About a month ago, I received an e-mail from Whitney duBoef, Marsha Miller-Schaul, and Barbara Molasky, telling me that our dear friend Patrick Duffy was being honored at a dinner being given at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.  “Sign me up!” I said.

Then I read the letter closely.  Young Israel Aish of Las Vegas?  I had no idea what that even was.  And not for nothing, but if there’s one thing I’d like to think I’m familiar with, it’s the various nonprofit organizations around the Las Vegas Valley.  And with a name that might as well be on the deed of Ye Olde Local Irish Pub, Patrick’s honorific amused me to no end.  After all, I’m nothing if not a proponent of widespread acceptance of everyone, everywhere.  I still giggle when I think back to last year, when Lovee Arum was honored by the Junior League of Las Vegas and I wrote a heartfelt “Mazel tov, Darling!” on the back cover of the tribute journal.

To say that the evening was interesting would be an understatement.  I think I burned about 350 calories just from giggling furiously.  Rabbi Yitz Wyne is a pretty dynamic speaker (which is good, since he is almost as enamored with the sound of his own voice as I am of mine), and there’s nothing I love more than some fabulous millinery (though given my druthers, I prefer the designs of Philip Treacy and Rod Keenan).

A lovely couple, Tracy and Gary Banner, were being honored as the Partners of the Year; while Patrick was receiving the Power of One Award.  Alan Molasky gave some particularly charming words about giving, after which we ate a kosher meal that was very tasty (and smelled ironically like bacon) – and me, without my pavé diamond I ♥ Traife lapel-pin!

Former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones brought Patrick to the podium with a very sweet and earnest introduction; and, after the first of many standing ovations, the man of the hour returned the favor with some earnest words of his own (well, Anna Quindlen’s, actually – but they were earnest, all the same).

And lest I forget, The Smith Center hosts one heckuva dandy affair.

Reach for the Stars 2012
Young Israel Aish – Las Vegas
Click HERE for info

Get into it!