Front Lines Menline NOTEBOOK This Week www.JNonline.us Latest From Israel The Heat Of The Moment W hen you seek to get away, do you want to leave the winter behind and seek hot climes? Are you on the lookout for the "in" things to do or wear? Are you the kind to be very much involved in any project? If so, then you are conscious of what's hot and what's not. Let's start with travel. Why is it that those of us who can't stand the heat (and yet refuse to get out of the kitchen) are always the ones who seek someplace warm, nay hot, for rest and relaxation? We seem to equate heat with comfort; hence, the admonition from doctors to "apply heat" and the growing popularity (attested to by TV commercials — and what better bellwether have we?) — of the heat wrap. Other than a popular spot to visit, we are sure to be attuned to what is the hot new look, a hot color that compli- ments our skin tones or the latest hot new sales item on the shelves. Regarding bargains, there may be a caveat there: You do not want to get involved in something described as "hot off the truck" or what is identified as a "hot item:' for you are opening yourself to acquiring possibly stolen items and may find the police in hot pursuit. This may then lead you to plan an escape by hot-wiring a car. Not a good plan. If, however, you are feeling especially lucky, you might experience a hot streak in your gambling. If this is done in hot-weather Las Vegas with a hot actress on your arm, you may be on a roll — or at least a hot cross bun. If your gambling is limited to.the stock market, then you may find yourself hot and bothered about a hot tip. Involvement in any sort of interest may subject you to pressure (when things heat up), may open you to being defensive (as in a heated debate) or being uncomfortable (when someone makes it hot for you). Your hot temper may then result in hot words being exchanged and a new spin on there being a "hot time in the old time tonight" Do you like spicy foods? I do not like spicy foods. I espe- cially do not like hot peppers and was hot under the collar when I was "treated" to a bagel that had jalapeno in it. But consider the popularity of such items as the hot tamale, hot curries and highly spiced Chinese foods. Food that makes one perspire or be in pain is not my cup of tea (hot or iced). .Well, the next time you find yourself humming "It's too darn hot" or "She's causing a heat wave you may want to heat up the wok and show what a hot-wire person you can be in the kitchen. That would be cool. Get Those Feet Moving The Jewish Community Center of Washtenaw County is hosting an Israeli dance party in the spirit of Israel@60 that will be for all ages. A special beginners' session begins at 7:30 at the JCC. Open dancing — including requests, the latest dances and mixers — goes from 8-10 p.m. Teachers will be Ann Arbor's Tom Starks plus guest teachers Cheryl Feit and Gordon Smith from West Bloomfield. Fee is $6 per person, including refreshments. RSVP to a2rikud@gmail.com or call the JCC front desk at (734) 971-0990. Bring a pair of sneakers or other flat, comfortable shoes. Melton Maven Judy Loebl of Huntington Woods received International Director certification from Florence Melton Adult Mini-School International Director Dr. Jonathan Mirvis at a luncheon in Bloomfield Hills on Feb. 13. The Melton school is based at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and Loebl has served as director of the Florence Melton Mini- Judy Loebl with Jonathan School of Metropolitan Detroit for Mirvis two years. Detroit Melton is the largest Mini-School in the world and graduated 142 students last year. Detroit Melton is sponsored by Federation's Alliance for Jewish Education and the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit. - Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor Reverse Spring Break Many college students look for a warm beach to spend their spring break. Some over the last two years have spent their week off volun- teering in Gulf Coast communities still suffering in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Wayne State University students this week added a twist to the volunteer efforts, participating in an alternative spring break closer to home. Students have spent the week listening to morning panels and roundtable discussions on poverty, hunger, homelessness, blight, education, arts and cultural awareness. In the afternoons, they have volunteered at Detroit area sites that address these issues, including, among others, Gleaners Community Food Bank, the Detroit Rescue Mission, Woodbridge Community Youth Center, Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp., the Detroit Police forensics lab and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Some of the Jewish panelists this week have included David Strauss, WSU dean of students; Eric Adelman, incoming Michigan region director of B'nai B'rith Youth Organization; Ed Steinberger, a housing and mental health specialist at JVS; and Sharon Lapides, executive director of Family Care Network. - Alan Hitsky, associate editor A10 March 13 • 2008 ❑ Want the most current news from Israel? Check our streaming news from Ynetnews.com for continu- ous updates and longer news, opinion and feature stories. And look at the center of our Homepage for an Israel story that changes twice daily. Visit JNonline.us and click on a scrolling story on the left. Teen2Teen Web Site You've seen the printed sec- tion each month in the JN; now Teen2Teen goes online! This week look for teen vol- unteer opportunities, new blog entries and an insider's view of the Auto Show from Seth Samuels. Though the Web site is for Jewish teens by Jewish teens, other gen- erations can check it out, too. Only at JNt2t.com . E- Newsletter Correction Desire notification when stories that interest you in particular are posted on JNonline? It's easy to desig- nate the kinds of stories you like when you sign up for your personalized e-newsletter. Only at JNonline.us. Click on Newsletter on the menu near the top of the page. Celebrations! Find weekly listings of births, b`nai mitzvah, engagements, weddings and anniversaries as well as past simchahs all online. They are all bundled under each week's date. Just visit JNonline.us and click on Lifecycles on the left. Online Poll Dr. Jasser Dr. Parker Dr. Raviv In last week's Metro Digest (page A18) a photo was placed with the wrong story. The photo of Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser should have appeared with the "Understanding Islam" story. The "Adult Retreat Planned" story about the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School conference May 2-4 should have shown photos of scholars Dr. Mitch Parker and Dr. Zohar Raviv. Last week's results: Should Israel re-occupy Gaza? Yes 75% No 25% This week's poll question: Will you attend a Megillat Esther reading for Purim? Visit the JNonline.us homepage, below the left menu, to cast your vote.