0 r \ Ai 1 1 31 j5 I rm . III I Glamour and Boudoir Photography Specialist Trq It Again MetroDetroit Hillel is turning over a new leaf Young adults should give it another chance. JASON ROSKIND, WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY is spring, I was approached by Miriam Starkman, the executive director of MetroDetroit Hillel. She asked me to participate in a task force to save the organization. At the time, I didn't think it needed saving. To me, Hillel has always exist- ed and always will. I have friends who have been out of college for more than a decade. They went to Hillel. My parents went to Hillel. So, in my eyes, Hillel had become some- thing to be taken for grant- ed. But when I started learning more about the organization — about what goes on behind the scenes — I realized how much trouble we are in. Picture the scene: It's Saturday night. A group of college-age friends are dis- cussing plans for the evening. "Hey, let's go to the Excalibur Restaurant or maybe to the Metro Music Cafe," one says. "No, David is still too young to get in. Let's just go to Windsor, where the drinking age is lower," replies another. So, like hun- dreds of other youths, these college-age peo- ple make a run for the border, the Canadian- U.S. border. What the Jewish commu- nity needs, I think, is some- thing to keep Jason Roskind young Jewish people on this side of the border. They should be meeting other young Jews. That is one of Hillel's major functions. I discovered that many Jewish young adults do not know about the organiza- tion — or they want noth- ing to do with it because it has a reputation of cater- ing to ultra-religious Jews. Hillel also suffers because most young people between the ages of 17 and 22 are just looking for something to rebel against, and Hillel represents struc- ture and religion: two strikes against it. After participating in the task force, I understand the need for it. Hillel won't always be around — not unless we work at it. During our focus groups we met with students, rab- bis and Jewish communal professionals. I occasional- ly encountered people who felt that Hillel was not their problem or their responsibility to fix. This was discouraging, though I must admit some of the issues we discussed I had originally brushed off as unimportant. For instance, I initially disparaged the issue of a new location for MetroDetroit Hillel, which is headquartered on the Wayne State University campus. Then the task force heard from students who don't go to WSU. Getting to Hillel represents a major schlep. The task force, chaired by Keith Braun, opened my eyes to other issues. Some International Award Winning Photographer Carol Goren Visit our Fabulous New Studio and Fashion Boutique. 29499 Northwestern Highway at the Parkwest Plaza As seen on Inside Edition, Kelly & Co. and CH 2, 4,7 & 50 CapturedBanwur 313-354-0080 For The Ultimate in Quality Bands .. . Call LORIO-ROSS ENTERTAINMENT We Provide Continuous Music with Either Bands and/or DJ's Rumplestiltskin Jerry Ross Band Hot Ice Simone Vitale Norma Jean Bell Sun Messengers Skyline & The Back Street Horns Jerry Ross Band Keepsake Vizitor Loving Cup Cheers Two-Twenty Reflections Radio City people were not aware that Hillel is more than a kosher kitchen. I would like to see Hillel become an organization that is better able to deal with the social, scholastic and professional needs of all Jewish students. Now it is up to the young adults of Detroit to give the "new and improved" Metro- Detroit Hillel one more well-deserved chance. Jason Roskind is a Wayne ❑ State University student. Rumplestiltskin 1_010-Q0S5 ex7akinin&tr CLASSIFIED GET RESULTS! Call The Jewish News 354-5959 Call to View Any of These Bands on Video Outdoor Family Portraiture Call Goldenberg Photography 35O-242C 71