Citing the need for modesty, women are seeking to join the all-male volunteer Hatzolah ambulance corps in the large Orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn.
Hatzolah (translated as “rescue” or “relief”) — known in New York and around the world for its quick response time — has men handling emergency births. Those seeking to create a women’s division say they want to better follow the community standard of avoiding physical contact with the opposite sex whenever possible, according to the Associated Press.
“It has nothing to do with feminism,” said Rachel Freier, a Chassidic attorney representing the women in this matter. “It has to do with the dignity of women and their modesty.”
Israel’s Hatzolah branch, by contrast, employs both male and female volunteers. — jointmedia news service