Story of the I. Family, Karmiel

Alex (pseudonym), an Ukrainian Jew, immigrated to Israel with his mother during the 1990's. In 2000, he traveled to the Ukraine and married Julia (pseudonym), a non-Jewish Ukrainian. In accordance with the Entrance into Israel Law, Alex returned to Israel and invited Julia to join him. Early in 2001, Julia received her entrance visa and came to Israel together with her and Alex’s ten-month old daughter who had been born during the intervening months. Julia, who was in Israel on a tourist visa, lived with Alex, his mother and their daughter in Karmiel.

Several months after Julia's arrival, problems started to emerge in the marriage and Alex physically assaulted Julia several times. After about four months, Alex and his mother kicked Julia out of the house and she and her daughter found themselves homeless. Simultaneously, Alex and his mother appealed to the police and to the Ministry of Interior. Alex claimed that he intended to annul the marriage and that since Julia is not Jewish she should be deported. As a result of Alex's appeal, Julia's legal civil status in Israel was cancelled almost immediately without her having the opportunity to present her case to the authorities who had made such a critical decision about her future.

Julia approached the AMF branch in Karmiel and, as a result of AMF’s involvement, Julia and her daughter were placed in a shelter for battered women, despite the fact that she had no legal civil status in Israel. After about a year, during which Julia and her daughter resided in different shelters, Julia decided to return to live with Alex in Karmiel, where she continues to live until the present day. Following continued intervention on the part of AMF, Julia was granted temporary residency, however she still has not received a permanent legal civil status in Israel.