Ronelle Grier

Special to the Detroit Free Press

The long-awaited reunion between Maya Eibschitz Tsimhoni and her three children will take place this weekend after more than nine months of separation because of a combative custody case that has drawn international attention.

The children, ages 14, 11 and 10, will spend the weekend with their mother per an order issued by Oakland County Circuit Judge Joan Young, who took over the case when Judge Lisa Gorcyca recused herself in December.

Young’s order, which denied a request that Eibschitz Tsimhoni and the children be supervised during the visit, allows the children to spend unsupervised time with their mother from 3:30 p.m. Friday until she drops them off at school on Monday morning.

The children have been living with their father, Omer Tsimhoni, since the end of last summer, when they participated in a court-ordered “reunification program” with their father following a stay at an overnight summer camp in Ortonville. The program protocol stipulated a 90-day separation from the children’s mother in order to solidify the relationship with their father; however, a halt in the court proceedings because of motions by Eibschitz Tsimhoni to have Gorcyca removed from the case and the judge’s subsequent recusal extended the separation.

Tsimhoni mom continues fight to oust judge from case

Gorcyca, who initiated a worldwide news and social media storm when she sent the three children to an Oakland County juvenile detention center for refusing to spend time with their father, recused herself following a two-count ethics complaint by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission.

In the complaint, Gorcyca was accused of making false statements, ridiculing the children during open court and failing to "act in a patient, dignified, and courteous manner.”

The concept of “parental alienation,” a behavior pattern where one parent intentionally tries to turn the children against the other parent, has played a large role in this long-running custody battle. Omer Tsimhoni has accused his ex-wife of turning the children against him, a claim Eibschitz Tsimhoni has denied. She maintains the children did not want to spend time with their father because of his abusive behavior, an accusation that has been repeatedly denied by Tsimhoni.

A custody hearing has been scheduled for the week of June 23, where evidence from both sides will be heard, followed by a hearing on July 12 regarding Omer’s Tsimhoni request that his ex-wife be responsible for the attorney fees he has accrued.

Young’s order also stated that both parents shall “affirmatively encourage parenting time” with the other parent.