In March 2026, Elliot Francis Heller of Baltimore, created a page on Change.org containing false and unsubstantiated allegations, claiming that an innocent father, Raphi, “has been denying his wife a Gett for nearly 5 years,” that he “is a Get refuser,” and that he is “presenting himself as a normal ‘divorced man’ in the community.”

Elliot Heller then shared his postings around social media in an effort to draw attention to himself and to bully a good Jewish father who has never been accused of or found of any wrongdoing. 

Elliot Heller's allegations were at all times false. Raphi has never refused or denied a gett and has never been civilly divorced while remaining religiously married. At no point was he obligated or able to commission or deliver a gett, nor did he ever fail to honor his ketubah. No siruv was ever issued against him by the Bais Din associated with his marriage or by any mutually recognized Bais Din.

At the time of Heller’s publication, this man was the Defendant in an ongoing, contested matrimonial proceeding involving his and his children's parenting rights, among other things. 

In June 2026, Raphi and his former wife reached a settlement in their civil matrimonial proceedings and appeared before the court for allocution. Immediately thereafter, they went to Bais Din, where a gett was willingly given and willingly received. (The civil divorce was formally issued several weeks later, following bureaucratic delays).

In September 2026, Raphi respectfully contacted Heller through LinkedIn and asked him to consider removing his publications. Heller refused. Raphi subsequently contacted Heller’s local Bais Din, which ruled that the publications must be removed. Despite this ruling, Heller has refused to comply or appear.

Raphi also contacted Change.org’s legal department. Change.org has indicated that, as a platform generally protected under Section 230, it does not ordinarily remove content absent a court order.

Heller’s publications continue to appear in search results when Raphi’s name is searched, perpetuating false and damaging allegations concerning his character, religious conduct, and personal circumstances. This petition is therefore necessary to seek the removal of these publications and to request Heller’s participation in a Bais Din proceeding.

Raphi has made repeated efforts to resolve this matter respectfully and without litigation. He remains willing to appear before any mutually acceptable Bais Din of Heller’s choosing to address the allegations and seek a resolution.

We respectfully request that Heller:

Immediately remove the false publications concerning Raphi Stein; or
Agree to appear before a Bais Din of his choice to address the allegations and participate in a halachically appropriate process.
Raphi sincerely hopes that Heller will recognize the seriousness of the harm caused by these publications and take the appropriate steps to resolve this matter without further expense, delay, or embarrassment. However, should Heller continue to refuse to remove the publications or participate in a Bais Din proceeding, Raphi will be forced to consider pursuing legal remedies.

We hope this matter can be resolved promptly, respectfully, and without the need for further legal action.

 

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-heller-a29b2bb9/