Did Rivka Kohn, mother of Adeena Kohn, manipulatively work to break up Adeena Kohn and Raphi Stein, in order to bring her grandchildren from Montreal to Monsey?
Did she exploit her daughter’s vulnerable mental state postpartum to put that plan into action?
Because if she did, then it is highly possible that Adeena never wanted to divorce her husband in the first place.
If she did, then we are not looking at an “agunah” case at all.
It should be noted that the divorce is not yet final, and no Gett has been issued.
If the mother-in-law has been as destructive as it looks, I would love to see a competent therapist get involved, to actually get the parents back together again.
Take a look at the chronology and tell me if anything seems “off” to you.
July 2020: Initiating the “Change of Scenery” Suggestion
Before the birth of her new grandchild — and, crucially, before any medical crisis on Adina’s part — Rivka called her son-in-law, Raphi Stein, to inform him that an apartment across the hall from her own residence in Monsey was becoming vacant. Rivka suggested that the family move there for approximately a month, framing it as an opportunity to provide her daughter, Adeena, with a “change of scenery” away from Montreal’s strict provincial COVID-19 lockdowns.
August 7, 2020: Intervening in a Postpartum Medical Crisis
After the birth of her and Raphi’s child, there were concerns about Adeena’s behavior. Rivka traveled from Monsey to Montreal and took her to the emergency room where she was treated for a week.
August 16, 2020: Setting Up the Immediate Residential Layout
Two days after Adeena was discharged from the hospital, the family left Montreal for Monsey. Rivka placed the family of five directly into Apartment 11A—located right across the hall from her own dwelling—which she had personally prepared and outfitted with secondhand furniture. This physical arrangement established an environment of close, daily geographical proximity.
September 2020: Stashing the Children’s Passports in a Safe Deposit Box
Adeena took the children’s passports and gave them to Rivka, who put them in a bank safe deposit box for “safekeeping,” leading Raphi to call the police. Adeena claimed she hid the passports because Raphael was threatening to file for divorce and remove the children. However, the record shows clearly that Raphi agreed the children should remain with their mother most of the time. In effect, her collusion with Rivka removed the father’s control over the children’s custody while they were still married.
October 2020: Rivka Meets With A Divorce Lawyer
On October 16, 2020, Rivka met with a divorce lawyer on Adeena’s behalf. This was while Adeena was still recovering and subject to intense influence from her mother.
September 2021: Ignoring Raphi’s Communication About Joint Application for Divorce
Raphi contacted Adeena about their joint application for a divorce in Canada. This was ignored.
October 2021: Filing for Divorce, Hiring the Lawyer, Compiling Divorce Conditions with Local Rabbis
Rivka’s involvement extended directly into organizing formal legal representation. In a text message sent to his family group chat on October 2, 2021, Raphael stated that Adeena’s mother had hired an expensive lawyer to secure a permanent stay for the children in Monsey. Adeena formally filed a divorce complaint seeking full custody in the New York State Supreme Court two days later, on October 4, 2021.
Meanwhile, Rivka worked with two local rabbis to draft a highly specific list of separation conditions was compiled under Rivka’s direct guidance alongside two local rabbis. This included that Raphi must leave the residence for three months (away from the children) to undergo intense therapy and see a psychiatrist for medication — despite the fact that it was Adeena who had the psychiatric episode — in effect creating a psychiatric equivalence to Adeena’s status on paper. At the same time, it document demanded that Adeena be legally designated as the primary custodial parent.
November 2021: Participating Directly in Formal Divorce Mediation
Beyond facilitating structural separation conditions, Rivka integrated herself into the formal resolution proceedings. Rivka actively sat in on and participated during the formal divorce mediation sessions held between the couple and a mediating rabbi, placing her presence directly within the decision-making dynamic regarding child access and residential mandates.
January 2022: Enforcing Access Limits at the Threshold
The logistical transition concluded with direct physical boundary enforcement. After the locks to the initial apartment were changed and highly restrictive visitation terms emerged from the family mediation framework, Rivka acted as the gatekeeper. When Raphael arrived at the complex to pick up his children, Rivka met him at the door, physically blocked his entry, and refused to allow him inside, stating that it “wasn’t his time now.”
Conclusion of the Proceedings
The extensive history of third-party domestic, logistical, and legal actions resulted in a four-day evidentiary trial in October 2023, where Rivka was required to testify under oath regarding her actions. Ultimately, the federal courts did not rule on the motivations or the fairness of the grandmother’s interventions.
Because Raphael waited more than one year from the date the retention became non-consensual (which the court determined occurred no later than March 6, 2021) to file his federal petition, the court evaluated the case strictly under the “now settled” defense of Article 12 of the Hague Convention.
Finding that the children had spent years forming connections, attending schools, and living next to extended family in Monsey, the court denied the return to Canada, leaving the final custody determinations entirely to the state family court system.
Source: Raphael Stein v. Adeena Kohn, No. 23-8078 (2d Cir. Nov. 21, 2024) , affirming No. 22-cv-10683-VB (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 20, 2023).
https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-7482/363775/20250625094950710_20250625-094311-00000114-00003368.pdf
Writing by Dr. Dannielle Blumenthal 