Welcome to - Equal Shared Parenting - Kids aren't Divorced from Dad
Welcome to "Equal Shared Parenting – kids aren't divorced from Dad." (In Hebrew our name-slogan sounds like: "Horut Meshutefet Shava – yeladim lo mitgarshim may-aba"). Our website is http://www.mishmoret.org.il ("mishmoret" means custody).
Since our establishment as a non-profit organization in May 2000 we have been lobbying for reform of child custody, child support and relevant family law. We organize demonstrations; mainly protest vigils in front of family courts throughout the country. We champion equal shared parenting after divorce. We actively promote this in the media. We help to organize separated and divorced fathers by providing information and support ideas.
Currently in Israel's skewed family law system, the mother becomes the sole custodial parent in 97% of divorced families (litigated and otherwise). Usually the father has to accept a minor visitation arrangement and to pay high child support, even sometimes exceeding his income.
In Israel about half of divorcing parents litigate child custody. In order to reduce this court load, to enable workable divorce agreements and for the good of children, we believe that the starting point of custody should be equality. Our proposal for legislation of equal shared parenting reflects that approach.
In 2005 the minister of justice appointed a committee to study the current child custody situation and to recommend ways to improve it. However, this official committee includes many overrepresented feminist organizations and is without even one fathers' or children' organization.
In the spring of 2008 (28/4/08) the committee presented its interim recommendations to the Minister of Justice. The committee recommended canceling the mother's automatic custody of young children through the age of six (known as "the tender years presumption"), which is in effect in Israel, and its replacement with a number of guidelines which the court would consider in child custody decisions.
As expected the guidelines reflect the imbalance in the committee's composition. Among the guidelines is the "primary caretaker" criterion which will be used in court decisions when both parents are found to be parentally fit and equally capable (which is the situation in most cases). This criterion states that the parent who cared more for the child during the marriage will continue to be the primary (custodial) parent after the divorce. This primary caretaker presumption is based upon the definition of caring as quantity of time spent with the child. This criterion is also severely flawed by a complete disregard of the divorce dynamic on the parents. After divorce the changes in daily living routines can bring a welcome reversal of parental role functions, especially following traditional marriages where the mother was the principle child caretaker and the father the principle income earner.
In 2006, a subsequent minister of justice appointed another committee to examine child support. At the outset, the chairman of this committee Prof Pinhas Shifman said on a TV interview that fathers want shared parenting only because they want to pay less child support. We doubt that this committee will bring any positive change.
You can contact us via the contact form .
Since our establishment as a non-profit organization in May 2000 we have been lobbying for reform of child custody, child support and relevant family law. We organize demonstrations; mainly protest vigils in front of family courts throughout the country. We champion equal shared parenting after divorce. We actively promote this in the media. We help to organize separated and divorced fathers by providing information and support ideas.
Currently in Israel's skewed family law system, the mother becomes the sole custodial parent in 97% of divorced families (litigated and otherwise). Usually the father has to accept a minor visitation arrangement and to pay high child support, even sometimes exceeding his income.
In Israel about half of divorcing parents litigate child custody. In order to reduce this court load, to enable workable divorce agreements and for the good of children, we believe that the starting point of custody should be equality. Our proposal for legislation of equal shared parenting reflects that approach.
In 2005 the minister of justice appointed a committee to study the current child custody situation and to recommend ways to improve it. However, this official committee includes many overrepresented feminist organizations and is without even one fathers' or children' organization.
In the spring of 2008 (28/4/08) the committee presented its interim recommendations to the Minister of Justice. The committee recommended canceling the mother's automatic custody of young children through the age of six (known as "the tender years presumption"), which is in effect in Israel, and its replacement with a number of guidelines which the court would consider in child custody decisions.
As expected the guidelines reflect the imbalance in the committee's composition. Among the guidelines is the "primary caretaker" criterion which will be used in court decisions when both parents are found to be parentally fit and equally capable (which is the situation in most cases). This criterion states that the parent who cared more for the child during the marriage will continue to be the primary (custodial) parent after the divorce. This primary caretaker presumption is based upon the definition of caring as quantity of time spent with the child. This criterion is also severely flawed by a complete disregard of the divorce dynamic on the parents. After divorce the changes in daily living routines can bring a welcome reversal of parental role functions, especially following traditional marriages where the mother was the principle child caretaker and the father the principle income earner.
In 2006, a subsequent minister of justice appointed another committee to examine child support. At the outset, the chairman of this committee Prof Pinhas Shifman said on a TV interview that fathers want shared parenting only because they want to pay less child support. We doubt that this committee will bring any positive change.
You can contact us via the contact form .
