publicize his family members names or addresses?
This Kind of social media ugliness that goes on in the secular world has no place here.
If rabbanim come out against the family, then by all means publicize that.
But the fact that these morons are promoting the ugliest type of loshon horah without any evident approbation should let you know about the type of people we are dealing with here.
Put the “MENUVAL’ in ‘CHERUM’!! Period!! Why is Matzav giving this Guy with a sarcastic smirk on his face, & ‘Yarmelka’ on his head, a forum?? He’s a bad, rotten, ‘Apple’. Causing another human being, especially one with whom you procreated three (3) children, mental anguish & pain is inexcusable; the latter is far worse than physical pain, which, can be alleviated with medication.
This is disgusting! You’re exactly like the thugs in the videos. When has it become ok to assassinate someone – and their mother! – without considering that there may be another side to this!!! If you were a Beis Din, you would be guilty of the Isur deOraysa of Lo Sisa Sheima Shav!
And don’t give me any baloney about the Batei Din who issued the seiruv. The seiruv was for refusing to appear in Beis Din!!! Are you going to harass everyone who is refusing to come to BD every day???
What a sad day. We’ve become like the one-sided disgusting so-called social-justice movements of this treife treife world we live in!
And don’t be thugs and not print my comments.
This article goes waaaay too far…aside from being totally oblivious to the fact there are 2 sides to every story and calling anything and everything “abuse”, the author doesn’t even seem to realize that you can’t just attack anyone loosely associated with a person no matter what your issue with them is. Doxing this guy’s mother siblings and openly calling for them to get fired for something he is doing is extremely wrong under any circumstances. I know nothing about this case other than what’s on this article but from the extreme and dangerous position presented here it seems clear the author is the bully and hurts the credibility of the very thing he’s trying to promote.
What a slanted, biased, one-sided article!
You don’t even have the decency or the respect for your readers to make any attempt to present the other side.
Do you really think that people will swallow this obvious smear attempt and not see through it?
Shame on you!!
Suddenly Matzav has guts but by the ________ story hid like a coward
Now matzav is in a rating war with ____ AND _____
I am horrified by this post shame on matzav for posting this story. Such bishus for the family you have no business ruining their lives. BULLIES.
Matzav=DAAS BALEI BATIM=SHMUTZ
Guess this site is in competition with the National Inquirer. This is shameful, defamatory and as far as halacha is concerned anything but local censure, and even then only when specifically allowed, produces a get meusa. Not sure who you’re trying to help other than cause mamzerus.
Why are you not allowing this comment?
What a slanted, biased, one-sided article!
You don’t even have the decency or the respect for your readers to make any attempt to present the other side.
Do you really think that people will swallow this obvious smear attempt and not see through it?
Shame on you!!
Most of the posts above object to not giving the other side (Mr. Dovid Wasserman) the chance to tell his story. He WAS given the opportunity for 7 years, but refused. That’s why the Beis Din sent him a כתב סירוב. Why is this not enough to all of you?
please take down post its not it will just divide use more!! If we want to see shmutz theres much better wabsites then matav (although your getting there….) please never post anything negative on Jews! leave that for the left wingers…