AMERICAN Spotlight Gourmet SAME DAY EXPRESS DELIVERY Muscle Power MSU Hillel expands its athletic program. 248.851-4450 6698 ORCHARD LAKE RD it BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322 www.americangourment.com A Brandon Movitz, Zack Friedman and Ryan Wolok, all from West Bloomfield, and Ryan Glueck from Ohio helped the MSU Hillel in-line hockey team finish second in intramural competition. Gift Baskets • Gift Trays • Gourmet Cookies • Wine & Liquor • Greeting Cards Zack Colman Special to the Jewish News Shiva Trays.. Same Day Express Delivery East Lansing www.NibblesAndNuts.com Gifts for all Occasions Delivered 248-737-8088 Shiva Dinners, Fish Salad & Deli Trays 248 MONUMENTS & MARKERS • MONUMENT DUPLICATING HEBREW MEMORIALS BY: HEBREW MEMORIAL CHAPEL SERVING ALL CEMETERIES 248.543.3874 FAX: 248.543.7421 26640 Greenfield Road, Oak Park. MI Expert Consultation - Select Quality Granite C34 December 11 • 2008 A s the Lester and Jewell Morris Hillel Jewish Student Center at Michigan State University undergoes its expansion, Hillel's visibility among the MSU Jewish student community is also growing rapidly, thanks in part to Hillel's growing athletic program. According to Sam Plotkin, Hillel's athletic chair and an MSU sophomore, some students are coming to Hillel because of the athletics program. Plotkin said a segment of the Jewish student body whose interests lie out- side the organization's cultural and religious programming want to attend games and participate in a variety of sports through Hillel. "The Jewish Student Union board is now reaching out to a diverse group of students:' Plotkin said. "A kid who comes to a cultural event might not come out for sports and vice verse This fall, the MSU Hillel football team defeated the University of Michigan Hillel team 26-7 in an annu- al game played during the weekend of the MSU-UM varsity game. MSU lost last year's game, but Jason Rudy, 20, of West Bloomfield, a junior at MSU, said this year's team was more competitive, more focused. "We had a lot more talent than U-M had, and there was a lot of emotion and rivalry between the two schools. The game was definitely heated, but even with the intense rivalry everyone had a good time." More MSU Jewish students are get- ting involved in intramural sports and are attending Hillel's monthly broomball games and show interest in the upcoming three-on-three Slade Matzahballers basketball tournament. Still, Plotkin said he wants to incor- porate an even wider range of athletic events, including paintball and trips to professional sports games. MSU Hillel athletics received a boost in November from MSU alumnus Ed Slade and his wife, Dorothy, that could help finance Plotkin's goals. The Slades' donation to MSU Hillel established the Slade Family Sports Fund, which will be used for athletic purposes. Plotkin said sports programming began earlier this year, which led to increased participation. He said word of mouth and a comprehensive e-mail list got the message to more students. And Jewish students that I haven't seen all year came out for the MSU —U-M Hillel football game he said. Jason Rudy noticed many new faces at a recent Shabbat dinner honoring the football team. ❑ Zack Colman is an MSU junior from Bloomfield Hills.