Virtual Tenement Talk: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss

Like so many German-speaking immigrants who settled in Kleindeutchland (today’s Lower East Side) in the mid-19th century, Fredericka Mandelbaum peddled to help support her family. But within a decade she was infamous as an organized crime boss, and also beloved as a neighborhood philanthropist. Her humble building on the corner of Clinton and Rivington–just a few blocks away from 97 Orchard—had secret rooms and safes filled with jewels, gold bars, and purloined goods. She masterminded thefts throughout the country, turning theft into a scalable business.

Join us on October 17th on YouTube Live for a conversation with author Margalit Fox and Tenement Museum President Annie Polland on the riveting story of “Marm” Mandelbaum.