On Thursday, Rachel “Ruchie” Freier took the oath of office as she became a Civil Court judge in Kings County’s 5th judicial district. Freier was elected last September and her purview encompasses Borough Park and other sections of Brooklyn including Bensonhurst and Coney Island. Her official term begins in January and extends through 2027.
While some may be have been surprised to see a Hasidic woman ascend the bench, those familiar with the 51-year-old Freier’s record of trailblazing achievements were not. The mother of six (and grandmother) earned a law degree from Brooklyn Law School while raising her family. She practiced law in Brooklyn and Monroe, New York and also served on the community board in Borough Park, Brooklyn.
Freier also founded two organizations that have made an impact on her local Hasidic community. The first is B’Derech, a secular academic program that helps ultra-Orthodox men educated previously only in yeshivas gain a high school equivalency diplomacy so they can go on to higher learning or seek gainful employment.
The second in Ezras Nashim, an emergency medical technician program exclusively for women that meets the needs of religious women in the community. Freier herself reportedly still remains on call for Ezras Nashim.
Perhaps, this is what her husband wanted? And the halacha is that she must listen to him!
ReplyDeleteShtuyot. For one a woman may not be a Dayan, Deborah notwithstanding.
ReplyDeleteAnd second, how is being a frum judge with a job to do, and with litigants who chose to submit themselves to your judgment, different than being an arbitrator who judges according to his or her understanding?
And in any case, how is it different than being a lawyer?
Judges in NYC regularly pressure such litigants to go to bet din.
ReplyDeleteAll three of them (litigants, their lawyers, and the judge, knows they are corrupt.
How can an American secular judge pressure parties in a case in State court to drop that case and go to beis din?
ReplyDeleteThe litigants do not necessary "chose to submit themselves to your judgment". The plaintiff may have chosen but the defendant did not, but is forced to respond to the secular court summons.
ReplyDeleteThis is the entire issur gomur against arkaos. It is against Jewish law to use secular court even if BOTH parties would agree to, by the way.
Ask a shaila on those rare occasions, and her Rav will find a way to deal with it. Alternatively, call in sick and the case will be passed onto a judge who is not jewish.
ReplyDeleteYou think an Orthodox Jewish judge of an American court can or will ask his/her Rov or Posek how to handle cases that come to their courtroom?
ReplyDeleteIt is their issur, not hers. She is no different than an arbitrator.
ReplyDeleteBut in any case, you haven't explained why she's worse than a frum lawyer.
a) It's prohibited to assist, enable or to participate in the sin of another Jew. So she cannot participate in the sin of arkaos where two Jews are litigating their dispute in her secular court.
ReplyDeleteb) It is similarly prohibited for a Jewish lawyer to litigate a case in secular court on behalf of one Jew against another Jew when the severe issur of arkaos applies.
The torah allows arbitration, not secular court. So your comment smack of ignorance.
ReplyDeleteYour personal experience is irrelevant. Find a bais din that is not corrupt. Try rabbi gestetner.