So to Rick's suggestion . As much as I would love spending a minute tonight talking about my last 57 years, I would rather be reminded of the times we had at OHS. So here goes a brief summary of the last 57 years. Being in the 2nd math class taught me early on in my naive life as Russell would occasionally say to me but only if he actually had to speak to me that if I tried hard enough I could one day be with the smart boys. It did get me into McGill and eventually dental school. Following the path of most Jewish dentists, I opened up a practice in the suburbs. A turning point in my career and my life came when I along with two physicians one of whom was a friend from Outremont founded and built the West Island Health Centre in Dollard. I had lost my father at a young age and decided that this would allow me to now direct my energies to philanthropy. I became involved in organized dentistry and when I was the International President of Alpha Omega, a Jewish organization representing over 6000 members all over the world, I had the opportunity to travel to many different parts of the world to see the clinics and schools we supported and built and to meet with dentists and students who worked tirelessly performing Tikkun Olam. On one trip to Tel Aviv University, I fell in love with the university and the outstanding world class research it was doing despite its very young existence. Over the years I have been sitting on the advisory board of the dental school and was honoured to be asked to sit on the Board of Governors of the University.

This and my role in Alpha Omega got me involved in a program initiated by then Vice-President Biden and organized by Alpha Omega to treat the oral health needs of Holocaust survivors throughout North America. Many were living out the few remaining years of their lives in dental misery. They are now being provided with free dental care and here in Canada the program is partially funded by a Memorial Fund that was set up to honour my late wife. Although not a political statement

I was thrilled to get invited to the Obama White House.

My greatest blessings are my three children, four grandchildren and five step-grandchildren. This past year despite the pandemic I started a new chapter of my life moving to Toronto to live with a beautiful woman I had actually met some 25 years earlier when our children attended the same Hebrew Day school.
So in many ways life has been good and I was very fortunate to have spent the early years at OHS even if at the time I didn't appreciate it. I look forward to tonight.

Michael

Dr Michael TenenbaumPIP Advisor Alpha Omega International Dental Society National Vice-President CFTAU