Jill Zarin: The Real Housewife of NYC Who’s Proudly Jewish

From 2008 to 2011, Jill Zarin was a cast member on “The Real Housewives of New York City.” She proudly flaunted her Judaism on the show, bringing her mom Gloria and daughter and Allyson on with her, and eventually co-writing a book with Gloria called, “Secrets of a Jewish Mother: Real Advice, Real Stories, Real Love.”

“I was the only Jewish housewife on the original ‘Real Housewives of New York City, and I felt a responsibility to show certain values and present myself in a certain way,” Jill told Aish. “Regardless of all the drama on the show, I achieved my goal as being seen as a proud Jew in NYC.”

Since October 7^th, Jill’s social media feed – normally filled with photos of her with friends, family, and her fashionable looks – has also highlighted antisemitism, news about Israel, and posts about the danger that Zohran Mamdani poses to her beloved New York City.

“I am devastated that he might win,” Jill said. “I have never been this afraid of anything in my life.”

The Real Housewife and lifelong New Yorker left the state for Boca Raton two years ago, but her daughter is still there. And she is worried about the Jewish community.

“I think a lot of Jewish people are going to leave,” she said. “If I had children in private school and I was paying $60,000 or $70,000 per year and I had to also pay for security for them, can you imagine? You’re going to have a mayor who wants you gone. He won’t denounce ‘Globalize the Intifada.’”

How Jill Is Fighting Back

Along with being publicly outspoken, Jill, who grew up in Woodmere, New York and attended Hebrew school, engages in conversations with people – even if they disagree with her.

“When I receive a negative message, I don’t just block someone,” she said. “I look at our history and if they are following me I give them a lot of consideration. I want to have a dialogue. I say, ‘I want to hear what you have to say, because I’m always willing to learn.’ I try to engage with people and have a civil conversation.”

She also gets off her phone and fights back in real life.

“I found out that in Sag Harbor, in the Hamptons, there is a group of 20 pacifists doing the whole anti-Israel, pro-Palestine, ‘From the river to the sea’ thing,” she said. “There were three Jews across the street counterprotesting them. I decided to bring my posse, and I was out there going out of my mind. I said, ‘If you can name the river and the sea, I will give you $100!’ Nobody could give me the answer.”

Because of her family’s past, Jill is determined to do her part to squash antisemitism.

“A lot of my family members perished in the Holocaust,” she said. “All of my grandfather’s relatives were killed. His nine brothers and sisters died in Poland.”

Jill is thankful that she passed on her love of Judaism to her daughter, Allyson, who came back to the U.S. from an FIDF mission in Israel just two days before the war with Iran started.

“Israelis don’t consider themselves unlucky to be there,” Jill said. “They are so proud to be Jewish and they’re protecting our homeland; 150,000 Israelis tried to return to Israel. That’s the kind of people we are.”

Jill’s Urgent Message

Jill hopes that by speaking out, she can catalyze people in New York City to vote and protect the Jewish community.

“Wake up Jews and stop thinking that your vote doesn’t count,” she said. “That one vote does count. You are part of a people, and you are responsible for the survival of your people. When it comes to his mayoral election in New York, you have to vote like your life depends on it. Because it does.”

Now, in a time when antisemitism is on the rise, Jill urges people to not stay silent anymore.

“Jewish people cannot be afraid to stand up,” she said. “Don’t expect your neighbor to fight your fight. It’s your battle. However, we are strong. And we are going to survive.”