1
                                   Exhibit 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                     METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL CORP. 1997 STOCK
                             OPTION PLAN, AS AMENDED



         WHEREAS, Metropolitan Financial Corp. intends to file a registration
statement on Form S-8 to register approximately 200,000 shares of Metropolitan
Financial Corp. common stock ("Securities") for which options may be issued
under the Metropolitan Financial Corp. 1997 Stock Option Plan, as amended ("Form
S-8"); and,

         WHEREAS, each of the directors and/or officers of the Corporation
desire to appoint attorneys-in-fact to implement the filing of the Form S-8 and
take all such further and other action relating thereto as is set forth herein,

         NOW, THEREFORE, each of the directors and/or officers of Metropolitan
Financial Corp. whose signature appears below hereby appoints and grants full
authority to Robert M. Kaye, Kenneth T. Koehler, Donald F. Smith and David G.
Slezak, and each of them severally, as his or her attorney-in-fact to sign in
his or her name and behalf, in any and all capacities stated below and to file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") and The Nasdaq Stock
Market, Inc. ("NASDAQ"), the Form S-8, any and all amendments and supplements
thereto, as appropriate, and generally to do all such things in their behalf in
their capacities as directors and/or officers to enable Metropolitan Financial
Corp. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and all requirements of the Commission and
NASDAQ and all other regulatory requirements and hereby approving and ratifying
all that said attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, may lawfully do, have done or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.


            (The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank)

                                       - 1 -

   2






         Name                                       Title                                   Date
         ----                                       -----                                   ----

                                                                                 
By:  /s/ Robert M. Kaye             Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
     ----------------------------   and Director (Principal Executive
         Robert M. Kaye             Officer)                                           June 20, 2000

By:  /s/ Kenneth T. Koehler         President, Assistant Secretary, Assistant
     ----------------------------   Treasurer and Director                             June 20, 2000
         Kenneth T. Koehler

By:  /s/ Malvin E. Bank                            Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Malvin E. Bank

By:  /s/ Robert R. Broadbent                       Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Robert R. Broadbent

By:  /s/ Marjorie M. Carlson                       Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Marjorie M. Carlson

By:  /s/ Lois K. Goodman                           Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Lois K. Goodman

By:  /s/ Marguerite B. Humphrey                    Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Marguerite B. Humphrey

By:  /s/ James A. Karman                           Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         James A. Karman

By:  /s/ Ralph D. Ketchum                          Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Ralph D. Ketchum

By:  /s/ Alfonse M. Mattia                         Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         Alfonse M. Mattia

By:  /s/ David P. Miller                           Director                            June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------
         David P. Miller

By:  /s/ Donald F. Smith            Executive Vice President,                          June 20, 2000
     ----------------------------   Principal Financial Officer and
         Donald F. Smith            Principal Accounting Officer


                                     - 2 -