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Transcript of interview with Rabbi Mel Hecht by Barbara Tabach, March 17, 2016
In this interview, Hecht talks his life experiences leading him to becoming a rabbi, eventually being a spiritual leader in Las Vegas. He discusses his experiences at Ner Tamid as well as the joy of starting Temple Beth Am, with the support of Morris and Lillian Shenker. Hecht shares stories about working with unions and Ralph Engelstad.
In 1939, Rabbi Mel Hecht was born in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of five, his family moved to Miami, Florida where they had a large, extended Jewish family, complete with relatives who were hazzans and mohels. Soon after moving to Florida, his parents bought a hotel in Hialeah, about 10 miles outside of the city, where Hecht spent the remainder of his childhood. Hecht attended the University of Miami where he earned a Ph.D. in Divinity, and subsequently attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1971, he became a rabbi upon graduating from seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three years later, Hecht joined the U.S. Army and served as a race relations officer in Germany. After his service, Hecht returned to Florida (Fort Pierce) to lead his own congregation, and in 1980, he moved to Las Vegas and became the congregational rabbi for Congregation Ner Tamid. Two years later, he left Ner Tamid to start a new congregation?Temple Beth Am?which grew swiftly. In 1982, Hecht also married Michelle (?Micki?). The couple have three children: Melissa Hecht, Karin Toti, and Adam Hecht.
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Transcript of bus tour of "Jewish Las Vegas" by Temple Beth Sholom, May 17, 2015
Temple Beth Sholom organized and led a bus tour of parts of Las Vegas that are significant in local Jewish history. Stops on the tour included Woodlawn Cemetery and the former Temple Beth Sholom campus on Oakey Boulevard. Narrator Arlene Blut gives the overview of the Jewish community, and Rabbi Felipe Goodman talks to tour participants at the cemetery. Former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman speaks at the old synagogue along with Josh Abbey, whose mother created the stained glass windows at the temple.
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Brian Greenspun interview, 2018: transcript
Interviewed by Barbara Tabach. Publisher of Las Vegas Sun, child of Hank and Barbara Green. Part 1 Subjects: Las Vegas Sun, Greenspun family, Israel gun running; Part 2 subjects: Journalism importance, Las Vegas Sun, Watergate tie-in with Hank's safe, October 1 shootings reflections; Part 3 subjects: Hank and Barabara Greenspun. Talks about Jewish visionaries of Las Vegas that includes Art Marshall, Jack Entratter, Sheldon Adelson, Nate Mack; Part 4: Interviewed by Barbara Tabach. Las Vegas Sun newspaper publisher and native Las Vegan talk about events and people from Las Vegas' years of him growing up. From watching pink smoke from test site to hanging out with friends in the John S. Park neighborhood to racial riot of 1969 to playing golf as a kid.
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Gregory, Matt, 1921-2000
Las Vegas, Nevada producer, manager, and agent Matthias Gregory Gluchowski (a.k.a. Matt Gregory) was born November 21, 1921 in Araucaria, Parana, Brazil. He was the son of an aristocratic Polish diplomat serving as Ambassador to Brazil. Matthias was raised in southern Poland on a large estate that bordered Czechoslovakia. He was educated at the Marian Fathers Lyceum in Warsaw, Poland, and later came to New York during his father's tenure as diplomat to the United States.
Person
Gregory, Matt, 1921-2000
Las Vegas, Nevada producer, manager, and agent Matthias Gregory Gluchowski (a.k.a. Matt Gregory) was born November 21, 1921 in Araucaria, Parana, Brazil. He was the son of an aristocratic Polish diplomat serving as Ambassador to Brazil. Matthias was raised in southern Poland on a large estate that bordered Czechoslovakia. He was educated at the Marian Fathers Lyceum in Warsaw, Poland, and later came to New York during his father's tenure as diplomat to the United States.
Person
Molasky, Irwin
Irwin Molasky (1927-2020) is a Las Vegas, Nevada real estate developer and chairman of the Molasky Group of Companies. He was involved in many major Las Vegas development projects including Paradise Palms, Sunrise Hospital, Nathan Adelson Hospice, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), the Boulevard Mall, Bank of America Plaza, Regency Towers, and Park Towers.
Person
Photographs of The D signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), April 18, 2017
Site address: 301 Fremont St
Sign owner: Derek Stevens
Sign details: This location first opened as the Sundance in 1980 which was known for its affiliation with Moe Dalitz of the Cleveland syndicate. Then the location was reopened in 1987 as the Fitzgerald's by owner Don Barden, one of the first African American casino owners in Las Vegas. Then in 2012 the renovation process began for Derek Stevens to open up the D casino. The D is named after Derek Steven's hometown of Detroit, Michigan.
Sign condition: 5- Very good condition
Sign form: Variation of a Bull Nose sign, signs on buildings and other entrance signs
Sign-specific description: Above their main entrance on Third and Fremont there is a black backdrop that states "the D" the letters the are in gold lights, then the letter D is in a big red steel box that showcases a tv screen in the big part of the letter, but this letter is outlined in two strips of red neon. Underneath this variation of a bull nose sign is a tv plasma screen that they have wrapped around the building. - On the second story of their casino there is a Vintage Vegas section that can be accessed from the street via escalator, above this second floor entrance is a sign stating "the D Vintage Vegas" At the Top of the building is an animated sculptural sign which is a slot machine with a lever that pulls down with the reels changing such as an old slot machine would have done. Then below this are neon coins that light up in order to look like they are falling out of the slot machine. On the top left portion of the coins states "the (in white) D (in red)", but under the logo is a solid yellow neon line. On top of the yellow line states "Vintage" and on the bottom states "Vegas" in a retro 50's 60's font.
Sign - type of display: Neon, LED, Plasma screen
Sign - media: Steel, some plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Light bulbs, T.V. screen and sculptural sign
Sign animation: The coins light up in order to look as though they are falling out of the sculptural slot machine. The lever on the slot machine moves to activate the moving reels in the slot machine.
Sign environment: On the corner of Third and Fremont St. West of the building is the Four Queens, to the North West is the Fremont Casino and Hotel. Across Fremont street from the D is little shops including where the El Portal Movie Theater used to be. Also along Fremont Street the D opened a bar which is very helpful with foot traffic. Also Third Street right in front of their main entrance there is a stage that hold concerts.
Sign manufacturer: AD/S Companies
Sign - date of installation: 2012
Sign - thematic influences: This variation of a Bull Nose sign is similar to many of the other entrance signs for casinos on Fremont Street.
Sign - artistic significance: The Vintage Vegas sign has a retro 1950's/60's type font. The sign really does represent the theme of that section of the casino well by having the old slot machine sculptural sign.
Survey - research locations: Acessor's office website, the D website http://www.thed.com/hotel/ , Neon Museum Tour Manual
Survey - research notes: Derek Stevens also owns the Golden Gate. He bought out the Glitter Gulch, Mermaids and La Bayou in 2015 then the Las Vegas club in 2016. La Bayou was demolished in 2016. The summer of 2017 is when the demolition of Glitter Gulch, Mermaids and the Las Vegas Club began.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-12
Sign keywords: Neon; LED; Steel; Plastic; Bullnose; Building-front design; Plasma display; Video screen; Sculptural
Mixed Content
Toni and Wilbur Clark Photographs
The Toni and Wilbur Clark Photographs depict Las Vegas, Nevada casino owner and land developer Wilbur Clark and his wife Toni from 1910 to 1975. The photographs primarily document Wilbur and Toni Clark at the Desert Inn, the hotel and casino Wilbur co-owned. The photographs also depict him with politicians and entertainers, and Wilbur and Toni Clark’s house in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
UNLV Libraries Collection of Fitzgeralds Hotel and Casino Promotional and Publicity Materials
UNLV Libraries Collection of Fitzgeralds Hotel and Casino Promotional and Publicity Materials includes newspaper and magazine clippings, a press kit, and promotional materials for Fitzgeralds in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Tunica, Mississippi, dating from 1991 to 2001.
Archival Collection
Transcript of interview with Joan and Leslie Dunn by Barbara Tabach, June 20, 2016 and May 30, 2017
Among the stories of those who came to Las Vegas in the 1960s to work at the Nevada Test Site is that of Leslie Dunn and his wife Joan. Leslie had been hired by the U.S. Public Health Service to monitor radiation from the explosions. He has tales flying into craters that make you wide-eyed. This assignment would last until his “retirement” in 1983 – one can’t really describe this couple as retired. During these early years, while Les pursued his scientist career, Joan’s chief focus was on raising their three children, Bruce Dunn, Loryn Dunn Arkow, and Sharon Dunn Levin. She also completed her education in accounting at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She was involved with Equal Right Amendment efforts and League of Women Voters. The couple were only in their forties when Les left the PHS. As he looked forward to new opportunities, he felt compelled to pursue his longtime dream to become a builder, something he had dabbled at as a youngster with his father, Jack Dunn. Together, he an
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