Heading into its 14th season, The Real Housewives of New York is entering a new era. For the first time in its history, the mega-hit will be rebooted entirely with an all-new cast of New York City socialites and businesswomen. Among the seven women will be two Jewish stars: Lizzy Savetsky and Erin Lichy.
Savetsky and Lichy will star alongside Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield in what executive producer Andy Cohen called “the most diverse cast yet.”
In a March interview, Cohen said the network was seeking a cast “that better reflected New York City.”
Jews compromise approximately 13 percent of New York City’s population, making the city’s Jewish community the largest in the world outside of Israel (back in its heyday more than 1 out 4 New Yorkers were Jewish).
The Real Housewives of New York, known by its fans as “RHONY,” has featured Jewish women before— Jill Zarin was one of the show’s original cast members, departing the show after season four in 2011, and Aviva Drescher starred on the show from 2012 until 2014 for seasons five and six.
“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,’” Zarin, “RHONY”’s best-known Jewish cast member, told People Magazine.
The new cast was revealed on October 16 at BravoCon 2022 during a live taping of “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” which also concluded the festivities of BravoCon, a three-day convention featuring panels and performances from the cable network’s celebrities. The new RHONY cast made a surprise appearance at Cohen’s taping.
Savetsky was not at BravoCon because, as she explained in an Instagram story, she was observing a Jewish holiday — Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh and final day of Sukkot.
A release date for the show’s reboot has yet to be announced, though Bravo confirmed the season will premiere sometime in 2023.
Until then, here’s everything we know about the two Jewish women joining The Real Housewives of New York.
Who is Lizzy Savetsky?
Texas-born and raised, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Savetsky is a social media influencer with over 218K followers on Instagram.
Savetsky, 37, shares fashion and Jewish lifestyle content. She also runs an online dating Instagram live show for Jewish singles looking to find love called “Bashert by Lizzy.”
She often uses her platforms to teach her followers about Jewish traditions and share her support for Israel, as confirmed by her Instagram bio, which says:
“Mom of 3 in NYC, Proud Jew & Zionist 🇮🇱, Matchmaker 👩❤️💋👨 @bashertbylizzy, Wife of Plastic Surgeon @drirasavetsky“
Savetsky is married to a plastic surgeon, Dr. Ira Savetsky, who specializes in aesthetic surgery.
The couple met when Lizzy was 19 and married four years later, according to the Texas Jewish Post.
“I was a unicorn, a Jew, from Texas, still finding my religion,” Savetsky told the post. “He was born and raised in an observant family. Ultimately, it worked!”
The couple, who identify as observant Jews, recently moved to the Upper East Side with their three kids.
News of Savetsky’s casting was unofficially announced over the summer and was met with both excitement and backlash for her Jewish and Zionist pride.
Andy Cohen, who is Jewish, tweeted Tuesday: “The amount of antisemitism coming from all corners is f–ing alarming,” though he did not refer to any remarks specifically.
Who is Erin Lichy?
Erin Dana Lichy (neé Yitzhari), 35, was raised in Manhattan as one of five children in a “close-knit Israeli family,” according to her bio on the Bravo website.
Erin became a real estate agent at 19 years old and owns her own home renovation and design firm, Homegirl.
Erin’s husband, Abraham Lichy, is an attorney and owner of a law firm, Lichy Law. The couple share three children, Levi, Layla, and Elijah, and live in Tribeca.
Originally Published Oct 26, 2022 07:47AM EDT
