metro >> around town 'Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals' Barney Frank drew large crowds for his talks at the Holocaust Memorial Center. F ormer U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., spoke in two sessions at the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus in Farmington Hills May 4 to commemorate the clos- ing of the museum's latest exhibit, "Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals, 1933-1945:' The exhibit chronicled the Nazi campaign against homosexuality that targeted more than 1 million German men. An injury kept Frank from speaking at the opening of the exhibit; more than 200 people attended May 4. In his 16 terms as a U.S. congressman, Frank established himself as a leader in the fight against discrimination and a champion of civil rights. In 1987, he became the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as openly gay and, in 2012, married his longtime partner, becoming the nation's first congressman in a same-sex marriage while in office. ❑ Robert and Adrienne Feldstein of West Bloomfield and Barney Frank during his talk U.S. Rep. Gary Peters Right: Barney Frank greets HMC board member Arie Liebovitz of West Bloomfield, right, with Jewish Gay Network Director Michael Phillips, Barney Frank talks with Howard Israel and Henry Grix, both of Bloomfield Township, and David Kositchek of Lansing. center. Reading Helps Others T o celebrate National Reading Month in March, fourth-graders at Hillel chose to raise funds for Jewish Family Service. Their teachers thought they would raise a respectable $500 through pledges received from fam- ily and friends for number of pages or books read; they were absolutely floored when the students raised $3,800. "My reaction was pure pride in the kids," teacher Lauren Partovich said. "In their writing reflecting their accomplish- ment, you can read how good they feel Hillel students raise $3,800 to support needy families in Detroit. about themselves to help the community. They have a very strong connection to community here. It's a very special thing about Hillel students" A portion of funds raised will go toward the creation of toiletry kits to be distribut- ed to needy families in Metro Detroit. The students themselves assembled the kits on May 1 at school, along with JFS staff. The rest of the proceeds will be dis- tributed among JFS' other divisions, as chosen by an upcoming vote by the fourth-graders. ❑ Ow- p NIL Benjamin Lerner, Asher Aisner, Adriana Azariah and Leah Phillips are busy assembling and decorating the kits. Hillel fourth-graders Rebecca Bernard, Joseph Goldman, Jacob Handler and Rebecca Chynoweth help assemble toiletry kits. 26 May 15 • 2014 Max Friedman is proud of his classmates' accom- plishments. Henry Ellenbogen finishes a kit.