3

Jason Kief and Kevin
Elbinger: Dead
ringers for Travolta.
Nu?

Sharon Gordon and
David Smith play
twister at HMD's
Saturday Night
Fever party.

HMO In Overdrive

YOUNG ADULTS ACCOMPLISH A MISSION
THEY ACCEPTED LAST YEAR.

ALYSSA KATZMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

ike Weinraub ex-
pected less.
After all, Hillel
of MetroDetroit (formerly
Wayne State University Hillel)
didn't have the reputation of be-
ing the hippest social venue in
town.

That was before the facelift.
Now, a year after the organiza-
tion underwent intensive re-
naming, revamping and
revitalizing, 1-111D has sparked
the interest of Mr. Weinraub,
27, and other young adults
throughout the metro area.

"I never imagined it would be
as good as it is," he said. "It
seems that in the last year, Hil-
lel has really turned around. It's
a nice opportunity to meet all
types of people."
Since the beginning of 1994,
HMD has sponsored the all-
time cult classic event:
The Rocky Horror Pic-
_ tore Show. The evening
featured Francis the psy-
chic giving personal
readings and Dan Fish-
man regaling everyone
with magic tricks.
By the end of the
night, participants were
altogether "Time-
Warped" and their hair
could have been culti-

During HMD's July canoe
trip near Wixom, Mike
Weinraub sterns his way
down the river. Two friends
row along for the ride.

vated as rice fields. (In compli-
ance with a time-honored Rocky
Horror tradition, rice was tossed
during a wedding scene, and
viewers danced and sang along
with characters on screen.)
In February, HMD held its
first annual Saturday Night
Fever disco dance at Adat
Shalom Synagogue. Guys and
gals with severe fashion defi-
ciencies arrived in the nonethe-
less appropriate bell-bottoms,
leisure suits and platform shoes.
What might have been some-
one's worst nightmare turned
out to be one of HMD's largest
events. More than 150 showed
up. The music was pumping
and the dance floor was shak-
ing, and many of those who at-
tended ran into old friends from
high-school and college days.
As of last year, Hillel is no
longer just for college students.
It caters to young adults in and
around metro Detroit. Today,
HMD events enjoy an atten-

dance rate nearly twice that of
years past. On average, about
60 have shown up for each of the
last 12 month's many major pro-
grams.
In addition to big activities
like dances, movies, pool and
bowling nights, HM:ID sponsors
speeches and discussions. None
are held on the Sabbath and the
food served is always kosher.
Anat Bross, 25, recently
moved here from Israel. For her,
HMD has become a forum for
meeting people in her new com-
munity.
"As a newcomer, I've found
some very interesting people
and I'm have a very good time,"
she said. ❑

Anyone interested in
getting involved in HMD
should call Executive Di-
rector Miriam Starkman
at (313) 577-3459.