metro >> around town Mitzvah Day Jewish volunteers help organizations on Christmas Day. S everal hundred volunteers rose early and rolled up their sleeves on Dec. 25 to join efforts on Mitzvah Day, volunteering their time and bringing smiles at dozens of project sites throughout Metropolitan Detroit. Presented to the community by the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Federation, Mitzvah Day 2014 was co-chaired by Janet Berman, Seth Fisher and Micki Grossman. For several years running, groups of Muslim volunteers worked alongside Jewish volunteers at a few Mitzvah Day sites. Volunteers delivered toys, served or delivered meals, ran bingo games and brought a human touch to some of those less fortunate among us. Along with the original purpose — replacing Christian staff and volunteers so they can spend the Christmas holiday at home with their families — the event has become an event that many Jewish individuals, families and synagogue groups look forward to every year. ❑ Chanukah Fun u__ Nathan, Michael and Brenda Soverinski, front, with Elise Kravitz at Jimmy's Kids The Lash family, right front, with Tony Mendez, Jimmy Tuman, Santa and Bobby Ramirez of Jimmy's Kids by, - kl4S Robert Schwartz, Reva Gornbein, Laura Roth, Linda Schwartz, Burton Roth, and Stacey Schwartz at Danto Health Care Center A.i‘war;e14.' — At the Detroit Area Agency on Aging's Valley Services Building, John, Sophie and Lauren Hirsch serve lunch. Downtown Synagogue mixes food, donations and fun for the holiday. F ollowing election of officers at its annual meeting Dec. 21, members and friends of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit held a Chanukah happen- 6k ing complete with latkes and other holiday fare, a Chai Stakes dreidel tournament and, new this year, an original Chanukah spiel, "Chanukah Hasmonean Hullabaloo," by Ariel Payne. Admission was wearable warm-weather items to donate to Hart 2 Heart, an organiza- tion that serves homeless people in Downtown Elijah, 12, and Ravi Appelman, 9, Detroit. ❑ of Bloomfield Hills Nancy Pinegood and Andy Wartenberq of East Rapids, Carole Deroven of St. Helen and Cindy Starman of West Bloomfield fill their plates at the buffet. 14 January 8 • 2015 Amit Weitzer and Jackie Victor, both of Detroit Max and Nathan Newman, 4, of Bloomfield Hills 1 Benny Mattis of Detroit and Lauren Hoffman of Princeton, N.J. Joe Lewis of Oak Park narrates the Chanukah spiel.