Honor Costins for Community Service

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.