‘The Rabbi Said It Was OK’: Hasidic Mother of 10 Becomes Doctor

An ultra-Orthodox mother navigated strict cultural norms to become one of the few Hasidic female doctors in the country.

Years ago, Alexandra Friedman saw a T-shirt bearing a message she never forgot: “Become the doctor your mother always wanted you to marry.” It seemed like an impossible goal for a Hasidic woman in Monsey, N.Y., a predominantly Orthodox Jewish enclave some 30 minutes north of the city that is home to some of the strictest Orthodox communities. Many women marry young, and their lives revolve around caring for children, speaking Yiddish and abiding by inflexible lifestyle and dress guidelines to adhere to Hasidic traditions.