Dear ORA Supporter,

We are very proud to report that, this past week, we resolved our 170^th agunah case!  However, with 70 cases still open, we have much more work to do, but it is always important to celebrate our victories and thank G-d for our continued success. 

As Chanukah approaches, we find ourselves at a time of year when it could not be any darker.  For the past few weeks, the days have been getting shorter and the nights much colder. It is specifically at this time of year that we celebrate our yearning for light and the gift of hope.  When the world around us has quashed our expectation for warmth or comfort, we light the candles, an additional one every night, to bring new light into our lives and into our world.  The menorah must shine into the dark streets, illuminating the lives of others in our communities.

At ORA, we bring light to the lives of agunot who seek our help when they have nowhere else to turn.  These women who need our services see no light at the end of an infinitely long and dark tunnel.  We bring them hope, illuminate their lives, and restore their freedom.

Click HERE to hear from Tamar, a current agunah, on what a difference your support of our advocacy makes in her life as she struggles for a get. 

ORA's continued success depends on your generous support.  ORA provides its services free of charge, so every donation is a direct investment in our tireless efforts on behalf of agunot:

1. Agunah Advocacy: Our dedicated staff creates and spearheads an individualized action plan for each woman who calls us in need, whether it entails navigating the halakhic and legal systems, trailblazing new approaches to case resolution, or rallying public support. 
2. Agunah Support: Our staff provides a critical support system, inspiring hope and ensuring that agunot always have a sympathetic ear to turn to, helping ease their emotional burden.
3. Educational Initiatives: Our Agunah Prevention Program raises awareness in Jewish communities and schools about the plight of agunot and the preventative solution of the halakhic prenuptial agreement.
4. Get Subsidies: We ensure that the scribal cost of writing a get never prevents a woman from receiving her freedom.

Bring light, bring ORA, to an agunah this Chanukah with a generous gift to support our vital work.  Whether you can give $18, $180, or $1800, every donation is a direct investment in our tireless efforts on behalf of agunot.  There are only a few weeks left to support ORA's efforts in 2011!

From the bottom of our hearts, and on behalf of all of the women whom we are helping, we thank you for your generosity.

Best wishes for a wondrous Chanukah, filled with happiness, light, and hope,

Rabbi Jeremy Stern 

Executive Director, ORA

Keshet Starr, Esq.

Director of Case Management, ORA