About 120 fundraisers, including Elaine Kamarck, a professor at the

Kennedy School of Government and top Gore policy adviser, packed into a small banquet hall at the hotel. His daughter, Sarah L. Gore '01, who has taken a more public role in the campaign in recent months, sat at his side and was referred to by two introductory speakers.

In observance of the Passover holiday, kitchen staff served matzo instead of dinner rolls, leading to crunchy interludes between speakers last night. But those in attendance didn't seem to mind.

According to a Gore press aide, the dinner raised more than $750,000 for the party.

Gore did try a few jokes. He asked a man in the audience with eight grandchildren to "give me some advice afterwards, sir, I need some help. I'm a rookie." A minute later, he said that his grandson, now 10 months old, has already learned two languages. "I don't understand either of them," he said.

Few laughed, but the vice president smiled broadly and continued.

He was familiar with his audience, as he has held three Boston fundraisers with similar attendees in six months.

Gore will return to the city on Sunday, making what press secretary Chris Lehane said would be a foreign policy address.