Conference on Jewish Family Law and General Issues in Jewish Law
Jewish Family Law, the Agunah and General Issues in Jewish Law
The conference is free and open to the public. See here for information about meals and CLE credit.
Date(s): 02.07.10 | Sun – 02.08.10 | Mon
Time: Two-day Conference and Wolff Lecture on Monday evening
Location: Fordham University Lincoln Center Campus
Sponsor: The Jewish Law Association; the Fordham Law
School Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyer’s Work
The Jewish Law Association in conjunction with the Fordham Law School Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyer’s Work is holding a two-day conference on February 7-8, 2010.
The main theme is Jewish Family Law, with some reference to the role of the Halakhah in Israeli Family Law. The lectures on the first day of the Conference are devoted to Jewish Family law. Those scheduled for the second day are of a more general nature.
On Sunday afternoon, Prof. Bernard Jackson will present the research, findings and recommendations of the Agunah Research Unit at the University of Manchester. These findings and recommendations constitute a path-breaking contribution to this legally and ethically challenging area of Jewish law. A panel of speakers will respond to Prof. Jackson’s presentation.
On Monday evening, Prof. Jackson will deliver the Wolff Lecture on the topic of “Jewish Law and State Law: Some Comparative Perspectives from England”.
PROGRAM
Sunday February 7th:
8:30 Registration
9:00-10:45 Session I: Legal Responses to the Predicament of the Chained Wife (Agunah) and the Phenomenon of Sexual Abuse in Jewish law
Dr. Ronnie Warburg; Prof. Steven Resnicoff; Dr. Michael Baris.
11:00-12:10 Session II: The Tension between Traditional Family Law and Women’s Autonomy in Rabbinical Courts in Contemporary Israel
Dr. Ayelet Blecher-Prigat; Dr. Amihai Radzyner.
Lunch
1:00-3:20 Session III: Issues in Jewish Divorce Law and the History and Practice of Dealing With Chained Wives (Agunot) in the Halakhic Tradition
Rabbi Joseph Polak; Noa Shashar; Dr. Lisa Fishbayn-Joffe; Prof. Michael Broyde.
3:45-6:30 Session IV: The Manchester Agunah Unit Report and Response by the Rabbinic Panel
Prof. Bernard Jackson, Rabbi Saul Berman, Rabbi Michael Broyde,Rabbi Joseph Polak; Rabbi Mordechai Willig; Dr. Avishalom Westreich (Prof. Daniel Sinclair-chair).
Monday February 8th:
8:30 Registration
9:00-10:45 Session V: Family law and Social Relations in a Biblical and a Modern Liberal Setting
Prof. Calum Carmichael; Dr. Howard Kaminsky; Dr. Gail Labovitz.
11:00-12:10 Session VI: Legal Issues Relating to Ownership and Intent
Dr. Ron Kleinman; Arye Amihay
Lunch
1:00-2:45 Session VII: Inheritance, Divine Ownership of Bodies and Women’s Rituals
Prof. Jonathan Milgram; Bracha Rutner; Prof. Madeline Kochen
3:10-5:30 Session VIII: “Justice, justice shalt thou pursue”: The Judicial Role and Jewish Legal Theory
Dr. Yuval Sinai; Dr. Ilan Fuchs; Prof. Samuel Levine; Dr. Aviad Hacohen.
6:00-7:45 Session IX: Wolff Lecture “Jewish Law and State Law: Some Comparative Perspectives from England” with Prof. Bernard Jackson (Prof. Daniel Sinclair-chair).
LOCATION The conference will take place at the Fordham University Lincoln Center Campus, conveniently located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, just south of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Please note the different locations on campus for Sunday and Monday:
- Sunday February 7th, 2010: McNally Amphitheater |Fordham Law School, 140 W. 62nd Street, New York 10023.
- Monday February 8th, 2010: 12th floor Lounge | Fordham University, 113 W. 60th Street, New York, NY 10023.