Rachel Freier

Freier appeared in a documentary about Ezras Nashim entitled “93QUEEN” which was directed by Filmmaker Paula Eiselt. The film made its world premiere on May 1, 2018 at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. The film is set to appear on PBS's POV.

In September 2018, Freier was named by the Algemeiner Journal among the “J100” list of “top 100 people” positively influencing Jewish life. In December 2018, Freier was named in The “Forward 50” list of American Jews who had a profound impact on the American Jewish community. In October 2018, Freier was inducted into the Brooklyn Jewish Hall of Fame, she received an award recognized among the leading Brooklynites.

In December 2017 Megyn Kelly welcomed Freier to The Today Show as the woman The New York Times has called “the Hasidic superwoman of night court”; she was featured in the series “She’s Got Faith,” marking her one-year anniversary on the bench.

In September 2017, Freier was honored at the New York City Hall in the Council Chambers with a "Proclamation Award" presented by the Speaker & Council-members of the Jewish Caucus for her achievement of becoming the First Hasidic Woman elected to Public Office in New York City.

In 2017, Freier was chosen by The Jerusalem Post, an Israeli newspaper, as #40 of the "50 Most Influential Jews" in the world. In 2016 she was named one of the "15 Most Influential Jews" in the world by Makor Rishon, another Israeli newspaper.

In 2016, she campaigned and was elected as a Civil Court judge for the Kings County 5th judicial district in New York State, thereby becoming the first Hasidic Jewish woman to be elected as a civil court judge in New York State, and the first Hasidic woman to hold public office in United States history. Although she ran for the Civil Court, after her election she was assigned to serve on the Criminal Court in the Kings County 5th judicial district. She previously worked as a real estate attorney and community activist, and served as a volunteer court lawyer in the New York City Family Court.

In April 2016, Freier announced her candidacy for Civil Court Judge, running for the spot on the bench vacated by Judge Noach Dear.

In the September 2016 Democratic primary election for Civil Court Judge of the Kings County 5th judicial district, Freier garnered 4,730 votes (40.9 percent), followed by Jill Epstein with 3,993 votes (34.5 percent), and Morton Avigdor with 2,835 votes (24.5 percent). She entered the November general election, with Avigdor as a Conservative Party challenger, and received 68,088 votes (74.4 percent), to his 23,393 votes (25.6 percent).

On December 22, 2016, she was sworn in at Brooklyn Borough Hall. She delivered a speech that included Hebrew and Yiddish phrases and concepts which she translated into English. Her inauguration ceremony was carried live on WABC-TV and News 12.

Also in 2016, Freier's judgeship was selected by Kings County Politics as one of the "Top 10 Stories" among political events in New York City that year. She was also listed by City & State magazine as one of the "Winners" among politicians of New York State that year, and was a recipient of Jew in the City's "Orthodox Jewish All Stars Award".

The group was formed after its request to add a female corps of EMT volunteers to the all-male Hatzalah organization, the long-standing Orthodox Jewish EMT service in New York City, was rejected, Hatzalah was the subject of controversy as articles in the New York Post and JEMS Magazine criticize the organization for its discriminatory practice of not allowing women to join. The group of Orthodox women cited the need for modesty and sensitivity to the needs of fellow Orthodox women. Freier is working on a project to buy an ambulance for the organization. Freier initially provided advocacy services for the group, and took over the directorship of the organization in 2012. Ezras Nashim was licensed by the New York State Department of Health in February 2013, though the volunteer corps respond in their own private vehicles as Ezras Nashim is still awaiting a license to operate a full ambulance service. In October 2019 was held a public hearing over Ezras Nashim's ambulance license at The Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of NYC. In November 2019 The Council did not approve the motion, a failure of either side to produce a majority of 14 votes to either pass the motion or deny it. Therefore, the case will move up to the Albany State EMS Council for a Decision.

In 2011, she founded Ezras Nashim, an all-female Orthodox Jewish volunteer EMT ambulance service established with the goal of preserving women's modesty in emergency medical situations, especially childbirth.

In 2010, Freier advocated to save Breslov Yeshiva in Williamsburg, in spite of opposition from some who harassed the students and maligned the Rabbi, Yoeli Roth. Freier received threats for defending the yeshiva, but she won the court case.

In 2008, Freier was one of the founders of B'Derech, a GED program for Haredi youth at-risk. The organization also helps troubled teens with therapy and hypnosis.

Freier passed the New York State Bar exam in 2006. She is also licensed to practice law in New Jersey and the District of Columbia.

She then entered Brooklyn Law School, completing her degree in four years, graduating in June 2005. She passed the New York State Bar in 2006.

In 2005, Freier established Chasdei Devorah Inc. a non-profit charity organization to help poor Jewish families in memory of a young friend.

Freier began her political career in 2001 as an intern in the Manhattan office of then-U.S. Senator from New York Hillary Clinton. She also interned for other elected officials.

Freier worked first as a legal secretary, and, in 1994, as a paralegal at law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, in order to support her husband in kollel. Her husband went on to complete an accounting degree at Touro College, and in 1996, she also decided to pursue a college education. She began studying law at age 30 after realizing she was working for lawyers younger than her.

Freier was born in Borough Park, Brooklyn, the eldest of five children in a Hasidic Jewish family. While attending the Bais Yaakov high school in Borough Park, she took a course in legal stenography, and she graduated from high school in 1982. At age 19 she married David Freier, with whom she has three sons and three daughters.

Rachel "Ruchie" Freier (born April 2, 1965) is a New York City Criminal Court judge.