Julie Menin, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, was elected as Speaker of the New York City Council, becoming the first Jewish woman in the city's history to hold the post. Her election comes just days after the new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, took office and positions her as a potential political and institutional counterweight.
Menin, who represents District 5 on the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, was chosen by an overwhelming majority and will now lead the city's legislative body at a particularly sensitive moment in New York's political arena.
The contrast between Menin and Mamdani is especially apparent on issues related to antisemitism and Israel. Mamdani, who has made no secret of his anti-Israel views, moved upon entering office to cancel a series of municipal orders aimed at combating antisemitism and regulating protests near religious institutions. The decision sparked fierce criticism within the Jewish community.
Menin, by contrast, has drawn a clear line. "Antisemitism is not political protest and it is not free speech. It is hatred," she has said in the past.
I'm deeply humbled that my colleagues have elected me as Speaker of the @NYCCouncil.
I will work tirelessly to be a Speaker for each of them, and for everyone we represent across our great city. pic.twitter.com/fnQcpKilIl
— Julie Menin (@JulieMenin) January 7, 2026
In her inaugural address, Menin stressed that "this is a historic moment, but the real test will be whether we can calm tensions, bridge divides and ensure that every New Yorker feels safe, regardless of faith or background." Referring directly to protests around Jewish institutions in the city, she added: "It cannot be that synagogues or Jewish schools become arenas for threatening demonstrations."
Her personal background is deeply intertwined with her public identity. Menin is the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors from Hungary who lost many family members during World War II. "My mother and grandmother hid for nearly a year in a basement. My grandfather was murdered," she has recalled. After immigrating to the US, her mother and grandmother settled in Yorkville on the Upper East Side. "It was a community that welcomed us with open arms and gave my family a new life," she said, adding that the experience shaped her commitment to the security of the Jewish community.
As a City Council member, Menin led large-scale initiatives in Holocaust education, including programs under which tens of thousands of students from public and private schools visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York. At the same time, she has voiced public support for Israel, participated in the city's annual Celebrate Israel Parade and emphasized that "criticism of policy is one thing; calls to harm Jews or to delegitimize Israel are something else entirely."
Menin also brings significant public and administrative experience to the role. She previously served as New York City's commissioner of consumer affairs, commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, and director of the city's 2020 census, a role in which she led New York to record participation rates. As council chair, she made clear that she intends "to exercise the council's oversight powers when necessary, including vis-à-vis the mayor's office."
Ahead of taking office, Menin also spoke with Israel's Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, who congratulated her and said he looked forward to working together to promote the welfare and security of the city's Jewish communities. The two agreed to meet soon at her office at City Hall, a meeting seen as a meaningful signal at a time when the city's leadership is increasingly identified with voices hostile toward Israel.
