>>Being an old school Jew, divorce was just not an option for him. So the only escape in his mind was suicide.
>
>I mean no disrespect to your father, but Judaism permits divorce, always has. From http://www.jewfaq.org/divorce.htm:
>
>"Judaism recognized the concept of "no-fault" divorce thousands of years ago. Judaism has always accepted divorce as a fact of life, albeit an unfortunate one. Judaism generally maintains that it is better for a couple to divorce than to remain together in a state of constant bitterness and strife."
>
>I am sorry that your parents were so unhappy together and that it led your father to take his life.
>
>Tamar

My understanding was that a man could divorce a woman (issue a get)) but a woman could not divorce a man.

From the wikipedia.

"Sometimes a man will completely refuse to grant a divorce. This leaves his wife with no possibility of remarriage within Orthodox Judaism. Such a woman is called a mesorevet get (literally "refused a divorce"), if a court determined she is entitled to a divorce. Such a man who refuses to give his wife a get is frequently spurned by Modern Orthodox communities, and excluded from communal religious activities, in an effort to force a get."