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Behrman, Michael, 2010 May 26, inclusive

Language of Materials

English.

Scope and Contents

Michael Behrman briefly describes the circumstances surrounding his religiously-motivated move to the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, documenting some basic details of his earlier, more secular life and career in the motion picture industry. He goes on to describe events such as the 1977 New York City blackout, contrasting it with an earlier power outage in 1965, as well as the 1991 Crown Heights riot. He gives opinions on neighborhood affairs, city politics, theology and morality. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

Biographical / Historical

Michael Behrman was born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1969. In 1976, after traveling and living in a number of different places, Behrman joined the Lubavitch sect of Orthodox Judaism. He made the conscious decision to trade his job in the film industry and home in Manhattan's Greenwich Village for a new life in Brooklyn's Crown Heights. Behrman was the director of a substance abuse prevention program for at-risk youth. At the time of the interview in 2010, he was married with four children and several grandchildren.

Conditions Governing Access and Use

Access to the interview is available onsite at the Brooklyn Historical Society's Othmer Library. Use of the oral histories other than for private study, scholarship, or research requires the permission of BHS. For assistance, contact library@brooklynhistory.org.

Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201