From 'Real Housewife' to Jewish Mother

It was a full house Tuesday at Temple B'nai Jeshurun's annual spring luncheon – and with good reason.  One of New York City's "Real Housewives" Jill Zarin and her sister, radio talk show host Lisa Wexler, were the featured guest speakers. 

However, Zarin, whose notoriety on  Bravo television's hit show "Real Housewives of New York City" has turned her into a pop icon of sorts, was  not there as a housewife but as a mother. A Jewish mother, to be exact.

She and her sister, along with their mother Gloria Kamen, wrote the book "Secrets of a Jewish Mother" and have been on tour promoting it. Wexler, an award winning radio talk show host, is also the creator and executive producer of "The Lisa Wexler Show" and a regular guest on Fox Strategy Room’s Cops and Cases show and has been a practicing attorney for 25 years.

Zarin and Wexler's appearance drew a crowd -- 200 people attended the Women's Association event, organized by co-chairs, Shelly Grossman and Phillipa Miller and Co-Presidents, Karen Horowitz and Susie Polow.  The afternoon started with a book signing and some pass-around hors doeurves and socializing before the main event.

Barbara Lozner now lives in Basking Ridge, but brought a group of her neighbors back to Short Hills for the event saying,  “I came to see Jill Zarin.”

Zarin and Wexler did not disappoint. They read entertaining and relatable excerpts from their book and recounted stories from their youth, growing up on Long Island and about Jill’s daughter, Allison, and other family members.  Zarin dished on behind-the-scenes details and off-camera events of "The Real Housewives of New York City." 

“There are seven of us on New York Housewives, and only three of us are still married,” Zarin said, lamenting “this year it has become the Blondes versus the Brunettes.” 

Zarin lumps herself in with the brunettes.  Of course, during the Q & A she was asked about former cast mate and BFF-turned-frienemy, Bethenny Frankel.  “We were friends because of the show, and now we are not friends because of the show. I wish her well in all she does.” 

She explained that while for us RHNYC is entertainment, for the cast, its business. “People think that because you are famous, you are rich and that’s just not true,” she said.

Zarin also talked about the pitfalls of being thrust into the spotlight. “Alex McCord’s husband, Simon, lost his job because of the show.”  Of course, Zarin said that the season will start to heat up and encouraged the audience to keep watching. 

But getting back to the reason she was at Temple B’Nai Jeshurun to begin with – the book: Zarin said that being a Jewish mother is universal. 

"Growing up in the 5 towns on Long Island is very similar to the demographic that is in this room,” she said. "The most important thing is family and being together."

Because of her Housewives fame, Zarin said, she could have written the book by herself but wanted to co-author it with her mom and sister. "Tthis way we would spend time together writing the book and then going on tour together,” she said. “It's all about family."

To further prove Zarin’s close ties to family, her appearance at B’nai Jeshurun was facilitated by her ex husband’s current wife, Leslie Shapiro.  It was Shapiro who asked Zarin to speak at the function.  Zarin spoke about her fondness for Shapiro so when Leslie asked, Jill said yes.  Zarin referred to Shapiro as, “sort of a sister-in-law.” 

"Lisa and Jill were excellent speakers," said Polow. "Jill proved that there is more to her than just the 'Real Housewives' persona. …Reality TV isn’t always real, because of editing; you see what they want you to see.”