Vicki and Arthur Perler have been connected to the Schechter School movement for four decades.  After meeting in a Jewish summer camp, they married and settled in Maryland.  Their first trip to Israel during the early years of their marriage was lifechanging and defined their lifelong Jewish path. Vicki and Arthur and their four sons moved to Long Island in 1990, and the children transitioned from the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Maryland to the Schechter School of Long Island.  They feel incredibly blessed that seven of their grandchildren attend Schechter schools – three at SSLI and four at the Leffell School in Westchester.

Vicki is a long-time educator and passionate advocate for children. She believes that Jewish education is essential for the American Jewish community’s continuity.  Vicki holds bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate degrees in early childhood, special education, and educational leadership and administration.  After teaching public school kindergarten and music in religious school, she worked as the director of early childhood education for synagogues and JCCs, achieving national accreditation and recognition as a model school for Jewish early childhood education at Temple Beth-El of Great Neck.  Vicki served as President of the National Jewish Early Childhood Network, Treasurer of the NY Jewish Early Childhood Association, and Jewish Education Project mentor to directors and teachers.  Vicki currently serves on Schechter’s Board of Trustees and is co-chair of the DOROT Committee.  

Arthur worked as a chemist and environmental scientist for the US Department of Agriculture and the Army Corps of Engineers, eventually becoming Director of Science and Technology for the US Environmental Protection Agency’s national safe drinking water program.  In New York, Arthur has a defense and aerospace electronics business.  Vicki and Arthur are active at the Huntington Jewish Center, where Vicki served as president, and Arthur served as vice president, treasurer, ritual chair and security chair.  They are also members of Temple Israel Center of White Plains and serve on UJA’s Suffolk Signature Event Committee.

Vicki and Arthur live in Syosset and are grateful that all of their children (Jeremy and Andrea, Ari and Johanna, Elie and Lauren, Jacob and Stacy) and grandchildren (Shira, Orli, Lev, Rina, Valeria, Mia, Victor and Sasha) live in the New York area.  They are profoundly grateful to the Schechter community for giving their children and grandchildren an excellent secular and Judaic education, love of learning, and commitment to Jewish life, values and Israel.  They love that SSLI is a school where families can share joyous school celebrations and experiences, fostering pride in their heritage, deep and lasting friendships and a true feeling of community.