GOVERNMENT

Rachel Freier

Judge

The New York Times calls Rachel Freier the "Hasidic Super Woman of Night Court." The 52 year-old grandmother became one of the first Hasidic female lawyers in Brooklyn in 2005; in November 2016, she was elected as a judge to civil court, an achievement that makes her the only Hasidic woman judge in the world. On hand for Freier's swearing-in was Hasidic singer Lipa Schmeltzer, who sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" along with a Yiddish version of "God Bless America." A documentary about Freier's career, "93Queen" – directed by Paula Eiselt – was released in August 2018, featuring a segment on the Ezras Nashim (Hebrew for “Helping Women”) ambulance service which Freier launched with friends in her community to ensure that "no woman should ever be embarrassed to call for help." (Photo: Stefano Giovannini / VIN news.)