The Agunah Problem

What happens when a spouse disappears and cannot be traced. Could they have died without anyone knowing? Could they be alive but have taken on a new identity? What should the remaining spouse do? Are they still married? Are they widowed? The question of a missing spouse, called Agunah, has been one of the most troubling scenarios that Jewish scholars grappled with throughout Jewish history, becoming the most extensive and complex field of Jewish law.  A fascinating discussion about the Agunah problem and its evolution to a new Agunah problem that we face today.