{
  "id": 8253549,
  "title": "A temporary move abroad can carry lasting legal consequences for Israelis - interview",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/a-temporary-move-abroad-can-carry-lasting-legal-consequences-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T13:54:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-908868"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As Israeli families living abroad begin to celebrate the holidays, a recurring question arises: When will they return home? The answer varies from person to person, with some planning to move back after completing their education or career, while others remain unsure about their future plans. This uncertainty can have legal repercussions when parents separate.\n\nUnder Israeli law, a child can be considered habitually resident in another country even if the parents continue to view the move as temporary. If the parents later divorce, one may struggle to bring the children back to Israel without the consent of the other parent or a court order. In such cases, each parent could claim different intentions regarding the family's future.\n\nFamily and inheritance lawyer Judith Meisels highlighted that international family law involves various factors that people often overlook. Marrying in one country, living in another, and retaining property or legal ties in Israel can create complex legal issues if the couple decides to separate. These factors include the child's habitual residence, which determines the country that will decide on custody if the parents separate.\n\nThe 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction aims to ensure the return of children wrongfully taken from or kept outside their habitual residence. However, courts determine whether a child should be returned based on the child's actual life circumstances rather than the original intentions of the parents. This means that the length of time a family spends abroad does not automatically establish a new habitual residence.\n\nTo avoid potential legal complications, Meisels recommends that Israeli families with children moving abroad seek legal advice and document the purpose and expected duration of their relocation, as well as what should happen if one parent wishes to return earlier. While a written agreement does not necessarily determine the child's habitual residence or bind the court, it can provide valuable evidence of the parents' intentions at the time of the move.",
  "summary": "For families who just marked another Rosh Hashanah overseas, another year abroad does not automatically change the legal answer. But arrangements left undefined can carry consequences over time.",
  "key_points": [
    "Israeli families living abroad may face legal consequences if they separate.",
    "Habitual residence in another country can complicate custody decisions.",
    "A written agreement may provide evidence of parents' intentions during relocation."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}