The New York City Council on Wednesday unanimously elected Councilwoman Julie Menin as its next speaker, making her the first Jewish speaker in the council’s history.

Menin, a Democrat who represents parts of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, secured all 51 votes with no opposition. She succeeds outgoing leadership at a time of heightened political and cultural tensions in the city, including sharp debates over antisemitism, public safety, and the city’s relationship with Israel.

In remarks following the vote, Menin reflected on her upbringing as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, crediting that experience with shaping her political values and commitment to public service.

“The East Side of Manhattan was a community that welcomed my family with open arms, a community that gave them a better life after the horrors that they had been through,” Menin said. “With the beauty of life, it brings things full circle. I now have the great honor and distinction of representing that neighborhood.”

Menin, a moderate Democrat, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel and has participated in the city’s annual Israel Day Parade. She has also worked on initiatives related to Holocaust education and combating antisemitism.

Her election places her in a leadership role alongside Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has drawn controversy for his views on Israel, including past statements suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested if he were to visit New York City.

In interviews ahead of the speaker vote, Menin said she planned to seek areas of cooperation with the mayor while also expressing concern about his decision to repeal several executive orders related to combating antisemitism.

“I was extremely concerned about the repeal of the executive orders and other matters, and I expressed my concerns to the mayor directly,” Menin told the New York Post following a phone call with Mamdani. She said the mayor indicated that he had since issued a new executive order maintaining the Office to Combat Antisemitism and directing the police commissioner to review protests near houses of worship.

“What I’m focused on with the council is what the council can do to ensure that we are protecting New Yorkers,” she said.

During her acceptance speech, Menin also addressed broader concerns about religious hatred, drawing a parallel between Islamophobia following the September 11 attacks and what she described as rising hatred and violence across the country today.

“We live in a day when the first Muslim mayor of New York City and now the first Jewish speaker of the council are serving at the same time,” Menin said. “What will write this interfaith leadership into the history books is if it can act as an opportunity for all of us to come together, to calm tensions, to bridge divides, and to recognize we are one city, no matter the religion we practice or the language we speak.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)