NYC Contestants Bring Passion, Advocacy, & Chutzpah to Miss Universe Israel Auditions

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The Miss Universe Israel pageant, a competition that has historically showcased beauty and elegance, is proving to be much more than just a display of glamour. As The New York Post reported on Saturday, seven ambitious and accomplished women from New York City—including a conservative media personality, a civil rights lawyer, and a model—auditioned in Manhattan this week for a chance to compete in the Miami-based competition. Their ultimate goal? To represent Israel on the global stage at the Miss Universe pageant in November.

The auditions took place at a gallery in Chelsea, where contestants had the opportunity to impress a panel of five judges. The New York Post reported that among the hopefuls was 35-year-old Elizabeth Sutton, a Manhattan-based mother of two and successful fashion designer. Sutton, who also owns the gallery where the auditions were held, confidently declared herself to be an ideal candidate. “We need strong and vocal advocates with substance, who don’t cower to the pressure of the public opinion – because public opinion is not on our side,” she told The New York Post. Despite her initial nerves, Sutton was determined to step outside her comfort zone and prioritize advocacy over aesthetics. “A beauty pageant can sometimes be superficial. But this feels substantive,” she added.

Another standout contestant, Justine Brooke Murray, is well-known in conservative media circles. Murray wore a Star of David necklace in her video submission and emphasized her long history of pro-Israel activism. At 26, she expressed frustration over the need to constantly defend Israel’s right to exist. “Israel is our ancestral homeland for all of us,” Murray stated, as per the information in The New York Post report. “Miss Israel isn’t just a shayna punim [pretty face], but an unapologetic advocate for the Jewish people.”

Another contestant making waves is Adela Cojab, a lawyer who previously sued New York University over allegations of anti-Semitism. Cojab, a 28-year-old Syrian-Lebanese Mexican Jew, compared her participation in the pageant to a scene out of Legally Blonde, embracing her “Elle Woods moment.” “It’s about empowering the next generation of women,” Cojab told The New York Post. “It’s showing that you really can do it all.”

Unlike many traditional pageants, Miss Universe Israel has no age restrictions and is open to anyone who is either Jewish or an Israeli citizen. The New York Post report highlighted that while beauty remains an important criterion, the competition places significant emphasis on how contestants carry themselves on the world stage. Contestants must be prepared to advocate for Israel in an environment that is increasingly hostile toward the Jewish state. Michael Levitis, a board member for the pageant, emphasized this point, telling The New York Post, “They’d have to represent Israel, a country that has a lot of hate directed at it. The winner has to be very brave, to be able to answer any question thrown her way.”

The judges were effusive in their praise of the contestants. “Each one is a powerhouse – not just beautiful, but strong advocates for Israel,” Levitis told The New York Post. Among the judges was Levitis’ daughter, Mina Levitis, who was a runner-up in last year’s competition. The top three finalists from the Manhattan auditions will soon be selected to join roughly 20 other contestants from both the United States and Israel in the Miami-based competition.