Vice President Al Gore gives running mate Joseph Lieberman a hug after being introduced to crowd at a rally in Boston's North End Wednesday night. Mass. Senator Edward M. Kennedy is at left. (Globe Staff Photo / Jonathan Wiggs)

BROOKLINE -- Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Joseph I. Lieberman told prominent Boston-area Jewish leaders Wednesday that he hopes his candidacy opens doors for people of all walks of life.

"I'm here for a principle, the principle of inclusiveness and opportunity," he said.

Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, made his remarks at a $10,000-a-plate fund-raising event at the home of Ahron Solomont, brother of former Democratic National Committee finance chairman Alan Solomont.

The event, which raised $450,000, also was attended by former DNC chief Steve Grossman, and Democratic fund-raiser Elaine Schuster.

Lieberman is the first Jew nominated for the vice presidency and his faith was highlighted during the luncheon.

Alan Solomont gave Lieberman a history of Boston's Jewish community during his introduction, and said, "Your candidacy means we measure our leaders by their abilities and nothing else, and that in America the door of opportunity should be open to everyone."

Lieberman called religious faith "a tie in this country. It's a tie that unites a lot of people."

He paraphrased John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic elected president, saying he hoped no one would vote for or against him because of his religion.

Lieberman also talked about the differences between the education plans offered by the Republicans and the Democrats. He said his running mate, Vice President Al Gore, wanted to spend $170 billion over 10 years to improve education, and criticized Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush for wanting to spend money on a large tax cut.

But on Beacon Hill, Gov. Paul Cellucci and other top state Republicans held a Statehouse news conference to criticize Gore's record on education.

Cellucci presented "Al Gore's Education Report Card," in which he gave Gore an "F" for what he said was a failure to improve the nation's schools, despite eight years in office with President Clinton.

House Minority Leader Fran Marini called the Gore plan too costly.

"Al Gore wants to solve the problems in education the way he wants to solve every other problem," Marini said. "He wants to take your money, and spend more of it."

Lieberman said he's been buoyed by recent polls that show Gore with a slight lead in the polls.

"The public has taken a fresh look at Al Gore and they like what they see," he said.

But Lieberman cautioned that the race was far from over.

"This is going to a battle right to the end," he said.

Lieberman was joined by Gore for a rally in Boston's North End later Wednesday before heading to a $1,000 per plate fund-raising event at the Boston Park Plaza, where musician James Taylor was to perform. The event was expected to raise $2 million.

About a dozen protesters heckled Gore, calling him a "corporate puppet."

Gore responded by saying, "Let's hear it for the 1st Amendment. Let's hear it for free speech."

Earlier in the day, Lieberman got a reminder that he may be Democratic nominee Al Gore's running mate, but he still has to wait in line for Senate business.

Lieberman waited for other, more senior lawmakers to deliver their remarks before launching into his denunciation of violence in the media and its impact on children.

With the whirlwind excitement of life on the campaign trail, "there's always the danger that you'll take yourself too seriously," the Connecticut senator told the committee. "I count on my wife to keep me humble, but the Senate seniority system does that as well."