To Life! THE SCENE Happenings For college age through 30-something. Send items: ahitsky@thejewishnews.com . Making Choices . HILLEL METRO DETROIT March 16 Thursday, 5-7 p.m. HMD happy hour at Lily's Seafood, 410 S Washington Ave, Royal Oak. RSVP: Karen Adelman, hilleled@wayne.edu or (313) 577-3459. Robber turned rabbi offers hope for wayward souls. EMU HILLEL, Ypsilanti March 10 Friday, services 6:30 p.m., Israel Shabbat dinner 7:15 p.m., $5. Learn about Birthright Israel. RSVP to Scott: hillel@emich.edu or (734) 482-0456. Robin Schwart2 Special to the Jewish News ith his graying beard and kindly eyes, Rabbi Mark Borovitz doesn't fit the image of a gun-toting gangster. But, the 53- year-Old rabbi from Los Angeles has a long rap sheet that includes insurance and check fraud, armed robbery, and forgery — even stealing from his own mother. His life of gambling, swindling and drinking ultimately led him to jail. "I was a nice Jewish boy growing up in Cleveland," Rabbi Borovitz said. "I got hooked up with a bunch of gangsters and the Mafia and I thought that was a great life. I -took life for granted; I made bad choices!' Not anymore. After being arrested 1986, Rabbi Borovitz had a revelation that turned his life around. He returned to his Jewish roots, praying and studying Torah in prison. That led him to redemption and the rabbinate. He now . serves as the rabbi and spiritual leader of Congregation Beit T'shuva, a Jewish addiction recovery center in Los Angeles. W Nathalie Giske of Birmingham and Shira Kahan of Bloomfield Hills 24 March 9 • 2006 0 >. 0 a_ Justin Mbrgan of Southfield and Ezra Drissman of Farmington Hills flank Rabbi Mark Borovitz March 14 Tuesday, 6 p.m. Celebrate Purim in costume. Megillah reading and haman- taschen. RSVP to Jenn Stotter, jenn@emuhillel.org or (734)482-0456. MSU HILLEL, E. Lansing March 13 Monday, 7 p.m. Guest speaker Gil Golan of Israel's Technion and Volunteers for Israel. RSVP: Jordan, weissjo2@msthedu. Greg and Dani Glickfeld of West Bloomfield "I knew the man upstairs was trying to tell me something and my job was to sit long enough in prison to figure it out:' he said. On Feb. 28, the rabbi shared his inspir- ing story with about 60 young adults at the Bloomfield Hills home of Shira and Mike Kahan. He also read excerpts from his memoir, The Holy Thief a Con Man's Jouney from Darkness to Light. Rabbi Borovitz said his story proves change is possible. He urged his auience to become more con- nected with their souls. "If I don't touch you, if I don't move you, then this whole evening is Eli Natinsky of a waste he said. Royal Oak and His story seemed Rachel Tucker to strike a chord with of Farmington Ezra Drissman of Hills Farmington Hills. "I'm totally blown Drissman said. "I thought his talk was very insightful and thought Provoking," added Rachel Tucker of Farmington Hills. "It's inspiring,to meet a Jewish person who's been on the other side of the tracks," said Terry Shulman of Southfield, a therapist who works with chronic shoplifters. "There are a lot of March 12 Sunday, 2 p.m. Esther Park, reg- istered dietician, will discuss the Jewish perspective on body image. Refreshments. RSVP to Dayna: hillel@emich.edu or (734) 482-0456. March 14 Tuesday, 8 p.m. Purim megillah reading, hamantaschen and chocolate fondue. RSVP: Becca, steinm15@msu.edu . Justin Morgan of Southfield, Ron Hackelman of West Bloomfield and Michael Harris of Madison Heights . secrets we keep from ourselves and each other, so when I hear somebody say, `There's help available' and 'There's a new way, that's the message I try to convey to people, too!' The rabbi's visit was co-sponsored by Hillel of Metro Detroit and the lectures committee of the Young Adult Division of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Spotted in the crowd were: Event co-chairs Micha Zwick of Southfield and Nathalie Giske of Birmingham; Roger Goodman of Bloomfield Hills; Sheryl Katzen of Farmington Hills; Stephanie Bloom of Orchard. Lake; Jared Rosenbaum of Huntington Woods; Miriam and Yoli Silverstein of West Bloomfield; and Brad Shulman andStephanie Saal, both of Rabbi Mark Borovitz Royal Oak. ❑ reads from his book. March 16 Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Kick boxing class at IM West. Cose$2. RSVP: Jackie,, dunayevi@msu.edu . U - M HILLEL, Ann Arbor Mondays 5 p.m. Coffee and Hebrew at. Espresso Royale Cafe, 324 S. State Street. Information: Miriam Levine, mtlevine@umich.edu . • March 11 Saturday, after services. Annual cholent ,cook-off sponsored by the • Orthodox Minyan. March 1.1 Saturday, 2 p.m. Mazon President Eric Schockman will lead a dis- cussion on world hunger. March 12 Sunday, 6 p.m. Graduates And Professionals movie night.. March 13 Monday, Purim Bash. March 13 Monday, 3-5 and 5-7 p.m. Help serve and cook food for the homeless. March 14 Tuesday, 8 p.m. Israel current events discussion at Espresso Royale, 1101 S. University. March 16 Thursday, 8-10 p.m. Graduate And Professional bar night at Rush Street, 314 S. Main.