A rabbi has publicly named and shamed a Hampstead Garden Suburb father to force him to allow his estranged wife a religious divorce.

This is after Yiki (Nick) Loewenstein, of Kingsley Way, refused to grant a 'get' to his wife, Bryna Loewenstein, of New York, since he separated from her more than eleven years ago and their marriage was dissolved in the courts in December 1991.

Under Jewish religious law, only the husband can give the divorce which allows a woman to remarry in a synagogue.

Rabbi Pini Dunner of the Saatchi Synagogue, Hampstead, placed an advert in the December 15 issue of the Jewish Chronicle instructing Mr Loewenstein, a metal trader, to allow his wife the divorce and is asking for public help to resolve the case.

Rabbi Dunner said: "I'm willing to name any spouse who is refusing to oblige their wife a get.

I will also name any wife who is refusing to accept a get. I'm doing this because people are causing distress to others through their actions."

The couple have a 14-year-old son Daniel and lived in New York before Mr Loewenstein returned to London after their civil law divorce was finalised. He said: Since 1989 I have stated I'm willing to give my wife a get. However, there's more to this than meets the eye. I want to see my son regularly.

This advert feels like a witch hunt. Rabbi Dunner has only spoken to me once for ten seconds in the last 18 months and that was when I called him on my way to the Beth Din.