Devorah Halberstam has spent the past 27 years making sure her voice is heard on behalf of her son Ari.

Back in 1994, a gunman opened fire on a van carrying Ari Halberstam and several other kids on the ramp to the Brooklyn Bridge. The teenager was fatally shot in the head in an attack motivated by anti-Semitic hate.

“We will be the voices of the victims who are often ignored,” Devorah Halberstam said.

Since his death, Devorah, who is the executive director of the Jewish Children's Museum, has become a tireless advocate for victims of hate crimes.

“Everybody deserves to live free in this country and in this city, and should not have to look over their shoulders as they walk down the street or sit on a park bench,” Halberstam said.

Halberstam is one of five civilian leaders joining the NYPD Hate Crime Review Panel. The independent group is made up of unpaid volunteers who will help assess whether challenging cases should be investigated as a hate crime.

“They are going to act as a bridge and another set of eyes and ears for the NYPD as we look to stamp out hate. They’re thinkers and doers, longtime leaders who have a deep commitment to public safety in this city,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.

The new panel comes after a 450 percent surge in anti-Asian hate crimes. According to the NYPD, there have been 66 hate crimes against Asian people so far this year versus 12 in the same period last year. Overall, hate crimes are up 45 percent.

Going forward, the chief of department’s office will continue to have the final say on whether an incident will be investigated by the NYPD’s hate crimes task force.

“This panel will certainly add a deeper insight into these crimes. They may help us see things we may not have seen. And ultimately ensuring justice for victims, which is what we all want,” said Chief of Department Rodney Harrison.

The panel won’t have any legal bearing on any of the cases but will work alongside the police department and the various district attorney’s offices. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task force will continue to take the lead on those investigations.