Beer, dancing and music blasting from the WBRS tent all the way to Ziv: this doesn't sound like your average Hillel party, but thanks to the creativity of Hillel's Social Events coordinator, Ezra Stark '06, this is looking like the new face of Hillel. Stark's vision for the upcoming year in Hillel includes programs like casino night, another themed dance party, and an intramural basketball league capped off by a tournament.On Saturday night the Great Lawn was transformed, as best it could, into a tropical beach. Complete with Hawaiian leis, limbo, a volleyball net, and finally tiki torches that set the proper ambiance around the lawn. Making sure that all the dancing would not tire people out too much, free J.P. Licks ice cream was available to all, and beer was available to those over 21.

WBRS DJ Mitch Balsam kept the party alive with rocking dance tunes. After about two hours, when Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" came over the speakers the tiring 300-plus crowd got rejuvenated and began singing out loud.

According to Stark, the goal of the program was to revamp Hillel's image into being something cool. "We want going to Hillel events to be as natural as going to student events programs," he said. "We want people, when they hear 'Hillel,' to associate it with cool." It also brought together the entire Hillel community.

The event was not geared towards any individual member group. The different Jewish denominational groups, BOO, BUCO and BARUCH, were all having fun together. BOO president Yoni Goodman '05 said, "The party was great in that it energetically catered to all different types of Jews. In classic form, Hillel used pop culture cool to attract students." Goodman went on to say that he hopes that "the students' activity in Hillel will now go beyond leg shakes and hip thrusts."

In addition to the Hillel groups that were represented, Stark was pleased to see people from the Student Union Senate, Executive Board, and even graduate students from the international business program grooving to the tunes. Hillel hopes that this is just the start of a great semester.