Williamsburg, NY – Saying that they “rely” on the pool for exercise and recovery purposes for many seniors, Hasidic women are pleading with the city to provide a “consistent” female replacement lifeguard at the Metropolitan Pool during July and August when the usual female lifeguards take vacation.
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DNAinfo.com (http://on.dnainfo.com/10wC4kF) is reporting that the past two summers have seen many Hasidic women dropping out of scheduled swim sessions when male replacement lifeguards have filled in.
Council member Stephen Levin said he has been working closely with the city in an attempt to satisfactorily rectify the problem, but that “fixing” the problem isn’t as easy as people might think.
Levin said city and lifeguard union rules “prohibit” the Parks Department from “assigning” workers to mandatory locations, thus making it difficult to guarantee Hasidic women that a female lifeguard will be on duty during the vacation months.
Where are all of the Hasidic women stepping up to serve as lifeguards?
I can assure you if this would’ve been a islamic community request Bloomberg would be the first to make sure they have their female Life guard in a Day!
And why not?
If the Muslim college girls can demand & obtain a “Girls Hour” at the Gym, then Yiddishe Techter are entitled to same options already afforded to others.
Just like one can go to a male doctor, a lifeguard is “on duty” and should be paying attention to see if anyone is in trouble AT ALL TIMES and not paying attention to bathing suits.
Learn the halacha.
Unions work with people and have the best interests of who they serve at heart. Self-serving heart that it is.
Reminds of the book All For The Boss. Mr Herman went out of his way to help his daughters wear tzniusdiga bathing suits. He asked the Mayor to make the beach “none mixed” swimming. Kal Hakavod to those women who are trying to get female lifeguards!!! I hope they succeed.
It’s time these religious zealots join the rest of the human race in the 21st Century. If they want a special condition, PAY FOR IT, join a pool club and that will keep all of the gentile riff raff out and away from your precious selves!! It’s a PUBLIC pool, not part of a synagogue or temple! If these woman are so modest,why not do what middle eatern woman do- wear the appropriate bathing attire?!!! It seems like there is a constant stream of complaints or other coming out of the Bklyn group. This constant demand for special treatment is getting real old, real fast!
At one point there were plenty of heimishe teenagers doing lifeguard courses, where did they all go??
To #7 - I agree with #4 - In an emergency, in order to save a life, one cannot be choosy. Hence, it is acceptable in an emergency for a female paramedic to attend to a male, as it is for a female Physician in the ER to attend to a male patient. Hence, it is not against Halacha for a male lifeguard to save the life of a female swimmer, and vice-versa!
There is a separation of church and state in this country. Perhaps these Yidden should find an island somewhere and start their own country.
They are paying membership or per use, and it does have only women hours. The male lifeguard kind of defeats the point, and
(Continued) probably costs the city in lost revenue. All you guys always “hocking” that chasidim need to exercise more, now’s your chance to do Tshuva and be supportive.
I’m realy proud of this ehrliche yidishe ladies .the problem with all the negative commenters is they would wish to be a lifeguard for ladies they just can’t get that license they are to dumb like Dumb and Dumber
build your own pool in willy, if thats what you need…stop already with mishugasin…
It’s a very logical request! The women have SEPARATE hours and should have female lifeguards during that time. If they would go in a mixed pool – then the request would be ridiculous, but in a separate pool it’s very legitimate. Simple arithmetic.