Two Jewish women join all-new cast of ‘Real Housewives of New York’

Two Jewish women are part of the cast of “The Real Housewives of New York” for its 14th season.

Among the new members is Jewish Internet influencer and social-media activist Lizzy Savetsky. The 37-year-old from Texas, who uses her platforms to celebrate Jewish traditions and declare her support for Israel, recently moved to the Upper East Side with her three kids and her husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Ira Savetsky.

Also joining the cast is Erin Lichy (neé Yitzhari), a 35-year-old Tribeca-area mom and real estate agent with Douglas Elliman. Lichy, who grew up in Manhattan, is “one of five children in a close-knit Israeli family,” according to her bio on the Bravo website. She also owns her own home design and renovation firm, Homegirl.

Lichy’s husband, Abraham, who runs his own law firm (he also DJs on the side and founded a fashion brand), graduated from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2010.

The announcement about the reality juggernaut’s cast was made during the Oct. 16 live taping of “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” which also concluded festivities associated with BravoCon, a three-day convention/party at the Jacob K. Javits Center featuring panels and performances from the cable network’s favorite celebrities.

For the first time in its history, “The Real Housewives of New York” will be rebooted entirely. As executive producer Cohen told Variety in March, the network was seeking a more diverse cast “that better reflected New York City.”

The cast will be rounded out by Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield.

“I would love an opportunity to kind of pass the baton virtually to them and say, ‘Wishing you the best, and just keep it real,’ ” Jill Zarin, “RHONY”’s best-known Jewish cast member, told “People” magazine. She left the show more than a decade ago.

Though many celebrated the announcement in Jewish Facebook groups like Great Kosher Restaurant Foodies and on Savetsky’s Instagram page, there has also been social-media backlash to the inclusion of Savetsky in the cast, with many decrying her identity as a “proud Zionist,” according to her Instagram bio.

Cohen called the group “the most diverse cast yet.”

The new season of “Real Housewives of New York City” is expected to begin filming sometime this fall. A release date has yet to be announced, though Bravo confirmed the season will premiere sometime in 2023 .

— Julia Gergely/New York Jewish Week