New York – Female Chasidic Lawyer Announces Plans To Run For Open Brooklyn Civil Court Judge Position

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    Mrs. Freier is the founder and CEO of the  all women’s Ezras Nashim ambulance companyBrooklyn, NY – A Chasidic woman from Borough Park has set her sights on becoming a Brooklyn civil court justice, hoping to be voted into the spot on the bench vacated by Noach Dear who was elected to a 15 year State Supreme Court term this past November.

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    Ruchie Freier, a lawyer who has spent the last several years helping an all-female volunteer ambulance corps get off the ground, said that she has long dreamed of a judgeship.

    “Advocating for the little guy has always been my passion,” Mrs. Freier told VIN News. “People ask me why I want to do this, but there is no why. This is how I was created and if you ask my sisters, they will tell you that even as a kid I was always sticking up for everyone else, speaking up when I felt something had to be corrected.”

    Mrs. Freier, the mother of six, has a long history of advocacy. She established B’Derech over seven years ago to help young men in the Chasidic community who were slipping through the cracks in the yeshiva system, providing them with educational opportunities and a GED vocational program. When a group of women approached Mrs. Freier six years ago asking her to spearhead their effort to create the all women’s Ezras Nashim ambulance company, she jumped on board without a moment’s hesitation.

    “It was an opportunity to speak for women who felt they didn’t have a voice,” said Mrs. Freier. “As I have matured in my legal profession I have found that my persona wasn’t a good fit for the big corporations. I am there for the regular person, the guy who needs help buying a house, or the boy who can’t get into a yeshiva. Those are the footsteps I want to continue to walk in, only this time as a civil court judge.”

    Mrs. Freier will be facing off in the Democratic primary on September 13th against Mordechai Avigdor for the seat formerly held by Dear in the Fifth Municipal Court District which includes Borough Park, Ditmas Park, Kensington and several surrounding areas. Avigdor, a Flatbush resident, is the former counsel to Agudath Israel of America.

    Having two Orthodox Jewish candidates going head to head in the primary will likely result in a tight race.

    “I have worked with both candidates in different capacities for a great number of years and have tremendous respect for them both,” said Assemblyman Dov Hikind. “I think that each of them would make a great civil court judge.”

    Mrs. Freier said she doesn’t believe that gender will be an issue when it comes to the election.

    “There may be some who won’t want to vote for a woman but I think it really depends on the person,” said Mrs. Freier. “People said the same thing when I started my law practice and while there were those who didn’t come, there were many more who did. I need to know that I tried my best and I am running on my track record of doing the right thing and being there for the small person who needs someone to speak up for them.”

    With several female judges already serving in the city’s civil court system, a female presidential candidate vying for a spot on the Democratic ticket and Devorah the prophetess setting a biblical precedent as a female judge, Mrs. Freier noted that having women taking on influential roles is nothing new.

    Mrs. Freier is already in the process of acquiring volunteers for her upcoming campaign and hopes to begin collecting signatures for the required petitions in June. She hopes that other Orthodox women will follow in her footsteps and pursue their dreams.

    “It may take longer and be harder because of your familial obligations but if you want to do something, don’t let anything stand in your way,” said Mrs. Freier.


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    34 Comments
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    7 years ago

    Good luck to Mrs. Freier.
    By the way, whatever happened with the Ezra Noshim?

    jason1974
    jason1974
    7 years ago

    I hope she succeeds at everything she aspires. A true example of an Orthodox woman and great role model.

    kenyaninwhitehouse
    kenyaninwhitehouse
    7 years ago

    I will vote for her, not an Aguda appointee, the same Aguda that supports de bozo.

    7 years ago

    I know both of them, and will need to abstain from the vote. I think each of them would qualify for the position, and each would be an asset to a system that needs fair, honest, dedicated people. Dov Hikind is correct in acknowledging this.

    Erlich
    Erlich
    7 years ago

    kiddush Hashem. Kol Hakavod.

    Honestyisimportant
    Honestyisimportant
    7 years ago

    This is wonderful news but its a bit misleading to represent her as a chasidishe woman without revealing her background. Ruchy is a Bais Yakov graduate who married a chasidishe woman as an adult. Thus she had a great Bais Yakov education that enabled her to become the lawyer she is today and run for office as well. I am not sure if she would have been where she is today had she gone to a mainstream chasidishe school since most chasidishe girls don’t go to college or law school for that matter (there are some exceptions but that is not relevant here). If she is running for office then she needs to be transparent about these kinds of things if she wants to come across as honest and trustworthy. Otherwise, I wish her good luck and hope she can do good for all Jews living in Brooklyn regardless of their religious affiliation.

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    7 years ago

    She seems to have too much time on her hands.

    Justice is supposed to be blind. She is not supposed to go onto the bench in order to “advocate for the little guy.” If a little guy is guilty, they are just as guilty as a big person. This is actually in the Torah!

    shmielglassman
    shmielglassman
    7 years ago

    mrs. frier a good woman and probaly will do a very fine job but against mordy avigdor not a chance not so much because the lady / man although thats still part of it . but mordy comes with 30 years of public service and well rspected by all the circles

    yosephchaim
    yosephchaim
    7 years ago

    כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה.here we have a woman thats doing the opposite of what the torah teaches us. How can any person who considers himself frum vote for her??
    Also, maybe the same way she picks and chooses from the torah what to keep and what not to keep, she will do the same in the law book? How can someone like this be a judge???

    7 years ago

    Chasidic women belong home with the kinder. Hashem does not look favorably on this. Very bad idea.

    mewhoze
    mewhoze
    7 years ago

    #9 , Ruchy is a Bais Yakov graduate who married a chasidishe woman as an adult. ??????? say what???????

    Boochie
    Boochie
    7 years ago

    Since when was it a judges job to advocate for the little guy? The little guy in this country most of the time is more guilty then the big guy

    80% of those credit card cases dear was famous for was some “little guy” who spent money he didn’t have, and the big guy had to eat the loss

    7 years ago

    כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה does not mean youre not aloud to study   Bais Yakov. it does not mean you have to be just a Cook. Laundry lady. Cleaning Women. Server. Umo huivriah. Bear children. Nurse & feed them. be a Bread winner. send off the children to Yeshivas & Schools. keep on worrying. sit home for your Abuser and Manipulater. between 4 walls. become depressed. end up on pills. no vacationing. cuz you have to be ready for your MASTER chief in command. he claims. כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה Mrs R. Freier Keep up your Spirits, Keep up your Talents and Good Work. we have to learn from our Forfathers. we just had the Yom Tov Purim the whole NES PURIM came from a Female. Queen ESTHER. Our Rebbe . Moshe Rabbeinu O.H. had a Sister Miriam who saved her Brother . to become Moshe Emes Vetoirusoi Emes. we can go on and on. Mrs. Freier with Hashems help you can be Gevaldig. doing a Kiddush Hashem helping out Hashems children. and same time making Parnoosa on the BENCH. your a MENTCH. Hatzlacha Rabbah Health & Wealth. Yiddish Nachas of your Children עד ביאת הגואל במהרה,,בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין ליגאל,,,

    Satmar
    Satmar
    7 years ago

    wow this will be a all women’s election.. on one ballot will be Hillary Clinton for President, and on other ballot will be a woman for Judge…

    NishtAGoan
    NishtAGoan
    7 years ago

    Mrs. Freier gets my vote. Not that I am familiar with her legal career and policies. But she is truly a mentsch who has given of herself to the community. A true baalas Chesed. She deserves this promotion in her career ladder. Good Luck and much Hatzlochu.

    7 years ago

    Another great Sandy Eller article!

    7 years ago

    Ruchie, you are the BEST! Wishing you lots of success in everything you do! You will make a great Kiddush Hashem, as always!

    shalom770
    shalom770
    7 years ago

    I hope you win. You make me proud to be a Jewish woman. If I lived in NY I would vote for you!