Haredi Women Demand To Join Hatzalah

Concerned about the modesty of women in labor, a group of Orthodox Jewish women is pushing to join Hatzalah, a citywide volunteer ambulance service. The women, who live in the heavily Orthodox Jewish community in the Borough Park and Williamsburg sections of Brooklyn, have hired a lawyer to represent them and make their case to local religious leaders.

Orthodox women want co-ed ambulances
Brooklyn women push to assist in emergency baby deliveries in the borough's Orthodox Jewish community.
By Gale Scott • Crain’s Business New York

Concerned about the modesty of women in labor, a group of Orthodox Jewish women is pushing to join Hatzalah, a citywide volunteer ambulance service.

The women, who live in the heavily Orthodox Jewish community in the Borough Park and Williamsburg sections of Brooklyn, have hired a lawyer to represent them and make their case to local religious leaders. Their plan is to have female emergency medical technicians, and possibly paramedics as well, available to assist in cases where residents who call Hatzalah request a woman for an obstetric or gynecological emergency. They would not routinely respond to any other medical calls, and would not be dispatched by 911 operators—except possibly in major disasters. Hatzalah, established in the 1970s, is a volunteer ambulance service. Orthodox Jews often use the service instead of calling 911.

“The women think it's a great idea; the men are shocked,” said their lawyer, Rachel Freier, a community resident and Orthodox Jewish mother of six who said she is sensitive to the group's concerns. About 20 women have already signed up for an EMT training class in the community, anticipating they will soon be invited to join the ambulance service.

“This is a woman's job. Historically, women have always delivered babies. In our community, women also have a very strong motivation to seek female doctors," Ms. Freier said.

The women would be a division within Hatzalah and modeled after a similar organization already in place in New Square, N.Y., an upstate New York community with a large Orthodox Jewish population.

The Brooklyn group would be called Ezras Nashim, Yiddish for “women's sanctuary,” Ms. Freier said.

No legal action is planned so far, but Ms. Freier is energetically making the group's case, one she recently presented on a popular radio show broadcast hosted by Assemblyman Dov Hikind.

That radio show, and coverage of the issue in VosIzNeias.com, an Orthodox Jewish news website, triggered a heated online debate.

Mr. Hikind, quoted in Vas Iz Neias, expressed support for the idea, calling it “almost a no brainer.” But Heshy Jacobs, a member of Hatzalah's executive board, was also quoted as being concerned that introducing women to the service could be “life-threatening.”

“There are many things at which women are superior, but when it comes to speed and physical strength, which are both of the essence in a medical emergency, it is a proven fact that men have an advantage,” Mr. Jacobs told the news site.

That was all some of the site's readers needed to hear.

One Web poster called the claim that men are superior Neanderthal.

“Oy. Most of you folks out there seem to have caveman ideas of men and women. Like the Flintstones. Women can't drive fast? Women can't get out of the house fast? Really? . . . Maybe your wife who can't move without her hair and outfit just so isn't a candidate for being a Hatzalah EMT,” but there are plenty of women who are up to the job, the writer said.

The other view was that inviting women to join Hatzalah would be a major headache.

“If medical assistance is needed on a rush, I bet you by the time the Ezras Nashim arrive, their assistance would no longer be needed,” another anonymous writer said, adding that the women crew members would need extra time to attend to their grooming before they left the house.

Ms. Freier called that attitude “silly,” and said the idea of protecting women's modesty has deep roots in the Orthodox faith.

It is one thing to go to male obstetrician, who has had extensive training and sees women in labor daily. But volunteer EMTs pose a different problem, she said.

“Women who have had a baby delivered by Hatzalah are grateful to them, but they are also embarrassed and humiliated by the experience,” she said, adding that “If they [later] meet that EMT or Hatzalah member, they will likely cross the street to avoid him.”

Comments

[R. Wisler]

Don't chassidic men who are members of Hatzolah need time to "do up" their payos'???!!! I used to see chassidic men spend hours 'prettying up" their hair.

[danny]

It's funny how newspapers are reprinting blog comments as part of their news reporting. The inversion of old media to new media has occurred.

Happy New Year to all in the FM community. This place is definitely a key site in the new media.

[CALA NY]

"Rachel Freier"? Duh! She's a real estate lawyer. Since when does she have a voice for Orthodox Women? This is malpractice, Ruchie!

[Mendy Hecht]

Those of you who want to snipe or snicker, you may continue at will.

For those of you interested in thoughtful and fair discussion, the following is for you.

So, in no particularly order:

1. The fact that men are physically built differently and are better at certain physical tasks is probably what Larry Elder would consider one of the growing things you can't say in America anymore.

Problem is, it's true.

(And, as the slogan of this site goes, "the Seal of God is Truth.")

If you don't believe me, ask any doctor. Women have much less upper-body strength. (Hold on. Don't flip. The equality issue's coming up.)

Human females do have better physical poise and balance than males (feel better now?), but in terms of explosive strength and speed, the males dominate. Sorry--cold hard fact.

2. Anytime you introduce females into a male sub-society within society--like the whole flap with Danica Patrick joining NASCAR--you're going to get a bunch of uptight guys. And it has nothing to do with Haredim or Orthodox Jews or their "backwards religious fanaticism." It's just male human nature.

3. From what I hear as a Haredi myself--and which the article didn't report--there is plenty of support among the MEN in our community for this. Because women treating women makes a lot of sense, especially when it comes to emergency delivering of babies in our community.

As a matter of fact, in the Village of New Square, women EMTs have been going out on first-response Hatzolah calls for years now. (Bet you didn't know that.)

[Yochanan Lavie]

Apologies to the Beatles (Lovely Rita):

Lovely Rivka Hatzalah maidel
Lovely Rivka Hatzatah maidel

Lovely Rivka Hatzalah maidel,
Mechitza can come between us.
Though my hat's black my poor heart says "oy vey."

Ogling a well-dressed Shiksa,
When I caught a glimpse of Rivka,
Giving CPR to some poor schnook.
In a wig she looked much older,
And the bag across her shoulder
Made her look a little like a Zionist plant.

Lovely Rivka Hatzalah maidel,
May I inquire discreetly,
When are you free to shidduch date with me?
(Rivka!)

Took her out and tried to wed her.
Had a laugh but didn't bed her,
Told her I would really like a bayis ne'eman.
Got the bill and Rivka paid it.
Took her home and tachlis played it,
Sitting with a sefer and a shadchan or two.

Oy, lovely Rivka Hatzalah maidel
Where would I be without you?
Dunk in the mikveh and I'll think of you.

[David]

Will Hatzolah have to buy extra ambulances for the female staff? After all, it would not be appropriate to have male and female staff in the same vehicle.

Also, how long before the frumma refuse altogether to be seen by medical professionals of the opposite gender, even in the event of life-threatening emergencies?

Interesting to see that these ladies had to actually hire a lawyer to present their case to their leadership. It shows how disconnected their leaders are from their followers.

[David]

Another thing - where will they get the time for this? Aren't the frumma ladies already overworked single handedly raising their litters whilst their POS husbands sit in kollel and smoke, drink coffee and fart all day?

[mimi]

Mendy, using your logic, men should do the obstetric care, since I know of one stuck baby who couldn't be pulled out by a diminutive female doctor and a large male doctor had to be called in to pull the half dead child out and save its life. If you ask me, people are not usually given medical skill based on their genital configuration, and if the best prostate doctor in the world happens to be a female, then so be it. Also, if the best obstetrition in the world happens to be male, I'd be lining up for treatment.

[Dovit]

LMAO, mendy...and just what kind of "speed" or "strength" does it take to deliver a baby? Answer none.

[anuran]

Mendy, you are so full of shit you are brimming over with your own byproduct. Women can absolutely be doctors and EMTs. One of our best friends is 5'2", a tiny little thing. She wrestled stretches with 250 pound patients down six flights of stairs as a Paramedic.

She wasn't unusual. All the other women in the Department had to do the same thing. In fact, they had to do it better than the men because smug assholes like you were looking for excuses to fire them.

[OMG]

Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | September 23, 2011 at 04:41 PM

One of your best works, keep up the good work.

[OMG]

Posted by: Mendy Hecht | September 23, 2011 at 04:09 PM

You are so predictable, no matter what the subject is, we know which side of the debate you will take. It is the side, which makes no particular point, and you are just babbling, read again, what you wrote, and tell us what you really are trying to say. Are you for woman joining Hatzalah yes or no? Personally anytime a woman takes on additional responsibly is ok with me. I do not see the difference in EMT’s who deploy woman there is no statistical evidence that woman cannot do as good of job as man.

Additionally, you wrote, “As a matter of fact, in the Village of New Square, women EMTs have been going out on first-response Hatzolah calls for years now. (Bet you didn't know that.)” What is wrong with you, are you on hallucinogenic mushrooms, this part of the information is in the body of the article.

[non-chasid]

The only reason the chasidic men join hatsala are to see the women. If they dont get the chance like if they make an ezrat noshim they wont get any volunteers.

[Bench Kvetcher]

If it ain't broke then don't fix it. Those in labor who feel akward calling hatzola can always call 911.

[joe]

"“The women think it's a great idea; the men are shocked,” said their lawyer, Rachel Freier"

Umm...really? all men and all women think alike? I don't think so, I am sure everyone has their own opinions and not all men and all women share the same opinions.

[AztecQueen2000]

OK, maybe I'm sensitive, but here's my thinking. Men get aroused by open-toed shoes, an inch of hairline or an exposed kneecap on a woman. Such things are so dangerous that men need to be protected from them. Otherwise, their yetzer hara goes into overdrive. However, a man can control himself and not get overstimulated when he is not only looking up a woman's dress, but TOUCHING her lady parts? (For the childless--the only way to check dilation is to put two fingers..."up there".)
Gents--please explain this one to me.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

As a matter of fact, in the Village of New Square, women EMTs have been going out on first-response Hatzolah calls for years now. (Bet you didn't know that.

I gathered as much Watson, since the article mentioned women were serving as EMTs in New Square.

[skver]

since when do we learn from new square ?
arent we sopose to be ashmamded of the new square arson of rottenberg & spitzer....

[ultra haredi lite]

Mark my words if hatzalah has male and female emts riding together, eventually there will be a sex scandal...

[foward]

update to article

Hatzalah Should Allow Female EMTs
By Renee Ghert-Zand

“Modesty” is again holding back women in the Haredi community. Although I don’t agree with it, I can sort of understand how the prohibition against women sitting in the front of a bus, walking on a certain side of the street or talking on cell phones in public can relate to tsnius, or modesty, and guard against the mixing of the sexes. But now comes a case where I just cannot see the logic, no matter how hard I try.

The New York Post recently reported that dozens of Orthodox women trained as emergency medical technicians are asking to join Hatzalah, the all-Jewish, Brooklyn-based volunteer ambulance corps.

The women are being represented by lawyer and community activist Ruchie Freier, who says she has the endorsement of prominent rabbis in Brooklyn and New Square (where Orthodox women reportedly serve as EMTs). She also claims that Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who represents Boro Park, thinks that having women join Hatzalah is an idea worth considering.

Hatzalah CEO Rabbi David Cohen doesn’t think so. He says that Freier’s proposal is a nonstarter and that women have no place in his not-for-profit organization’s ambulances. He is not moved by Freier’s proposal to limit women EMTs to female patients only, and solely in the case of a woman giving birth or suffering from a gynecological problem.

Opponents of the women’s request to join Hatzalah accuse them of being immodest “radical feminists.”

I’d like to know what is so radical about women attending other women during childbirth, a practice that dates back centuries, if not millennia, in the Jewish community. I would also like to know what is so modest about a halachically observant man touching the private parts of a woman to whom he is not related, even if he is volunteering in a medical role.

Read more: http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/143940/#ixzz1aMMSnUu5