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Rachel Freier

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Rachel Freier
Born1966 (age 57–58)
EducationTouro College
Brooklyn Law School
Known forFirst Hasidic Jewish woman elected civil court judge in New York state
SpouseDavid Freier
Children6

Rachel "Ruchie" Freier (born 1966)[1] is a United States real estate attorney and community activist. In 2016 she was elected Civil Court judge for the Kings County 5th judicial district in New York State, thereby becoming the first Hasidic Jewish woman to be elected as a civil court judge in New York State.[2][3][4]

Early life and education

Rachel Freier was born in Borough Park, Brooklyn, the eldest of five children in a Hasidic Jewish family.[5] While attending the Bais Yaakov of Borough Park high school, she took a course in legal stenography.[6] At age 19 she married David Freier, with whom she has three sons and three daughters.[5]

Freier worked first as a legal secretary and later as a paralegal in order to support her husband in kollel.[4][7] Her husband went on to complete an accounting degree at Touro College,[5] and in 1996[1] she also decided to pursue a college education. She enrolled at Touro College, where she became director of the women's pre-law society, and graduated six years later with a B.S. in political science.[5][6][7] She then entered Brooklyn Law School, completing her degree in four years, graduating in 2005.[5][7] She passed the New York State Bar exam in 2006.[5] She is also licensed to practice law in New Jersey and the District of Columbia.[6]

She and her husband shared an office in Borough Park, where she practiced commercial and residential estate law and he did commercial financing.[4][7]

Civil Court Judge

In the September 2016 Democratic primary for Civil Court Judge of the Kings County 5th judicial district, Freier garnered 4,730 votes (40.9 percent), followed by Jill Epstein with 3,993 votes (34.5 percent) and Morton Avigdor with 2,835 votes (24.5 percent).[8] She entered the November general election with no Republican challenger.[9]

Volunteer activities

In 2008[7] Freier was one of the founders of B'Derech, a GED program for Haredi youth at-risk.[1][9] In 2011 she became involved with Ezras Nashim, an all-female Orthodox Jewish volunteer EMT ambulance service established with the goal of preserving women’s modesty in emergency medical situations, especially childbirth.[7] The group was formed after its request to add a female corps of EMT volunteers to the all-male Hatzalah organization, the long-standing Orthodox Jewish EMT service in New York City, was rejected.[10][11] Freier initially provided advocacy services for the group, and took over the directorship of the organization in 2012.[7] Ezras Nashim was licensed by the New York State Department of Health in February 2013.[10]

Affiliations

Freier is a licensed EMT and has completed advanced training to qualify as a New York State paramedic.[1][9][12] She has served on Borough Park's Community Board 12 and performed pro bono legal services for the New York City Family Court.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "A Woman Of Many Hats: An Interview With Rachel "Ruchie" Freier, The First Female Chassidic Civil Court Judge". Bensonhurst Bean. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  2. ^ "First Hasidic Woman Elected As Brooklyn Civil Court Judge". CBS Local. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  3. ^ "In first, Hasidic woman elected to serve as Civil Court judge in NY state". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Dolsten, Josefin (15 September 2016). "Trailblazing Hasidic Woman Elected as Brooklyn Judge". The Forward. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f McKenna, Chris (6 May 2007). "Living in two worlds: Rachel Freier, mother, wife and lawyer, is also Hasidic Jew". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Arbesfeld, Atara (14 July 2016). "'Go For Your Dreams And Don't Compromise Your Religious Standards': Rachel Freier Is Not Your Typical Civil Court Candidate". The Jewish Press. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Brawarsky, Sandee (18 June 2012). "'We Are Reclaiming Our Job'". The Jewish Week. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  8. ^ "New York Primary Results". The New York Times. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d Harari, Renee (13 October 2016). "Rebel With A Cause: Chasidic Mom Shatters Stereotypes". The Jewish Week. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  10. ^ a b Nussbaum Cohen, Debra (March 11, 2013). "Ultra-Orthodox female EMT group approved in New York State". Haaretz. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  11. ^ Weichselbaum, Simone (February 27, 2012). "Jewish women in Brooklyn launch EMT service". New York Daily News. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  12. ^ "EMTs and Paramedics". New York Health Careers. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
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