Gett Page #8

I'll tell you, if you insist.

Yes, my sister.

Don't call me your sister

and then curse me.

Enough hypocrisy!

Do you think I liked

living with your mother?

No. I suffered.

She made me suffer.

And I suffered when

he kept me away from my family,

and from my friends.

That he never said to me:

"My wife, how are you?

Are you sad today? Are you happy?

How was your day?"

That he never touched me,

never held me,

neither at night nor in the day.

Not in front of others, not at all.

I respected him, Shimon,

and you know it.

But he was never satisfied. Never.

Neither what I cooked

nor what I did.

He'd come into the kitchen

and criticize.

Always unhappy.

He wouldn't eat what I cooked.

As if to punish me,

to insult me.

He always found a reason

to offend me, to ruin things.

Your brother hates me, Shimon.

He hates me.

He hates me, Your Honor.

All he wants is

to see me unhappy.

Until he sees me torn to pieces,

down on my knees,

he won't be satisfied.

And even that won't be enough.

What are you looking at me for?

You're in love with this woman.

You cannot hide your feelings.

You're as clear as water.

Your Honor,

I ask that you disqualify

Carmel Ben Tovim

since under the circumstances

he cannot serve as her advocate.

I love this woman?!

I don't love her, she's just...

You don't love this woman?

No.

I don't love her

in the way you're implying.

Then how do you love her?

How?

What are you saying?

Who said I love her?

Vivianne Amsalem is...

Carmel Ben Tovim.

Is it true that you love this woman?

This is turning into...

You're all out of your minds.

Your Honor, I urge you,

put an end to this farce.

- I call you to order!

- Excuse me?

You're abetting a denial of justice.

- Shut up.

- You aren't judging honestly.

- Shut up!

- You could have set her free long ago.

So she could bask in her delights?

Carmel, is it true?

Your Honor, I'm warning you,

you're dishonoring me.

You're risking the offense of slander.

Shut up!

I'll sue this court!

Shut up, I said.

Rabbi Solomon,

your judgment is biased.

You're a dishonest judge.

Disqualify yourself...

Your Honor, disqualify yourself!

Shut up!

I've had enough.

Find yourselves another judge.

THREE MONTHS LATER

Rabbi Shimon,

is your brother going to appear?

I don't know, Your Honor.

He said he'd come.

My brother, unfortunately...

isn't talking to me.

He isn't speaking with you?

How can you represent him

if he isn't talking to you?

He didn't ask me to quit

representing him, explicitly.

I'll say this once,

bring your brother,

or he'll go to jail.

Thank you, Your Honor.

TWO MONTHS LATER

Amsalems, please rise.

Elisha Amsalem,

did you enjoy jail?

- No, Your Honor.

- Of course not.

But since you missed three hearings,

you left me no choice.

But here you are.

All's well that ends well,

and I'm glad.

Where is your advocate,

Rabbi Shimon Amsalem?

- I'll speak for myself.

- So be it.

What we need to do today

is just a formality.

After much consideration

and in light of events,

it was decided by a majority

of three judges under my authority

that you, Elisha Amsalem,

must grant this woman

a divorce.

Thank you.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'll begin by asking:

Elisha Amsalem,

are you, Viviane Amsalem's husband,

after these many hearings,

and having been obligated

to do so by this court,

willing to grant this woman a divorce

and repudiate her?

No, Your Honor.

No? Elisha?

No.

People,

I thought you made a decision!

So did I.

I ask to interrogate the defendant.

Speak up!

Elisha Amsalem,

is it true that we met,

you, your brother Shimon and me,

in prison?

Yes.

And what was said at that meeting?

Is it true that you stated

before me and your brother

that if the court obliges you

to divorce, you will?

Yes.

- So what happened?

- I changed my mind.

- He changed his mind, what do you say?

- What do you want me to say?

My hands are tied.

I demand that the court sentence

the husband to six months in jail.

Maimonides said:

"Force him until he says: I wish it.

Lash him to his last breath."

People,

this court has had enough of you.

Come back with a solution

or don't come back at all, now get out.

No. Why?

Listen to me.

This hearing is adjourned.

Notice will be sent by mail.

Why are you making me

run around in circles?

Why, Your Honor?

Why?

Why have I come in and out

for years now

and nothing's changed?

Why?

You can't force him to divorce

nor to appear,

and you can't this or that,

and what about me?

When will you see me?

When I'm too exhausted

to stand before you?

When?

If it were up to you,

it could go on for 10 years.

I could drop dead in front of you

and all you'd see was him!

But nobody is above the law.

There's a God and there's justice

and He'll judge you as you judge me.

Mercilessly.

You don't care about me!

In America,

if a man doesn't show up twice in a row,

it's over!

They divorce him,

whether he's there or not!

If he doesn't honor the law,

the law doesn't honor him!

And who do you honor?

For God's sake, have you no fear?

So send me to hell.

Go to hell, too!

Enough!

Goddamn it!

Enough!

This lady has finished.

No, I haven't!

One day someone will take

the power from your hands.

What will you have left?

Conversions?

No one will want that either.

It's over.

Skullcaps on your heads?

Rabbinical court!

Shitty court!

Are you cursing?

Shitty job.

Shitty people!

I suspend this woman from court

for 24 months.

- I'm the idiot!

- Disgrace and infamy.

A woman like her

should go back to her husband,

if he's still willing!

TWO MONTHS LATER

Speak up, Ben Tovim.

Welcome back, Your Honor.

We were worried about you.

For your well-being.

My client also sends her regards.

She's here?

She's outside... waiting.

How can I help you?

See her.

Hear her.

I can't.

My colleague ruled,

and I must respect his ruling.

- Your Honor...

- Final judgment, Carmel.

If you don't like it,

file an appeal.

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Appellants only.

Come in.

The advocates.

Thank you for seeing me,

Your Honor.

I know that my client is still suspended

but there are new developments.

Speak up, Carmel.

The husband wants to grant a divorce.

Be merciful and see them.

How do you know

this isn't another trick?

He approached us.

I understand.

The boys came over last night.

Evyatar started his new job.

Really?

He told me a week ago

that he doesn't want to do it.

Did it go well?

Yes. He's happy, thank God.

And how are you, Viviane?

I'm fine.

How much do you smoke a day?

Not much.

How much?

I don't count.

Viviane...

THE NEXT DAY:

FIVE YEARS SINCE THE TRIAL BEGAN

Witnesses, go ahead.

Please, come in.

Give me the divorce papers,

please.

Thank you.

Mrs. Amsalem,

come stand here.

Hold your elbows against your sides.

Put your hands together.

No, not like that.

Parallel to the floor.

Your husband will place

the divorce papers in your hands.

And when it is...

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