American Legion Post 339 marks Veterans Day in Cedarhurst

Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park, named for Cedarhurst’s longtime mayor who was a military veteran, was the site of the annual Lawrence-Cedarhurst American Legion Post 339 Veterans Day ceremony that commemorates all military veterans. Veterans Day was once called Armistice Day, a day marking of the end of World War I in 1918 at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Post 339 Commander Syd Mandelbaum directed the ceremony, guiding the crowd to stand and face the American flag as Sergeant of Arms and Korean War veteran Dominick Crici led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by sisters Alexis and Alexandra Acosta, Lawrence High School juniors, who sang the Star-Spangled Banner.

Another Korean War veteran, Harry Sidor, and Fred Zeilberger, a Holocaust survivor and a Korean war vet, spotlighted for their service by Mandelbaum.

Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock initiated a collective moment of silence. “Today is a day when we honor our nations veterans, it’s not a day of mourning, it’s a day of celebration and honor and we’ve gathered here today for that purpose,” Weinstock said, “but we would be remised if we didn’t take a moment to remember those veterans of our armed forces who’ve fallen in duty, who have taken the ultimate sacrifice for this country.”

Post 339 Vice Commander Al Landi read the names of the 2021 veteran honorees, for which the ceremony honored in their memory. Bricks for Nicholas Fabrizio, U.S. Army; Jack Leff, U.S. Army Korean War; Antonio Panzarella, U.S. Army; Dr. George Elkowitz, U.S. Army; and Paul Glasgow, U.S. Army World War II, will be placed into the grounds of the park.

Both Mandelbaum and Landi recognized Parise, who was also a post member “I just want to say something about Andy Parise,” Landi said, “This event, here today, was started by him and it’s great to see everybody here today, this is a big event.”

Rabbi Benjamin Samson, an Air Force chaplain, and Decan Dan Otten of the St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Hewlett, shared words of thanks and prayed for all veterans, alive and dead. Lawrence High School trumpeter Billy Godoy then played “Taps.”

State Assemblywoman Melissa Miller (R-Atlantic Beach), addressed her concerns for military veterans, as they commonly have gone to war at a young age, seen unimaginable things and do not ever forget what they have experienced.

“We’re not really addressing the mental health or the emotional scars that these veterans are coming home with,” said Miller, whose father Arnie Levey, was a Korean war veteran. “We owe it to them to at least fight for them to have services not just for their physical scars but for their emotional scars as well.”

Mandelbaum’s Cedarhurst-based Rock and Wrap It Up!, a nonprofit think tank that fights poverty, has also focused on helping veterans from the Andrew J. Parise Veteran’s Toolkit, a resource for locating veteran-friendly food pantries, soup kitchens, colleges and employers and the Veterans Farmers Market that was established in July 2020 during Covid for veterans to “shop” safely away from crowds. Fueled by donations from Costco and Trader Joe’s, the “market” is set up outside Mandelbaum’s house.

As food scarcity remains an issue for veterans and others, Mandelbaum encouraged attendants to reach out for help if they are, or know, someone in need. Post 339 has partnered with the New York Islanders to donate 50 dinners. For more on Rock and Wrap It Up!, go to www.rockandwrapitup.org.