George Gerstein

Gerstein is an Israeli artist whose artwork and sculptures reflect his fascination with the Israeli experience.

Gerstein’s paintings are typically figurative and draw inspiration from his childhood in Tel Aviv. He often features bicycles as a recurring motif in his artworks.

Early Life and Education

The early years of a child’s life are crucial for brain development. During these formative years, children acquire social and emotional skills, cognitive abilities, moral beliefs, as well as an identity.

Early childhood classrooms offer young children invaluable social skills through interactions with peers and teachers. These opportunities set them up for a stronger, healthier life in adulthood.

Gerstein’s detailed, fact-filled text is accompanied by loose-lined panel illustrations that emote a range of emotions. Drawing inspiration from Victor, an authentic wild boy captured near Saint-Sernin in 1800, Gerstein offers an intense version of this historical case which would later be adopted by Jean-Marc Itard. Older readers may enjoy its complexity; however younger kids will love Gerstein’s inspired silliness and exuberant monsters.

Professional Career

Gerstein’s international career has taken him to some of the premier orchestras, concert halls and recital series across the globe. He has developed close relationships with conductors, instrumentalists and singers across a wide range of repertoire.

His technical proficiency and insightfulness are matched by an enthralling musical presence that puts him at the pinnacle of his profession. His playing blends traditional Russian, American and Central European instruments with an insatiable curiosity that has earned him widespread acclaim.

From the start of his career, he has made a significant impact on contemporary music by commissioning and premiering works by renowned composers such as Thomas Ades. In 2020, his recording of Ades’ Concerto for Piano and Orchestra earned him a GRAMMY nomination; additionally, he has recorded works by Busoni, Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky.

Achievements and Honors

Former Army Officer Gerstein served on four continents, participating in combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism and homeland security. Additionally he spent over a decade on the Pentagon staff where his responsibilities included national strategy studies, future threats studies, technology roadmaps and operational analysis.

He holds a Ph.D in Biodefense from George Mason University and has authored numerous books and articles on national security topics.

After leaving the military, he joined L-3 Communications as vice president for homeland security services. There he oversaw an organization providing WMD preparedness and response, critical infrastructure security, emergency response capacity and exercise support to both U.S. and international customers. A graduate of both Georgia Tech and National Defense University with master’s degrees from Army Command & General Staff College, his experience spans across multiple domains.

Personal Life

George Gerstein is an internationally acclaimed author and illustrator of children’s books. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Caldecott Medal for his picture book The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.

Gerstein’s illustrations in this story remind us that there are still incredible acts of human courage. He depicts French acrobat Philippe Petit as he walks a tightrope between the World Trade Center towers in 1974.

Gerstein recognizes the inherent danger and illegality of Philippe Petit’s act, yet he nonetheless embraces America’s longstanding fascination with outlaws and daredevils. Through this lens, Gerstein creates a powerful sense of accomplishment for him as well as appreciation for his dedication in carrying it out.

Net Worth

Gerstein has an estimated net worth of $495 Thousand as of 6 February 2019. He works as a senior legal affairs reporter for Politico and covers justice department controversies, law enforcement issues and national security matters. Furthermore, he covers legal trials and Supreme Court cases. With an extensive military background that spans across four continents in various roles such as combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and counterterrorism – Gerstein is no doubt no stranger to accolades such as the U.S Army Soldiers Medal for heroism plus an honorary doctorate from West Point!