Ruchie Freier: A Trailblazer in Law, Faith, and Community

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Rachel “Ruchie” Freier stands as one of the most remarkable and unconventional figures in modern American public life. She is the first chassidish woman elected to public office in the United States, which is unusual in the legal profession and virtually unheard of in the tight-knit chassidish community. Rising from modest beginnings in Brooklyn to the bench of the New York Supreme Court, Ruchie Freier has become a symbol of what can happen when determination meets purpose.

Ruchie was born in 1965 into a Chasidish family. Her parents were the children of Holocaust survivors who instilled in their daughter a sense of gratitude to be able to live in a country that allowed religion to be practiced openly. This translated into a burning passion within Ruchie to contribute positively to the society in which she lived.

When she was just 19, she married David Freier, and together they built a beautiful family of six children. When her children were young, she prioritized family life over work. Freier had a late start to her career in law. After high school, she began working as a legal secretary, using her stenography skills to support her family financially. As she gained experience in the field of law, she noticed something interesting. Most of the lawyers that she worked for were younger than she was. This sparked something inside Ruchie, and she decided she would like to pursue a legal career.

At the age of 30, already a mother of several children, Freier made the bold decision to return to school. She enrolled at Touro College and took six years to complete her undergraduate studies while balancing work and family. The path was not straightforward, but she persevered with tenacity.

Ruchie earned her law degree in 2005. After passing the bar, Freier began practicing law, focusing primarily on real estate. Being a Yiddish-speaking Chassidish woman attorney allowed Ruchie to serve clients within her own community who might otherwise have faced language and cultural barriers in the legal system.

In 2016, Freier did something unconventional for a chassidish woman. She ran for a seat on the New York Civil Court. Her candidacy was groundbreaking: no Chassidish woman had ever run for or held public office in the United States. But this didn’t stop her. Despite the challenges she faced, she won a historic victory and became the first Chassidish woman both to be elected as a judge in New York State, as well as the first Chassidish woman to hold public office in U.S. history. Quite an achievement.

In addition to her private practice, Freier became involved in public service, providing pro bono legal assistance in the family court.

Alongside her demanding legal career, Ruchie sought to help those less fortunate than herself. This resulted in her founding B’Derech, which supports at-risk youth in Orthodox communities, and

Chasdei Devorah, which helps families in financial need.

Additionally, Ruchie created an organization unheard of until that point, Ezras Nashim, an all-female volunteer ambulance service for the chassidish community. This broke barriers in emergency services since for decades, women in her community had been excluded from serving as emergency medical responders. This service was particularly welcomed in situations where, due to sensitivities, female responders were preferable. Ruchie led by example by training as a paramedic and joining Ezras Nashim in action.

Ruchie navigates two worlds that seem diametrically opposite. The life of a frum, Chassidish wife and mother, and a demanding law career. She is a true eishet chayil, putting her family’s needs first as well as a paradigm of Chesed to the underprivileged. She is a model of perseverance and tenacity, following her dreams and chasing her goals. Her mode of dress is strictly tzniut, showing that a career woman should embrace modesty, not shun it. When thinking of Ruchie Freier and her achievements, a verse from eishet chayil comes to mind. “A G-d-fearing woman shall be praised.”