Video Installation screen 3: Rachel Freier (Rochi)

Text Panel

Hi, my name is Rochi, my formal name is Rachel, I serve as a judge in the New York State court system, I was elected in 2016.
I come from a Hasidic family, and I am now the mother of six children, and also a grandmother.
When I decided to pursue a legal education, most people told me it was never going to happen. We call those “naysayers”.
And it’s not true, you can achieve success and maintain your religious, and even Hasidic, values.
I have learned that by being openly proud of my Judaism, and my Hasidic background, not only did it not hold me back from success,
but it actually propelled me to success. I am now sitting in court, and in every American courtroom are the words “In God We Trust”. If anybody were to question me about one of my decisions, all I have to do is point to those words and say:
“God is watching.”
I have also seen that with incredible Siyata Dishmaya, divine providence, I was able to succeed. So instead of actually drifting further from my Judaism, I actually have become to feel more closer and connected to God.
And every woman out there who wants to embark on any profession, know that you can be successful without compromising your standards.