Israeli Child Advocate Shocked By Engagement of Young Chareidi Boy

Jerusalem - Israeli news agency Maariv is reporting that the family of deceased Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, Neturei Karta leader and Minister of Jewish Affairs for the Palestinian Authority, celebrated the engagement of a granddaughter this past Motzei Shabbos. The granddaughter, age 17 ½, is engaged to a yeshiva student, age 15 ½.
One of the kallah’s uncles told Maariv that the wedding will not take place for a year and that the couple plan to live in Meah Shearim. While the European Council set the minimum age for marriage at 18 in 2005, the legal age for marriage in Israel is 17, and in some cases the Department of Family Affairs will approve the marriage of a 16 year old.
Dr. Yitzchak Kadman, chairman of the Council for the Welfare of the Child, expressed dismay upon hearing about the engagement of the very young couple. In an interview with Maariv Kadman stated, “It is obvious from seeing the history and culture of Israel that we are not living in a third world country, but in this case, Israel seems to be lagging behind many other countries. The age of 17, the minimum age that was set for marriage, was not determined by accident. Young adults who are under 17 do not have the maturity that is integral to making a marriage work and a marriage such as this is destined for failure. It should also be noted that even in Pirkei Avos, chazal set the age for marriage at 18, not 15 ½.” ( vin news)