May 24, 2012

The membership of the International Rabbinic Fellowship, (IRF), at its annual conference on Tuesday May 22, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the following resolution:

“IRF Rabbis may not officiate at a wedding unless the couple has signed a halachic prenuptial agreement. IRF Rabbis are further encouraged to participate ritually only in weddings in which the couple has signed a halachic prenuptial agreement. Ritual participation includes but is not limited to reading the ketubah, serving as a witness, and making one of the sheva berachot.” 

The IRF is now on record as the only Orthodox rabbinical organization in the world to require its members to use a halachic pre-nuptial agreement in any wedding at which they officiate. We hope and pray that this step will help make the use of this important halachic instrument an integral part of each and every Jewish wedding. This is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to do help eliminate the tragedy of the modern-day agunah situation. 

The IRF is an organization of 150 Modern Orthodox Rabbis serving communities throughout North America and around the world. 

For further comments, please contact: 

• Rabbi Joel Tessler, President 301-279-7010 

• Rabbi Jason Herman, Executive Director 917-751-5265