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INTERNATIONAL TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017 Hasidic woman judge: ‘It’s the American dream’ NEW YORK: In some ways, Rachel Freier woman from Judaism’s ultra-Orthodox had three more before graduating. A Hasids and other ultra-Orthodox vate Touro College, she went on to has a background that might be expect- Hasidic community to be elected as a pathbreaker who embraces tradition, groups together make up only 6 percent Brooklyn Law School, finishing in 2005. ed in a new civil court judge. She is a real judge in the United States. she has sometimes had to explain herself of America’s estimated 5.3 million adult Some other Hasidic Jews questioned estate lawyer who volunteers in family A proud product of a world with strict to both outsiders and fellow believers. Jews, according to a 2013 Pew Research what she was doing. But they came to court and in her community, where she customs concerning gender roles and “My commitment to the public and my Center study. Dating to 18th-century realize “I was completely devoted to our even serves as a paramedic. But Freier modesty, the new Brooklyn civil court commitment to my religion and my Eastern Europe, Hasidism combines religion and our tradition, and this was starts work today as something quite judge started college as a married, 30- community - the two can go hand in stringent adherence to Jewish law and a something I wanted to do regardless,” unexpected. She’s believed to be the first year-old mother of three children and hand,” she says. joyful belief in mysticism. Followers she says. “I didn’t want to ever be consid- At a swearing-in ceremony last month, often speak Yiddish, wear traditional ered someone who was turning away she both vowed to uphold the dress including beards and sidelocks for from my community,” but rather to work Constitution and pledged to illuminate the men and wigs for married women, and within its structure, she said. That has Hasidic world for her new colleagues. “This separate men and women in contexts sometimes required finding creative is a dream,” she told the gathering. “It’s the ranging from buses to classrooms. ways to resolve issues. An appeal for American dream.” There’s no official tally of “The very idea that an ultra-Orthodox help from boys who had chafed in American judges’ religions, but experts woman could be a judge” is notable, said Orthodox Jewish schools, for example, aren’t aware of any Hasidic woman before Samuel Heilman, a City University of led Freier to found a program that helps Freier winning a judicial post. It is extreme- New York sociology professor who stud- young men get general-equivalency ly rare even in Israel for Hasidic or other ies Orthodox Judaism. Under the diplomas. ultra-Orthodox women to hold any elect- strictest interpretations of Jewish law, Then Freier was enlisted to represent ed position. women can’t be judges or largely even Orthodox Jewish women who wanted to Freier, a political newcomer whose witnesses in the rabbinical courts that join an all-male volunteer ambulance uncle is a former judge, won a three- weigh various disputes in Orthodox corps, aiming to aid fellow women dur- way Democratic primary and the gen- communities. (Freier notes that her new ing childbirth or gynecological emergen- eral election in a swath of Brooklyn post is separate from those tribunals.) cies. After ambulance corps leaders that includes the heavily Hasidic Freier, 51, nicknamed Ruchie, started rebuffed the idea, which a well-known Borough Park neighborhood. Her elec- working as a legal secretary after high Orthodox Jewish blog called a “new radi- tion is “a step for the ultra-Orthodox school. College wasn’t customary for cal feminist agenda,” Freier helped the community at large”, showing it’s open Hasidic women, though it has since women launch their own volunteer serv- to women making progress on the become more common. But when her ice and joined it herself. She was still tak- political ladder, said Yossi Gestetner, a husband, David, got a college degree, ing her turn on call this past week. If NEW YORK: In this Dec 29, 2016 photo, Rachel Freier looks up from her longtime Hasidic political activist and she aspired to one of her own. After there’s a message she hopes her election phone while posing for pictures at her law office in the Borough Park public relations consultant who co- graduating from a women-only, sends, it’s “don’t give up”. “And don’t let section of Brooklyn. —AP managed Freier’s campaign. Orthodox Jewish-friendly program at pri- go of your standards.” —AP Netanyahu questioned as part of graft probe Bibi denies any wrongdoing JERUSALEM: Police arrived at the the inquiry to a criminal probe, said. Some 50 witnesses are said to received $40,000 in contributions residence of Prime Minister although he has yet to confirm this. have been questioned. In July, from Mimran in 2001, when he was Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday Earlier yesterday, screens were Mandelblit said he had ordered a pre- not in office, as part of a fund for evening to question him as part of a mounted at the entrance to the liminary examination into an unspec- public activities, including appear- graft probe that has shaken Israeli compound in central Jerusalem in ified affair involving Netanyahu, with ances abroad to promote Israel. politics, media reports said. Three an apparent bid to shield the investi- no details given. US billionaire and He has also come under scrutiny investigators arrived at the resi- gators’ arrival. “We hear all the media World Jewish Congress president over an alleged conflict of interest in dence in central Jerusalem at around reports. We see and hear the festive Ronald Lauder has been among the purchase of submarines from a 6:30 pm (1630 GMT), according to spirit and atmosphere in television those questioned in the probe over German firm. Media reports have public radio and other reports. studios and in the corridors of the gifts he allegedly gave Netanyahu alleged a conflict of interest over the Police declined to comment. Ahead opposition,” Netanyahu told lawmak- and alleged spending on trips for role played by the Netanyahu family ALEPPO: This undated handout photo released by the Russian Defense of their arrival, Netanyahu denied ers from his Likud party yesterday, him, Israeli media reported. lawyer, David Shimron, who also acts for the Israeli agent of Germany’s Ministry claims to show Russian military engineers in their APCs in ThyssenKrupp, which builds the Aleppo. —AFP Dolphin submarines. Beyond those issues, Israel’s state comptroller Army presses fight near released a critical report in May about Netanyahu’s foreign trips, some with his wife and children, Damascus despite truce between 2003 and 2005 when he was finance minister. BEIRUT: Syria’s army advanced yesterday as it said. Otherwise, they warned, “we will call on battles to capture a rebel region that is key to all the free military factions operating inside ‘Campaign of provocation’ the capital’s water supply, launching strikes Syria to overturn the agreement and ignite the Netanyahu, 67, is in his fourth and artillery fire threatening a fragile nation- fronts in defense of the people of Wadi term as prime minister and currently wide truce. Brokered by regime ally Russia and Barada”. The statement said that Wadi Barada heads what is seen as the most opposition supporter Turkey, the ceasefire is was included in the deal brokered by Moscow right-wing government in Israeli his- now in its fourth day despite sporadic violence and Ankara and accused the regime of violat- tory. Widely known by his nickname and continued fighting in the Wadi Barada area ing the agreement. Bibi, he has served as premier for a near Damascus. “Regime forces and fighters total of nearly 11 years, fast from Lebanon’s Hezbollah group are advancing Talks due in Astana approaching revered founding in the region and are now on the outskirts of The ceasefire deal, and the plan for new father David Ben-Gurion’s 13 years. Ain Al-Fijeh, the primary water source in the talks, received the unanimous backing of the Polls have shown that if elections area,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the UN Security Council on Saturday, despite were held now, his Likud party Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. offering a competing track to UN-sponsored would finish behind the centrist He said government troops and allied fight- negotiations. Turkey and Russia are organizing Yesh Atid, but that voters still prefer ers were engaged in fierce clashes with rebels, the talks in Astana along with regime ally Iran, Netanyahu as prime minister. including former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al- and say they are intended to supplement, not The inquiry has led to fierce Sham Front, a claim denied by opposition replace, UN-backed negotiations scheduled to debate in Israeli politics, with fighters. The monitor said government forces resume in February. Despite backing opposite JERUSALEM: An Israeli police car is seen at the entrance to the Netanyahu’s allies accusing opposi- were carrying out air strikes and artillery fire sides in Syria’s conflict, Ankara and Moscow residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as tion politicians and some in the on the area, northwest of the capital, and that have worked closely in recent months on the members of the media wait for the arrival of police investigators news media of unfairly pressuring two civilians were shot dead by snipers. Two war, brokering a deal to evacuate civilians and the attorney general.