OU Institute for Public Affairs

September 3, 1999

Is a Child's Identity and Culture Meaningless?

Excerpts From Italian Court Decision

  • ...Concerning everything that applies to contact with the mother, the Minors' Court decides that she could meet the girls in a place specified by the father prior to the meeting, three successive days each month without interfering with their studies, i.e., in the afternoons of school days and the entire day on non-school days...
  • ...As to telephone conversations between the mother and the girls, we believe that it is proper, and in the order to reduce the tension that these
    conversations cause, to restrict them to twice a week and that they be in
    Italian and that the father be able to tape them.

    On the other hand, no phone conversations with others are permitted except with the mother and grandparents.

    The grandparents may join the meetings twice a year at any time they wish and may phone the girls twice a month...

CUSTODY DECISION

The custody over the girls Daniela and Dvorah Dulberg is granted in full to their father, Mr. Moshe Dulberg coupled with absolute prohibition to take them out of Italy without the permission of Dulberg and, in case he is incapacitated, without the permission of the Court.

Decides

That starting with September 99 the mother may meet the girls for half a day during school days and for an entire day when there is no school.

Prohibits

That the girls spend the night with the mother

Declares

That the meetings be in the presence of a person trusted by Dulberg.

Allows

Two phone conversations a week between the girls and the mother, 20 minutes each (10 minutes for each girl) in Italian, allowing Dulberg to tape them.

Prohibits

Phone conversations between the girls and person not allowed by the father, with the exception of the mother and grandparents.

Allows

The grandparents to participate in the meetings twice a year at any time that they wish and to phone the girls twice a month.

Determines

That the mother of the girls:

1. Will not belittle the image of the father during the meetings and phone conversations

2. Will not encourage the girls to oppose the father

3. Will not in any way send to the girls messages that can interfere and cause them instability.

4. Will not attempt to allow contact with the girls even by a third party other than permitted by the court.

Action!!

Correspondence supporting the rights of the Dulberg girls should be sent immediately to the address below:

Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci
Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations
2 UN Plaza, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
212-486-9191 (Phone)
212-486-1036 (Fax)
E-mail at italy@un.int

We ask that you please BCC (send a copy of your email to) webmaster@ou.org so that we can accumulate as large a number of correspondence as possible to present to the Italian court and the Italian government.

Thank you for your concern and participation in this effort.

Rabbi Raphael B. Butler
Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union


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Prof. Richard Stone, Chairman
Nathan Diament, Director
Betty Ehrenberg, Director, International Affairs & Communal Relations

 

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