Watch CBS News

Brooklyn Jewish Women Form Ladies-Only Ambulance Service

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The all-male Hatzolah EMT crew snubbed them, so a group of Jewish women in Brooklyn starting their own ladies-only ambulance service.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond Has The Story

Podcast

The corp of volunteers from the Borough Park community will focus on helping mothers in labor.

"We have a strong sense of modesty. We got the impression that women who were in these type of emergency situations, when they were being treated by male ambulance corps. volunteers, they were very uncomfortable," said Rachel Freier.

Hatzolah leaders shot down the request to let women into the all male corps., arguing men and women working side-by-side could lead to improper relationships.

"We respect that," she told WCBS 880 reporter Marla Diamond, but she said something needed to be done for women in labor. "Here was a situation where you have Hasidic who are advocating for a situation to preserve our modesty."

Freier organized the first recruitment drive on Sunday. More than 50 women signed up.

"It was an amazing afternoon, seeing so many women get together. You know, in a sense, this is almost like a movement uniting Jewish women," she said.

The new corps. has the blessing of several rabbis and Assemblyman Dov Hikind.

Freier hopes to have it up and running by September.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.