Dave Goldstone

First of all we would like to thank Nancy and Geoffrey Fages for two things:1.    Creating this wonderful dinner dance and in doing that bringing us all together.2.    For this Tuxedo…3.    Creating this “Dinner Committee” with Alice and Leslie Dreier, Lucy Goodhart and Gordon Bennet, and Debra Simon and Jay Johnson! 

Thanks to Rabbi Kirshbaum for everything she has accomplished in Israel for Women Wage Peace a group that has been considered for a Nobel Peace prize this year, her work with the Clergy Association of New Hampshire and for our synagogue and Jewish communities in the North Country. 

It is a wonderful surprise to see the Director of the Jewish Federation of NH, Allyson Guertin, to toast the occasion that the “Hidden Yidden” of the North Country exist and are an important part of Jewish New Hampshire and my best wishes to the JFNH Board whom I will be seeing again soon. The first time I entered  the Sanctuary of BHC was 1970 and some of you were there. The one I remember was Rhoda Sakowitz. And I hope you will join me on Aug 11 in Bedford when we honor Rhoda Sakowitz with the JFNH Shem Tov award! 

I want to thank Melissa my co-president the Board of Directors of this congregation and our Federation whom I will soon get to see on a monthly basis because you can never have enough Board meetings! By the way, the picture of us was taken at the opening of the NH Jewish Film Festival at the Currier Museum in Manchester. It was “Sammy Davis: I Got To Be Me”  and if all of you come to Colonial this Thursday to the White Mountain Jewish Film Festival to see Gene Wilder in the Frisco Kid, we can break some box office break some records! 

I want to thank Dorothy who is really the heart and soul of everything we have accomplished here since returning a few of decades ago when my father was here attending Services here twice a day. In his memory and all your own memories of ancestors who came to Bethlehem for the pure air beautiful scenery and then came through these doors to pray, to kibbitz and have a little wine and challah before heading to the golf course, I thank you.

Let this evening  dinner and dance be the start of many more celebrations of this wonderful extended family in the  “Beth Lechem” in the White Mountains of Jewish New Hampshire.