review

Posner's 31 Minutes to Takeoff
does not disappoint.

D

o you recall I told you this was just a matter of time?" Yes, Mike
Posner, we recall. After his very successful mix-tapes, A Matter
of Time and One Foot Out The
the
Southfield
musician released
Door,
his first official album, 31 Minutes to
Takeoff on J Records on Aug. 10.
The highly anticipated album is not
a far stretch from the music of his mix-
tapes. New, up-tempo beats are intro-
duced that provide the appropriate
background for his flirtatious singing
voice.
Posner focuses on love's highs and
lows — meeting the girl, falling in love,
cheating and being cheated on. In "Falling," he sings, "Drive your high
heel into my heart/I don't even care/'Cause my pride is much more than
your stupid little love."
"Cheated" has similar undertones: "I should have cheated on you/I was
everything you wanted and more."
"Cooler than Me (Single Mix)," which has gotten play on TV, makes an
appearance as well has his newly released single, "Please Don't Go."
After listening to 31 Minutes, don't worry, I won't go.

Gabriella Ring, 17, Teen2Teen summer intern

youth groups

by Daniel Chandross

on the go
Scout camp proves to be fun and productive.

n June, my Boy Scout Troop 364 (chartered by Adat Shalom Syna-
gogue Men's Club in Farmington Hills) went to Cole Canoe Base in
Alger for a week of summer
camp. I really enjoyed it because I
got to be the Senior Patrol Leader.
Sadly, some Scouts would not
pitch in with chores, like doing the
dishes, so that was frustrating. Still,
in the end, camp was great. Troop
364 had six Boy Scouts there; 11
troops were in camp that week, so it
was like one big Scout troop.
A main activity is working on Scouts Adam Cooper, seventh-grade, and
merit badges; you need 21 merit Daniel Chandross, eighth-grade, both of
badges to become an Eagle Scout. West Bloomfield and students at Hillel Day
This year is the Boy Scouts' 100th School
anniversary so they brought back
some old merit badges like Tracking and Carpentry. During the week, I
earned six merit badges; it was good to be so productive.
Almost every night was a different camp-wide event. Tuesday we
learned CPR and Wednesday was movie night. Friday was a huge bonfire
— it was a bummer we missed it because we left Friday at noon to be home
by Shabbat. This was my fourth time at Scout camp. Next year our troop
plans to do Pedal Across Lower Michigan! ! '

Daniel Chandross, 13, is an eighth-grader at Hillel Day School In Farmington Hills.

teen spirit

by Gabriella Ring

Israeli Scouts share their love of Israel
with local host families and their audiences.

F

our groups of Israeli Tzofim (Scouts) have been traveling North

America since Memorial Day weekend, bringing with them the
songs and dances of the Jewish homeland.
The Tzofim Friendship
.,.
Caravan performed July 29
at Rothstein Park in Oak Park
and at Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield on July 30. The
group of five boys and five
girls, all 17, also performed at
Tamarack Camps in Ortonville
on July 26. At every stop, com-
munity members opened their
homes to host the performers Caravan leader Hadar Kreiter speaks about the
for a night or two.
Scouts and their mission.
On July 29, my family hosted
Michal Cohen, 17, of Lehavim, and Hadar Kreiter, 23, of Tel Aviv, an adult
group leader; she was part of the caravan in 2004.
"Seventeen is still an age that you can change and learn things about
yourself," she said. "It was a socially important experience that really im-
pacted me." Hadar's Caravan leader inspired her to do the same for this
group of performers. Michal smiled, indicating she might want to follow
in Hadar's footsteps.
How did Michal get here? Selecting 40 teens aged 17 from across the
country to represent Israel is not easy. Three levels of auditions separate
hopefuls from their summer of singing and dancing in America. The first
step involves an audition within the teen's city Scout troop. After pass-
ing through this level, a second audition is held within a group of troops.
Finally, those who make it
through attend a two-day sem-
inar for the third level of the
audition cycle.
Dancing and singing are not
the primary judging criteria.
Judges want to ensure teens
represent Israel positively,
have proficient English skills
and are willing to become ex-
pert singers and dancers.
Scout Sharon Matatyahu, Gabriella Ring of Oak
Auditions were held in De-
cember 2009 and teens found
Park and Scout Michal Cohen
out if they made the cut in
January. Once in the program, rehearsals were held every weekend from
January to May starting after school on Friday and going until Saturday
night. Caravan members spent every free moment of their second semes-
ter of junior year rehearsing.
Our new "sisters" told us some of the differences they've noticed here.
"It's so huge here, everything," Michal said. Hadar said the fruits and
vegetables taste entirely different here than in Israel.
Regarding religion, they said the Reform movement in Israel is very
small, with about five Reform synagogues. The Conservative movement is
practically nonexistent. Most Israelis are either Orthodox or secular.
In Israel, teens graduate, serve in the Israel Defense Forces for a man-
datory minimum of two years and then go to college. Michal is thinking
about joining the Air Force because her older brother and father were both
involved. Hadar worked in the intelligence sector.
The Tzofim returned home Aug. 17 full of wonderful memories.

Gabriella Ring, 17, Is a senior at Berkley High School and the T2T summer intern.

teen2teen August 19 . 2010 TT3