Senate Resolution No. 652

BY: Senator STEWART-COUSINS

HONORING Sandra and Dan Costin upon the occasion
of their designation for special recognition by
Temple Israel Center of White Plains on March 16,
2019

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to commend the
efforts of those individuals within the State of New York who give of
their time and energies in support of spiritual endeavors which aim to
benefit the community at large; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Sandra and Dan Costin upon the occasion of their designation for special
recognition by Temple Israel Center of White Plains to be celebrated at
its Annual Gala and Fundraiser at the Center in White Plains, New York,
on Saturday, March 16, 2019; and

WHEREAS, For more than 20 years, the Temple Israel Center community
has been an integral part of Sandra and Dan Costin's lives; they are
truly role models in both the professional and personal lives of many
people; and

WHEREAS, Sandra Costin grew up in Westchester, New York; she holds a
BA in European History from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from
George Washington University; and

WHEREAS, Dan Costin was born in Jerusalem but grew up mostly in Los
Angeles, California; he holds a BS in Biochemistry from the University
of California, Los Angeles, and a MD from the University of California,
San Francisco; today, he is a Hematologist/Oncologist at White Plains
Hospital and serves as co-Medical Director of White Plains Hospital
Center for Cancer Care and Director of Cancer and Blood Specialists of
New York; and

WHEREAS, In 1996, Sandra and Dan Costin moved to White Plains and
joined a small group of families who sought to create a community that
not only pray together, but also share Shabbat and holidays together;
and

WHEREAS, They are the proud parents of two children, Diana and
Jeremy; currently, Diana is a senior at Colgate University and plans to
attend Columbia Law School in the fall; Jeremy is a sophomore at Johns
Hopkins University; and

WHEREAS, For many young people in the community, the Costin tables,
whether indoors or outdoors, are the image of what Shabbat looks like;
on any given Shabbat, if you walk through the doors of Temple Israel
Center or attend one of its many events centered at members' homes, you
will encounter the work of Sandra Costin, whose name is synonymous with
the vibrant and creative Shabbat spirit; and

WHEREAS, For Sandra Costin, building community at Temple Israel
Center is central to all her volunteer activities, whether she is

organizing a speaker series or wine tasting or working with her crew to
cook Shabbat dinner for her ever-growing chevre for the Eat, Pray, Learn
dinner series; she also serves on the Board of Trustees, the Budget
Committee, The Rabbi Gordon Tucker Fund for Jewish Learning, Thought and
Culture Steering Committee, and the Nominating Committee; and

WHEREAS, In addition to Sandra Costin's volunteer work at Temple
Israel Center, she is an active member of the JCC of MidWestchester
Board of Directors, chairing its Legal and Security committees and
enthusiastically working on many projects; and

WHEREAS, Since moving to White Plains in the 1990s, Dan Costin can
often be found at his office until late in the evening, ensuring that
every cancer patient and their family who comes to him has not only the
best and most careful treatment, but that all their questions are
answered by him personally; and

WHEREAS, Dan Costin seeks to alleviate not only the physical toil,
but the spiritual burden that illness and treatment place on an entire
family; his reputation is renowned, not only in his community, but for
people of every background who place their very lives in his capable
hands; and

WHEREAS, The White Plains community could have no better role model
than found in Dan of Judaism's unswerving commitment to ensuring the
highest values are not merely words we speak, but sacrifices we make: to
science, to society's highest values, and, most of all, to other people
whose infinite value we honor by the quality of our dedication and our
actions; and

WHEREAS, Dedicated and loyal congregants in the 23 years since
joining Temple Israel Center, the Costin's have recently been honored by
the Westchester Jewish community; Dan received the 2014 Making Miracles
Happen Hadassah Award, and Sandra was the recipient of the 2017
Westchester Jewish Council Julian Bernstein Distinguished Service Award;
and

WHEREAS, Temple Israel Center is proud to pay just tribute to Sandra
and Dan Costin for all they do to create a welcoming Jewish community
that is rich in study, prayer, friendship, and acts of loving kindness;
and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
to honor Sandra and Dan Costin upon the occasion of their designation
for special recognition by Temple Israel Center of White Plains; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Sandra and Dan Costin.