Biblical Beat C

Young adults celebrate Purim
in upbeat way at synagogue.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL HANSEN

Left: Gali Rosenberg
ofWest Bloomfield
and Carrie Long of
Berkley

Below: Melissa
Harris, Rabbi
Jonathan Berkun
and Alan Borman,
all of Birmingham

Top: Adina Lipsitz ofWest Bloomfield and Ariel
Garten of Toronto take to the dance floor.

Center: Jen Friedman of Huntington Woods shows
the Purim spirit.

Above: Rabbi Joseph Krakoff and P.T. Cherrin of
West Bloomfield

Taking a moment to relax in the comfort of a deep couch are
Leora Bar-Levav and Gag Edelson of Franklin.

ongregation Shaary Zedek in
Southfield was transformed into a
posh nightclub on March 24 —
for a Purim celebration set to a pulsating
techno dance beat. About 200 young
adults gathered at "Club
Shushan" to eat, drink,
dance and celebrate the
festive holiday.
"It's a good way to
mingle in a relaxed envi-
ronment," said Tony
Fayne of Birmingham.
"It's not your typical
Purim event. I've never
ROBIN
seen anything like it,"
S CHWARTZ said Phil Okun of
Columnist
Huntington Woods.
"Things don't always
have to be stiff and formal at the syna-
gogue," added Alisa Kaufman of
Commerce.
Shaarey Zedek went all out to create a
hip and trendy atmosphere 20- and 30-
somethings would enjoy. Partygoers came
in through a red-carpet entrance, lounged
on leather sofas, and sipped cocktails
around a bar with ice sculptures. A high-
tech psychedelic light show flashed on a
large video screen over the dance floor.
Two guest DJ's — Mark Alan of Analog
Records and New York City-based DJ
Cassidy, who has performed at parties
hosted by stars like Jennifer Lopez and
Britney Spears — kept the rhythm going
throughout the night.
Shaarey Zedek member MC Serch of
WJLB-FM Radio also made a guest
appearance at Club Shushan. "This is a
very cool and vibrant community and an
event like this shows we can have just as
much fun in the synagogue as we can in
any nightclub in the city," Serch said.
The event was sponsored by the Sydney
Katzman Memorial Fund, which was cre-
ated to support one special happening
each year. The Jewish News co-sponsored.
It was a celebration that Rabbi Jonathan
Berkun called "a modern interpretation of
the religious obligation to rejoice on
Purim."
"The holiday has an inherent party
theme, which is usually marked by chil-
dren's carnivals," Rabbi Berkun said. "But
adults like to have fun, too, so this offers
them an opportunity to revel in a uniquely
Jewish way."
Spotted in the club and on the dance
floor were Jennifer Bielfield of Troy, Staci
and Fabio Giske of Farmington Hills,
Lowell and Jen Friedman of Huntington
Woods, Brian Satovksy and Sheri Wagner,
both of Birmingham, David Raider of
Commerce, Adam Orley of Bloomfield
Hills, and Michele Sushin and Adina
Lipsitz of West Bloomfield. El

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