LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Donna Stein as she is honored by the
Merrick Jewish Centre at its Torah Fund Breakfast on March 18, 2012

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that individuals who
distinguish themselves in their profession and in service to their
community and their faith merit the highest commendation; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to recognize
and commend Donna Stein upon the occasion of her designation for special
honor by the Merrick Jewish Centre at its Torah Fund Breakfast on
Sunday, March 18, 2012; and
WHEREAS, The Merrick Jewish Centre, the oldest congregation in the
Merrick-Bellmore, New York area has served the community with dedication
and commitment since 1929; and
WHEREAS, Donna Stein truly merits the recognition and appreciation of
the Merrick Jewish Centre and its members; and
WHEREAS, Donna Stein grew up in New Jersey where she was involved in
USY and Jewish summer camps; in 1981, she spent eight months in Israel
where she studied and lived on a kibbutz; and
WHEREAS, She credits her wonderful parents, Esther and Maurice Soussa,
for their commitment and example of making Judaic life and synagogue
involvement central to their family's experience; seeking religious
freedom, Donna's parents and most of her extended family immigrated to
the United States from Baghdad, Iraq, in order to escape persecution
following Israel's establishment; and
WHEREAS, Donna and Ken Stein have been married and have lived in
Merrick for the past 27 years; they are the proud parents of Evan, Adam
and Arielle, all of whom had their bar and bat mitzvahs at the Merrick
Jewish Centre; Ken Stein, a lifelong Merrick resident has been a member
of the Merrick Jewish Centre since birth; he is the Managing Director of
The Kensington Company, a business brokerage and franchise sales and
development firm in Roslyn Heights; and
WHEREAS, Donna Stein thoroughly enjoys being involved with Sisterhood,
where she has led yoga classes and facilitated events with a variety of
enriching speakers and educators; most recently she has been raising
awareness about the charities JAFCO (Jewish Adoption and Foster Care
Options) and Necessities Inc., distributor of The Necessities Bag which
provides tangible support to mastectomy patients, and feels blessed and
grateful that she and her family have found a second family at the
Merrick Jewish Centre; and
WHEREAS, Donna Stein has been a privately practicing psychotherapist
in Merrick since 1989, working with individuals, groups and couples; she
earned a bachelor's degree in social work and, subsequently, a Master of
Social Work degree from New York University in 1984; and
WHEREAS, Her early professional background includes working as a ther-
apist at North Shore University Hospital in the field of substance abuse
treatment and in an outpatient mental health setting where she provided
psychotherapy to individuals, families and groups with various chal-
lenges and ages ranging from children to adults; and
WHEREAS, Her earliest training was in psychoanalytically oriented talk
therapy, however since the late 80's she has had a broadening interest
in integrative and complementary modalities and how they enhance both
psychological and physical well-being; and
WHEREAS, During the early 90's, Donna Stein worked at the Wantagh
Women's Wellness Center seeing clients individually and in groups,
providing wellness education and leading workshops on the mind-body
connection; in her integrative psychotherapy practice, she is most

committed to treating patients within a new paradigm of integrative
mental health care which utilizes complementary modalities in combina-
tion with traditional psychotherapy; and
WHEREAS, An avid learner, Donna Stein has been steadily adding to her
post graduate training; she has studied classical homeopathy, ayurvedic
medicine, holistic nutrition, EFT, CBT, mindfulness based stress
reduction, guided imagery, meditation and yoga; and
WHEREAS, In her practice Donna Stein works with children, teens and
adults, meeting each client where they are and respecting their individ-
uality; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to extend its high-
est commendation to Donna Stein for her exemplary personal and profes-
sional achievements and for her contributions to her community and to
the community of the State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Donna Stein as she is honored by the Merrick Jewish Centre at
its Torah Fund Breakfast on March 18, 2012; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Donna Stein.