At the urging of New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), women will now receive additional swim time at the Metropolitan Pool Recreation Center in Williamsburg. Hikind thanked Mayor de Blasio for the extra time allotted to women and said the pool at 261 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn will be adding an addition hour of women’s only swim at 6pm on Thursday evenings, beginning February 8, 2018. After the hours for women’s only swim time were cut last year, Hikind began fighting for this restoration.

“Numerous women called my office when the hours were cut,” said Hikind. “For Observant Jewish women, there is no choice: If they aren’t permitted to swim separately from men, they are not permitted to swim. The Constitution permits reasonable accommodation and that’s all we asked for from the very start. This accommodation does not take away from the general public. On the contrary: It is victory for women and human rights, allowing religious women equal access to public services. While I’m pleased with this victory, I fully intend to fight for additional hours for these women.”

The Metropolitan Pool Recreation Center hours for women are Sundays 2:45pm-4:45pm (women and girls), Wednesdays 9am-11am (women only) and, beginning February 8, Thursdays 6pm-7pm (women only).

In addition to praising Mayor de Blasio, Hikind thanked his colleague NYS Assemblyman Joe Lentol; Mitchell Silver, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation; and the Human Rights Commission for adding the additional time.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)