Inducting Jerry Alperstein into New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall Of Fame

Each year, the New York State Senate selects nominees to the New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame to honor and recognize outstanding veterans from the Empire State who have distinguished themselves both in military and civilian life. This year, I was pleased to nominate Stuyvesant Town resident and longtime New York City public school teacher Jerry Alperstein.
 
Jerry, along with his wife, daughter and grandson, traveled to Albany on May 21, 2013 for the official induction celebration, at which he and dozens of other veterans from across New York State were recognized for their service to their country and communities.

I submitted the following essay about Jerry for the program distributed at the event:

Jerry Alperstein served as a Seaman in the Navy during the Vietnam War (1966-1967) and received Vietnam Service and National Defense medals for honorable and meritorious performance of his duty. Jerry’s service to his country continued upon his return home from Vietnam, in both his professional life educating future generations of Americans, and through many volunteer activities in which he demonstrated his abiding commitment to his fellow veterans.

For nearly two decades, Jerry was a highly respected educator in the New York City public school system. He served as a social studies and music teacher, and ultimately as a program chairman at the High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan.

Jerry was deeply impacted by his service in Vietnam, and he has been a passionate advocate for veterans, in his community and throughout New York State, ever since. He is a leader in the Jewish War Veterans of the USA Post 1, the oldest continuously active veterans’ organization in the country, dating back to March 15, 1896. From 2004 to 2012, Jerry was the Jewish War Veterans’ Legislative Chair, a role in which he advanced many issues of concern to veterans.  Victories during his tenure included the installation of several veterans’ monuments in New York City, winning expansion of veterans’ tuition benefits in the 2008 New York State Budget, and averting the proposed closure of the Manhattan VA Hospital.   

Jerry currently serves on U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney’s Military Academies Advisory Board, a highly respected post in which he makes recommendations on appointments to the Service Academies. He also edits the Jewish War Veterans State publication.

For his continued dedication and service to his country and his community, Jerry Alperstein is richly deserving of his place in the New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame.