(The Center Square) — The New York City Council has tapped Democratic Councilmember Julie Menin as its next speaker, becoming the first Jewish person to hold the post at a time of rampant antisemitism in the city.
Menin, 58, who represents Manhattan’s Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, was elected speaker of the 51-member chamber Wednesday in a unanimous vote after a months-long campaign to win support for her candidacy. She replaces former Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who made history in 2022 as the first African American and first woman elected to the speakership.
In a statement, Menin said she was “deeply honored and humbled” by the support from fellow councilors and said she will be focused on “enacting universal child care, lowering skyrocketing health care costs, building more affordable housing, and slashing fines and bureaucratic red tape for small businesses.”
“New York has a long history of turning moments of challenge into moments of opportunity,” she said. “Together, we will forge a new City Council that takes a more forceful and proactive approach to New York’s shared goals.”
The daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she will also be the first Jewish Speaker to lead New York City’s legislative body. She will also preside over a women-majority on the City Council.
Menin, who was first elected to the city Council in 2022, is considered a moderate Democrat and is being looked to by many as a check-and-balance against the far leftist platform of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist took office last week.
Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, has been criticized by Jewish groups over his alignment with pro-Palestinian groups, criticism of the Israeli government, and his use of the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which has been linked to acts of violence against Jewish people.
He has also stirred concerns in the city’s business community about his plans to increase taxes on corporations and the city’s top earners to pay for his controversial plans for free bus service, universal child care and tuition-free college.
Menin also takes over the council at a time of rampant antisemitism in the city, stirred in part by Israel’s war against Hamas in the Middle East, with the latest data showing an uptick in threats and attacks on Jewish people over the past several years. On Wednesday, NYPD officials released new data showing that while overall crime is down in the city, acts of antisemitism are on the rise.
Councilman Kevin Riley, who is among several counselors to formally nominate Menin on Wednesday, praised her as “a proven bridge builder who leads with fairness, transparency, and equity” who “understands the responsibility this Council has to step up during moments of uncertainty.
“Council Member Julie Menin brings deep experience, steady leadership, and a strong understanding of how this city works and how our decisions impact New Yorkers’ daily lives,” he said in a statement. “I’m confident she will lead this body with integrity, collaboration, and a clear sense of purpose.”
