Lite

H

Happenings

Marcus Heiman of Huntington Woods and

For college age through 30-
something. Send information to
ahitsky@thejewishnews.com .

Rabbi David Nelson of Southfield

HILLEL METRO DETROIT
March 1 Wednesday, 7 p.m. Ice

skating Campus Martius, Detroit.
Cost: $8. RSVP by Monday, Feb. 27
to Dina Shkolnik,
hillelpd@wayne.edu or (313) 577-
3459.

Lisa Yufit, Nancy Glen

and Ellen Berlin, all of

Huntington Woods

March 3 Friday, 6 p.m. optional

Connecting

Beth Shalom
toasts
new young
adult social
group.

Alicia Nelson of Southfield and

Shari and Neil Zemmel of

Huntington Woods

Robin Schwartz
Special to the Jewish News

'

T

here were a lot of reasons
to raise a glass and toast
as young adults gathered
for a wine-tasting party at the
Huntington Woods home of
•
Ralph McDowell and Nancy Glen.
It was the couple's first social
event at their new home on
Hendrie Boulevard.
The party also represented a
new beginning for Congregation
Beth Shalom in Oak Park. More
than 60 members of the syna-
gogue's new young adult social
group, Kesher, took part in the
event.
"We felt there was a need in
the synagogue to get the younger
members to view the shul in a
more social way:' said Francine
Newman, the group's co-chair
along with Jodie Krasnick, both
of Huntington WoodS.
"There's a rejuvenation of the

Darren Hessenthaler and Howard Berlin,

both of Huntington Woods

congregation and there's a transi-
tion with one generation coming
and one generation going," said
Beth Shalom's executive director,
Steven Weiss of West Bloomfield.
"This group represents the
future. It's very exciting."
Kesher, which means "connec-
tion" in Hebrew, is a group for
people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
Members of Beth Shalom are
invited to participate along with
their friends regardless of syna-
gogue affiliation. Many of the
participants have young children
who take part in Beth Shalom's
newborn through pre-school
classes and programs.
Michelle and Louis Geller of
Huntington Woods, parents of
three children, just joined the
synagogue."We're hoping to get
more inVolved," Louis said.
"This Is a very dynamic
development for us:' said Beth
Shalom Rabbi David Nelson.
"This shows we're a very youth-

ful and growing congregation."
In addition to mingling,
socializing and having fun, the
group also got a lesson about
wines from wine connoisseur
Brian Croze of Holiday Market
in Royal Oak. Partygoers sam-
pled Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio,
Chenin Blanc and other wines.
They also enjoyed appetizers
and desserts.
"It's like one big family, it's a
wonderful family,' said Kesher
member Todd Flood of
Huntington Woods. "That's really
what it's all about."
Spotted in the crowd at the
Feb. 4 wine tasting party were:
Karen Smith, Ellen and Howard
Berlin, Lori and Darren
Hessenthaler, Ellen and Marc
Lipton, and Lisa and Michael
Yufit, all of Huntington Woods;
Risa and Brian Wolf of Oak
Park and Nancy and Avery
Goldstein of Royal Oak. ❑

Shalom, (248) 547-7970 or cbs@congbethshalom.org .

Avery and

Nancy
Goldstein
and Steve

Elkus, all of
Huntington
Woods

20

February 23 - 2006

MSU HILLEL, E. Lansing
Feb. 26 Sunday, 1 p.m. Darfur

Awareness free brunch at MSU
Hillel, cosponsored by the MSU
Jewish Studies Department.
Sudanese refugee guest speaker.
RSVP: marisa@msuhillel.org .

Feb. 28 Tuesday, 6 p.m. Hillel
pancake dinner. RSVP:
steve@msuhillel.org.

Feb. 28 Tuesday, 7 p.m. Watch
MSU-Wisconsin basketball on
Hillel big-screen TV.
Refreshments. RSVP:
steve@msuhillel.org.

U-M HILLEL, Ann Arbor
Feb. 26 Sunday. Graduates and

Young Professionals. Ski at Alpine
Valley in Highland.

More fun photos: JNonline.us

To take part in future Kesher events, Congregation Beth

Brian and Risa Wolf of Oak Park

Shabbat services, 7:30 p.m. dinner.
An interactive Carlebach-style
minyan with singing and dancing
at Bais Chabad of Farmington
Hills, 32000 Middlebelt Road.
Charge. RSVP by Tuesday, Feb. 28,
Karen Adelman, (313) 577-3459 or
hilleled@wayne.edu .

Ex-Con To Rabbi
From hustler, thief, alcoholic, ex-
con to redemption and the rab-
binate, Rabbi Marc Borovitz will
discuss his experiences at a Feder-
ation Young Adult DiVision event
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28.
There is a charge of $10 for YAD
members, and light hors d'ouevres
will be served. RSVP: Margie Davis
at Federation, (248) 642-4260 x341.

Wine Tasting

Federation's Young Adult Division
will have a wine tasting at Forte
Restaurant, 201 S. Old Woodward,
Birmingham, at -8 p.m. Thursday,
March 2. Cost is $25. RSVP, Jen-
nifer Noparstak, (248) 203-1460.