[ APPLAUSE ] >>> AS WE CONTINUE OUR WEEK-LONG
SERIES "SHES GOT FAITH," TODAY,
WE MEET RACHEL FRYER, WHO IS CHALLENGING THE NORM WHEN IT
COMES TO HER TRADITIONAL
RELIGION.
BEING A WOMAN OF HASIDIC JEWISH
FAITH, TYPICALLY MEANS REJECTING JOBS OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.JECTING
JOBS OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. AND JUDGE RACHEL FRYER IS
ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL. RACHEL FRYER HAS ACCOMPLISHED
MANY FIRSTS IN HER LIFE.
AT 52, THE NEW YORK JUDGE IS TO
HER KNOWLEDGE, THE FIRST HASIDIC JEWISH WOMAN IN HISTORY TO HOLDC
JEWISH WOMAN IN HISTORY TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE.
PUBLIC OFFICE.
SHE DIDNT ACCOMPLISH THAT FEAT
IN SPITE OF HER FAITH, BECAUSE OF IT.TE OF HER FAITH, BECAUSE
OF IT.
>> I HAPPEN TO BE A RELIGIOUS PERSON.PPEN TO BE A RELIGIOUS
PERSON.
ITS MY BELIEF IN MY FAITH THAT
GIVES ME THE STRENGTH.
IT GIVES ME THE BACKBONE THAT I
NEED.
>> Reporter: FRYER MARRIED AT
AGE 19 AND SAYS SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE CONTENT TO SPEND HERHE
WOULD BE CONTENT TO SPEND HER LIFE AS A LEGAL SECRETARY.
BUT A DECADE LATER, SHE WANTED MORE. DECADE LATER, SHE WANTED
MORE.
>> I DECIDED TO GO TO HIGHER
EDUCATION WHEN I WAS 30.
AT THAT POINT, I HAD BEEN A LEGAL SECRETARY FOR MANY YEARS.
AND I SAID, I CANT BE A
SECRETARY MY WHOLE LIFE.
IM GOING TO DO IT.
IM GOING TO TRY.
I DONT WANT TO BE A GRANDMOTHER
AND YEARS FROM NOW TELL MY
GRANDCHILDREN, WELL, BOBBY COULD
HAVE DONE IT.
THATS THE YIDDISH WORD FOR
GRANDMA.
SHE HAD TO TRY. >> Reporter: AFTER LAW SCHOOL,
SHE WORKED IN CORPORATE LAW.
IN 2016, SHE RAN FOR OFFICE AND
WAS ELECTED A CIVIL COURT JUDGE.
SOON AFTER, SHE WAS ASSIGNED TO
CRIMINAL COURT, AN AREA OF LAW
SHE LOVES.
SHE LOVES. >> I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS
A TRAIL BLAZER, LAYING DOWN THE
PATH AND THE FRAMEWORK FOR OTHER
PEOPLE TO FOLLOW AND DO
SOMETHING SIMILAR.
SOMETHING SIMILAR. I NEVER CONSIDER MYSELF LIKE A
CEILING PERSON.
CEILING PERSON. BECAUSE THERES AN OBSTACLE IN
FRONT OF ME.
>> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH FRYER
WORKS LONG HOURS, SHE MAKES TIME
FOR WHATS MOST IMPORTANT IN HER
LIFE.
LIFE.
HER FAITH, PRAYING THREE TIMES A
DAY AND HER FAMILY.
A MOTHER OF SIX, SHE SPENDS TIME WITH HER CHILDREN ANDSPENDS TIME
WITH HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, ESPECIALLY OVER
THE HOLIDAYS.
THE HOLIDAYS. FRYER PROUDLY EMBODIES WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A MODERN CAREER
WOMAN.
WOMAN.
AT THE SAME TIME, SAYS SHE IS
VERY TRADITIONAL WHEN IT COMES
TO HER FAITH.
>> I BELIEVE THAT WOMEN ARE
CAPABLE.
I BELIEVE THAT WOMEN HAVE ABILITIES, CAN ACHIEVE A LOT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MY
RELIGION, I EMBRACE THE ROLES OF
THE TRADITIONAL JEWISH WOMAN.
MY ROLE IS BEING A MOTHER, BEING
THERE FOR MY CHILDREN.
BUT IT DOESNT MEAN I CANT BE A
PROFESSIONAL.
PROFESSIONAL.
>> Reporter: AT WORK, HER FAITH
IS ALWAYS NEARBY.
>> I HAVE THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE WHEREVER I SIT IN
THIS COURTHOUSE, ABOVE ME ARE
THE WORDS EMBLAZONED, IN GOD WE
TRUST.
TRUST.
THAT PUTS ME INTO PERSPECTIVE. EVERY DECISION I MAKE, THERES A
GOD ABOVE ME.
>> "THE NEW YORK TIMES" CALLS
HER THE HASIDIC SUPERWOMAN OF
NIGHT COURT.
NIGHT COURT.
SHES HERE NOW.
JUDGE RACHEL FRYER.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]E YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. LETS START WITH THAT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU WORK
FULL TIME AS A JUDGE AND GET
HOME.
HOME.
YOU DO THE COOKING AND THE CLEANING FOR SIX CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN?
GRANDCHILDREN?
>> I HAVE HELP? I HAVE HELP.LP?
I HAVE HELP. HELP WITH THE CLEANING, FOR
SURE.
SURE.
I LOVE COOKING. YEAH.E COOKING.
YEAH.
I DO IT. I JUST GO THROUGH EVERY DAY.
I TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME.
>> IS IT TRUE, IN THE HASIDIC
COMMUNITY, ITS NOT COMMON FOR
THE WOMAN TO WOK OUT OF THE HOME
AT ALL?
AT ALL? >> ITS BECOME ACCEPTED.
BUT ITS UNUSUAL.
>> IVE BEEN TOLD ITS UNUSUAL
FOR THE MEN TO GO TO COLLEGE.
YOUR HUSBAND DID IT.
>> AT HIS GRADUATION I SAID,
ITS MY TURN.
>> DID HE GIVE YOU MY PUSHBACK?
>> NO.
>> NO. NOT AT ALL.
>> HE IS PROGRESSIVE IN HIS
THINKING.
THINKING.
>> HES MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER.
>> YOU DECIDE TO DO WHAT WE
THINK, NO OTHER HASIDIC WOMAN
HAS DONE BEFORE.
RUN FOR OFFICE.
YOU WANTED TO BECOME A JUDGE.
NEW YORK STATE SUPREME.
>> RIGHT NOW, IM IN CIVIL. I AM ASSIGNED TO CRIMINAL.
PEOPLE MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT ME
BEING THE FIRST HASIDIC WOMAN.
THE BIGGEST DEAL IS MY HUSBAND
ALLOWING HIS WIFE TO RUN FOR
PUBLIC OFFICE, SUPPORTED MY
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN.
RAN AROUND GETTING SIGNATURES FOR ME.UND GETTING SIGNATURES
FOR ME. TELLING PEOPLE, VOTE FOR MY
WIFE.
WIFE.
THAT WAS A BIG DEAL. IT WAS.S A BIG DEAL.
IT WAS. >> WHAT ABOUT -- ONE OF THE
INCREDIBLE THINGS IN YOUR STORY,
NOT ONLY ARE YOU SITTING ON THE
BENCH AND TAKING CARE OF YOUR
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
WOULD YOU CARE TO TELL THE AUDIENCE WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR
SPARE TIME?
SPARE TIME?
>> I DONT REALLY HAVE SPARE
TIME.
>> SOMEHOW YOUVE MANAGED TO
FIND IT TO LAUNCH THIS EMT
BUSINESS.
>> WELL, THAT CAME -- THAT WAS REALLY MY DEAL WITH GOD.AT WAS
REALLY MY DEAL WITH GOD. HELP ME GET THROUGH LAW SCHOOL
WITHOUT COMPROMISING MY
RELIGIOUS VALUES.
RELIGIOUS VALUES. WHEN YOUR CHILDREN NEED HELP, I
WILL HELP THEM.
THATS HOW I GOT INVOLVED WITH
WORKING WITH KIDS AT RISK IN MY
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY.
>> ARE YOU DRIVING AROUND IN AN AMBULANCE? DRIVING AROUND IN AN
AMBULANCE?
>> NOT YET. >> THATS HER GOAL.
>> THATS OUR NEXT PROJECT.
>> I DONT KNOW HOW YOU MANAGE
ALL OF IT.
SPEAK TO ME ABOUT THAT LINE.
YOU DIDNT SUCCEED DESPITE YOUR
FAITH.
FAITH.
YOU SUCCEEDED BECAUSE OF IT. >> YES.CEEDED BECAUSE OF IT.
>> YES.
I FEEL THAT MY RELIGION GIVES ME THE STRENGTH AND THE BACKBONE ME
THE STRENGTH AND THE BACKBONE THAT I NEED.
WHEN I PRAY, I PRAY TO GOD, GIVE
ME THE STRENGTH.
GIVE ME THE SUCCESS.
AND ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE THAT
EVERYTHING IS IN GODS HANDS THE
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TRY.
MAKE YOUR EFFORTS.
GIVE THE BEST SHOT THAT YOU CAN.
AND THEN, IF GOD WANTS IT TO
HAPPEN, IT WILL HAPPEN.
WHEN I ANNOUNCED I WAS GOING TO
RUN FOR CIVIL COURT, PEOPLE
LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY.
LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
AND SOMEBODY EVEN SAID TO ME, WE
REALLY LIKE YOU.
BUT HOW COULD WE SUPPORT YOU?
WE WERE TOLD THAT A HASIDIC
WOMAN CAN NEVER -- I LOOKED THEM
STRAIGHT IN THE EYE AND SAID, IF GOD WANTS ME TO WIN, I WILL WIN.
>> SHE TOLD "THE NEW YORK TIMES"
SHE WANTS SOMEONE TO LOOK HER IN
THE FACE AND SAY RELIGIOUS WOMEN
CANT DO IT.
JUDGE, ITS A PLEASURE.