The occasion was all about his wife, but attorney Ed Barad sure didn’t want for attention at a Green Gables Country Club luncheon at which the Viviennes, Nancys, Goldies and Jans far outnumbered names like Tom, Daniel, David and Mark.
“I don’t think I’ve been kissed by as many women since the day I was born,” Barad said with a laugh as he stepped to the lectern to pay tribute to his wife, Marlin, the 28th recipient of Allied Jewish Federation’s Golda Meir Award. “I could be in the movies, there’s so much makeup smeared on my face.”
Barad’s words turned serious and loving, though, as he traced the journey the couple has shared in the 40 years they’ve been together.
Her faith, Barad said, has evolved and intensified as time has passed – and her devotion to both its spiritual and philanthropic teachings played a large part in why she was chosen for the award.
Strength of conviction has always been one of Marlin’s hallmarks, and she demonstrated another aspect of strength as she accepted the award. “My speech is going to be short,” she promised, “because I can only stand on one foot for a short time.” She said this as she bravely set aside the crutches she’s using as she recuperates from painful foot surgery.
In the 30 years she has been involved with AJF-Colorado, Marlin has chaired numerous fundraisers, including dinners for Yeshiva Toras Chaim, the University of Denver Center for Judaic Studies, and BMH-BJ Synagogue. In addition, she’s the mother of three grown children, a mentor in the University of Denver Bridge Project and chair of the baby-boomer research and development focus team of the Greater Denver/Boulder Jewish Community Study conducted by AJF and Rose Community Foundation.
Family members celebrating with her included her daughter and son-in-law, Dr. Meredith Barad and Matt Richtel.
Other guests included Dottie Resnick, chair of the AJF Women’s Philanthropy Center board; Evi Makovsky; Kathy Palakow-Kimmel; Ellyn Hutt; Susan Karsh; Teena Slatkin; Francine Topelson; and former award recipients including Selma Cohen, Jane E. Rosenbaum, Marlene Siegel, Essie Perlmutter, Arlene Hirschfeld, Elaine Asarch, Robyn Loup, Carol Karsh, Shelley Krovitz, Ruth Toltz, Andrea Hyatt, Lee Kay and Robin Chotin.
Big names, big news
Tom Sutherland, who was dean of agriculture at American University in Beirut when he was kidnapped in June 1985 and held hostage for 2,354 days, and his wife, Jean, are to be the special guests this evening at a cocktail party honoring donors to Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. Trudy and Wayne Fowler host the 5:30 p.m. event at the University Club.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com. She also contributes at
