Yaacov Behrman

Behrman was ordained by the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, and Rabbi Zelig Sharfstein, Chief Rabbi of the Vaad Ho'ir of Cincinnati.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} He earned his M.A. degree in Educational Leadership from Bellevue University,{{Cite web|last=Algemeiner|first=The|title=Yaacov Behrman|url=https://www.algemeiner.com/author/yaacov-behrman/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=Algemeiner.com|language=en-US}} and is a New York State Certified Prevention Professional and Gambling Specialty Designation.{{Cite web|title=Credential Verification Results|url=https://webapps.oasas.ny.gov/credentialingverification/verification/Search.cfm?lastName=Behrman&firstName=Yaacov&cred_type=&cred_no=|access-date=2021-12-22|website=webapps.oasas.ny.gov}}{{Better source needed|date=January 2025}}

Behrman is a social activist who has advanced race relations in New York.{{Cite web|date=2019-08-12|title=Crown Heights comes together at annual Sean Price mural memorial|url=https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2019/08/12/crown-heights-comes-together-at-annual-sean-price-mural-memorial/|access-date=2021-12-27|website=Brooklyn Eagle|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|last=Dreyfus|first=Hannah|date=2019-08-02|title=How the Fate of a Rapper's Mural Lit a Fuse in Crown Heights|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/02/nyregion/crown-heights-riots-brooklyn-race.html|access-date=2021-12-27|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|date=2020-11-11|title=Dispatch from Crown Heights: Two Universes, One Neighborhood|url=https://momentmag.com/dispatch-from-crown-heights-two-universes-one-neighborhood/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Moment Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Blau|first=Reuven|date=2020-01-13|title=Amid Hate Spike, A Crown Heights Leader Pleads: 'We Have to Do Better'|url=https://www.thecity.nyc/brooklyn/2020/1/13/21210620/amid-hate-spike-a-crown-heights-leader-pleads-we-have-to-do-better|access-date=2021-12-29|website=THE CITY|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Forward|first=John Kunza/The|title=How New York's Haredim are responding to George Floyd protests|url=https://forward.com/news/448114/how-new-yorks-ultra-orthodox-are-responding-to-george-floyd-protests-blm/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=The Forward|date=5 June 2020 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Levin|first=Chaim|title=Linda Sarsour's Brother Works In A Glatt Kosher Restaurant In Brooklyn|url=http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/fringe-group-targets-linda-sarsours-brother/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=jewishweek.timesofisrael.com|date=14 June 2017|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Attacks Against Jews in Crown Heights Stir Old Fears and New Dialogue {{!}} WNYC {{!}} New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News|url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/attacks-against-jews-crown-heights-stir-old-fears-and-new-dialogue/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=WNYC|language=en}} He served on De Blasio's multi-ethnic interfaith Neighborhood Safety Coalition,{{cite web|date=2019-12-29|title=Mayor de Blasio Launches New Crime Prevention Efforts to Combat Hate and Anti-Semitism|url=http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/640-19/mayor-de-blasio-launches-new-crime-prevention-efforts-combat-hate-anti-semitism|access-date=2021-12-27|website=The official website of the City of New York}} and is a member of the Kings County Democratic County Committee since 2018. In April 2022, Rabbi Behrman and the Jewish Future Alliance co-sponsored the first Glatt Kosher Iftar Meal in Crown Heights. The event advanced Muslim-Jewish relations, and created further dialogue between Chassidic Jews in Brooklyn, and their Muslim neighbors.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-28 |title=The Muslim Iftar Meal in Crown Heights Was Glatt Kosher |url=https://collive.com/the-muslim-iftar-meal-in-crown-heights-was-glatt-kosher/ |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=COLlive |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |title=NY Jews, Muslims gather for Ramadan dinner in Brooklyn mosque |url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-705302 |access-date=2022-05-03 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post | Jpost.com |language=en-US}}

Behrman served on Community Board 9 from 2015 to 2025. He is the former Chair of CB9's Public Safety Committee, and Environmental Protection Committee.{{Cite web |date=2017-07-02 |title=Credit Where Credit is Due |url=https://collive.com/credit-where-credit-is-due/ |access-date=2022-01-20 |website=COLlive |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=City Agrees to Change Kingston Ave. Parking Rules |url=https://crownheights.info/crown-heights-news/580095/city-agrees-change-kingston-ave-parking-rules/ |access-date=2022-02-07 |website=CrownHeights.info - Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News |date=13 June 2017 |language=en}} He is also a ULURP Committee member and former Education Committee member.

Behrman is considered a political moderate,{{Cite web|title=Jewish Americans Say They Are Scapegoated For The Coronavirus Spread|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/05/13/854852779/jewish-americans-feel-scapegoated-for-the-coronavirus-spread|access-date=2022-02-07|website=NPR.org|language=en}} and is in regular contact with New York and national politicians regarding issues that effect the Jewish community.{{Cite web|date=2015-04-27|title=GOP Hopeful Meets Brooklyn Jews|url=https://collive.com/gop-hopeful-meets-brooklyn-jews/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=COLlive|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2018-11-05|title=Tish James Hosts Jewish Activists|url=https://collive.com/tish-james-hosts-jewish-activists/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=COLlive|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2013-01-17|title=Thompson Touts Chabad 'Roots'|url=https://collive.com/thompson-touts-chabad-roots/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=COLlive|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2019-10-31|title=Senator Myrie Meets Crown Heights Jews|url=https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/zellnor-myrie/senator-myrie-meets-crown-heights-jews|access-date=2021-12-23|website=NY State Senate|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Video: Activist Marches Alongside Public Advocate|url=https://crownheights.info/videos/536004/video-activist-marches-alongside-public-advocate/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=CrownHeights.info - Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News|date=6 June 2016 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Scarr|first=Cindy|date=2020-07-01|title=Judgment, Timing, and Luck|url=https://mishpacha.com/judgment-timing-and-luck/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Mishpacha Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-12-28|title=Exit de Blasio, Stage Left - Hamodia.com|url=https://hamodia.com/2021/12/27/de-blasio-exits-stage-left/|access-date=2022-01-25|website=Hamodia|language=en}} In 2021, Behrman put together a coalition of Jewish activists from the Crown Heights Jewish community, which gave New York City Mayor Eric Adams his first Orthodox Jewish community endorsement from Chassidic activists.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-26|title=Adams Gets Endorsement of Crown Heights Jewish Activists - Hamodia.com|url=https://hamodia.com/2021/05/26/adams-gets-endorsement-crown-heights-jewish-activists/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=Hamodia|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2022-01-07|title=Eric Adams has deep ties to Brooklyn's Orthodox Jews. Will he reach beyond them as mayor?|url=https://www.jta.org/2022/01/07/ny/eric-adams-has-deep-ties-to-brooklyns-orthodox-jews-will-he-reach-beyond-them-as-mayor|access-date=2022-01-18|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|language=en-US}} This coalition was active in bringing out 4500 votes for Adams,{{Cite web|last=Editor|first=Yeshiva World|date=2021-06-25|title=YWN EXCLUSIVE: REAL Winners & Losers of the Recent NYC Elections|url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1986308/ywn-exclusive-real-winners-losers-of-the-recent-nyc-elections.html|access-date=2021-12-22|website=The Yeshiva World|language=en-US}} and approximately 2500 votes for city council candidate Crystal Hudson.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-07|title=Real Estate's Big Win in the New York City Council Races|url=https://therealdeal.com/2021/07/07/real-estates-winners-and-losers-in-the-city-council-primaries/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=The Real Deal New York|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Behrman|first=Rabbi Yaacov|title=When Jewish Votes Don't Count|url=https://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/130-opinion/10653-when-jewish-votes-dont-count-city-council-brooklyn|access-date=2021-12-23|website=Gotham Gazette|language=en-gb}} These voters likely provided the margin of victory for Crystal Hudson over socialist candidate Michael Hollingsworth.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-06|title=Crown Heights' Pick Declared NYC Council Primary Winner|url=https://collive.com/crown-heights-pick-declared-nyc-council-primary-winner/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=COLlive|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=As The Democratic Primary Numbers Finalize, Socialist Candidate Michael Hollingsworth Concedes Defeat|url=https://crownheights.info/crown-heights-news/737609/as-the-democratic-primary-numbers-finalize-socialist-candidate-michael-hollingsworth-concedes-defeat/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=CrownHeights.info - Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News|date=6 July 2021 |language=en}}

Operation Survival is a drug prevention program by the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (N.C.F.J.E){{Cite web|date=2017-07-04|title=Heroin has infiltrated the Hasidic community|url=https://nypost.com/2017/07/04/heroin-has-infiltrated-the-hasidic-community/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=New York Post|language=en-US}} that provides evidence-based programming in local yeshivas and public schools and provides classes and seminars for parents in drug prevention and mental health.{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=C. Zawadi|date=2018-05-22|title=At Crown Heights Town Hall, Neighbors Unite to Combat Opioid Crisis in Brooklyn|url=https://bkreader.com/2018/05/22/crown-heights-town-hall-neighbors-unite-combat-opioid-crisis-brooklyn/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=BK Reader|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-04-08|title=COLlive & NCFJE Launch Second Mental Health Series|url=https://collive.com/collive-ncfje-launch-second-mental-health-series/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=COLlive|language=en-US}} Operation Survival played a leading role in educating the community on the opioid epidemic.{{Cite web|title=In Fight Against Opioids in Hasidic Crown Heights, 'Nobody's Immune'|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170523/crown-heights/opioid-overdoses-lubavitch-crown-heights-operation-survival-naloxone|access-date=2021-12-22|website=DNAinfo New York|archive-date=2021-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182900/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170523/crown-heights/opioid-overdoses-lubavitch-crown-heights-operation-survival-naloxone/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|date=2017-10-27|title=Fighting opioid addiction and stigma in Orthodox Jewish communities|url=https://www.fox5ny.com/news/fighting-opioid-addiction-and-stigma-in-orthodox-jewish-communities|access-date=2021-12-22|website=FOX 5 New York|language=en-US}} NCFJE was the first Jewish organization in New York State to launch an overdose prevention Naloxone training program.{{Cite web|date=2016-06-28|title=Jewish groups putting up a fight against growing opioid epidemic|url=https://www.jta.org/2016/06/28/united-states/jewish-groups-putting-up-a-fight-against-growing-opioid-epidemic|access-date=2021-12-22|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|language=en-US}} In recognition for Operation Survival's efforts to fight the Opioid Epidemic, Behrman was invited by New York Attorney General Letitia James, in October 2021, to stand with her as she began her statewide 'HealNY' tour to combat the opioid epidemic.{{Cite web|title=New York City Leaders Voice Support for Attorney General James' 'HealNY' Statewide Tour, Delivering Funds to Combat Opioid Crisis|url=https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2021/new-york-city-leaders-voice-support-attorney-general-james-healny-statewide-tour|access-date=2021-12-22|website=ag.ny.gov|date=4 October 2021 |language=en}} The organization has been credited with working to bring the racially diverse community of Crown Heights together in common cause.

Behrman is a director of media relations at Lubavitch International, the official news service of the Chabad movement, and a public relations liaison for Chabad Headquarters where he occasionally acts as a Chabad spokesperson.{{Cite news|title=Congo Thanks Chabad for 20 Years of Friendship to Africa|language=en|work=Haaretz|url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/congo-thanks-chabad-for-20-years-of-friendship-to-africa-1.6312185|access-date=2021-12-22}}{{Cite web|date=2020-04-19|title=Three arrested outside synagogue after violating coronavirus social distancing|url=https://nypost.com/2020/04/19/three-arrested-outside-nyc-synagogue-after-violating-social-distancing/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=New York Post|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Ultra-Orthodox Jewish 'Facebook' separates the sexes|url=https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/12/faceglat-can-social-media-be-made-kosher/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915022710/http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/12/faceglat-can-social-media-be-made-kosher/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 15, 2011|access-date=2022-02-07|language=en}} He has also helped coordinate Chabad's response during times of crises. On the first anniversary of the Mumbai attacks, Chabad sent Behrman to Mumbai to help organize the memorial.{{Cite web|date=2009-11-25|title=Nariman (Chabad) House To Open For Memorial|url=https://www.lubavitch.com/nariman-chabad-house-to-open-for-memorial/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters|language=en-US}}

As a rabbinical student, Behrman traveled to many countries in Africa to lead holiday services, and help with community development.{{Cite web|date=2008-04-14|title=From Ethiopia to Estonia, From Pulpit to Potatoes, Chabad Students Toil for the Seder|url=https://www.lubavitch.com/from-ethiopia-to-estonia-from-pulpit-to-potatoes-chabad-students-toil-for-the-seder/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2008-05-26|title=Chabad Rabbinical Students Remember Israeli Professor Killed In {{sic|hide=y|Ad|is Ababa}}|url=https://www.lubavitch.com/chabad-rabbinical-students-remember-israeli-professor-killed-in-adis-ababa/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters|language=en-US}} Many of these countries now have permanent Chabad centers. In 2011, as part of the official Chabad delegation, Behrman visited Kinshasa, to celebrate 20 years of Chabad's presence in Central Africa.

In 2014, Behrman was named by the Jewish Week as one of "36 Under 36" for his activism, and for working to improve relations between the Jewish and African American communities in Crown Heights,{{Cite web|last=Baum|first=Shoshana|title=Standing Strong, Building Bridges: Yaacov Behrman|url=http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/standing-strong-building-bridges-yaacov-behrman/|access-date=2021-12-22|website=jewishweek.timesofisrael.com|date=6 June 2014|language=en-US}} and NCFJE honored Behrman at their 83rd Gala Dinner in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Editor |first=COLlive |date=2023-11-23 |title=NCFJE Honors Crown Heights Activists at 83rd Gala Dinner |url=https://collive.com/ncfje-honors-crown-heights-activists-at-83rd-gala-dinner/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=COLlive |language=en-US}}

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Category: 1982 births

Category:Living people

Category:Bellevue University alumni

Category:21st-century American rabbis

Category:Rabbis from New York City

Category:Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis

Category: People from Crown Heights, Brooklyn

Category:Jewish American people in New York City politics