In 1973, Dr. Frank P. Silver ( 1934 - ) escaped the bitter weather of Philadelphia with his choice to relocate his OB/GYN medical practice to the small community of Boulder City. In his reflections of the move, Dr. Silver recalls his wife Elaine had little input in the initial move. However, with four children to manage, she soon made a home for the Silvers. Before the move, Dr. Silver was a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area. He graduated from La Salle University, Jefferson University Medical School and did his residency at Nazareth Hospital – all in Philadelphia. In Southern Nevada he enjoyed the weather and the excitement of building his medical practice. He mentions occasional challenges of being Jewish in the 1970s in the area. He also talks about being a shareholder in the Crystal Palace, a Laughlin casino.
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A group photo of, from left to right, Debra Cohen, Norma Friedman, and Dee Ober at a United Jewish Appeal (UJA) event, most likely in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Oral history interview with Barbara Raben conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 24, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview Raben discusses her involvement with Hadassah, a women's Jewish organization, in Southern Nevada, and the various groups within that organization. She also talks about her family, her relationship to Judaism, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991. Raben discusses the business she built in Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada called the Candy Factory. She then talks about the formation of Midbar Kodesh Temple with other families from Temple Beth Sholom.
Archival Collection
The meeting minutes of the board of directors of Temple Beth Sholom, then known as the Jewish Community Center of Las Vegas, Inc., include the proceedings of meetings held from 1952 to 1956. Also included are periodic reports from committees of the board such as Jewish education, cemetery, and building committees, and budget reports.
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Oral history interview with Mike Unger conducted by Barbara Tabach on January 21, 2016, February 03, 2016, and February 24, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Unger discusses his long career in hotel management in the 1970s-1980s, including general manager of Caesars Palace from 1978-1983 and working at Frontier Hotel and Aladdin Hotel. He also talks about being active in the Las Vegas, Nevada Jewish community with B'nai Brith and charities.
Archival Collection
The fascinating life of David Dahan began in Casablanca, Morocco where he was born to Mathilde and Isaac Dahan in 1957. After a hasty departure in 1970 the family came to America and to Las Vegas. Isaac became an administrator for Yellow Cab and Mathilde was a server at the Stardust Hotel/Casino. David evokes a tale of growing up a teenager in a strange culture and then heading out on a solo adventure to learn about the world. By 1977, he fell in love and married an engaging Israeli nurse named Yaffa (1954-2007). Her legacy is the Yaffa Dahan Nursing Education Fund established to assist outstanding PhD nursing students in their dissertation research. Leadership and the energy to always say yes are among David?s many characteristics. He has served on numerous local boards, such as: Nevada Restaurant Association, North Vista Hospital, Touro University, Las Ventanas, Henderson Chamber of Commerce, and the Nevada Law Foundation. He has been the recipient of many awards and acknowledgments for his tireless efforts throughout Las Vegas. Among those is being named the 2005 Person of Influence by In Business Las Vegas. From 1997 ? 1999, he served as President of the Jewish Federation during which time he led a trip to Russia. He is past chair of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs) Committee. In 2007, David was honored as Mensch of the Year at Congregation Ner Tamid. In this interview he recalls his family?s escape from Morocco, learning to adjust to life in Las Vegas and his early jobs in the restaurant business. With his roots firmly planted in Las Vegas, David has built strong relationships within the Jewish and general Las Vegas communities. David is the Chief Executive Officer of Orgill/Singer Insurance. His life experiences have fueled passions for his faith, cooking, photography, poetry and his daughters, Shana and Michelle.
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Part of an interview with Lynn Leshgold Rosencrantz on January 7, 2016. In this clip, Rosencrantz discusses relocating to Las Vegas and teaching education.
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Until her passing in 2017, Millicent (Siegel) Rosen was the living link to Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, one of Las Vegas’ most notorious links to the Jewish mob. A steadfastly independent woman herself, Millicent recalls Benjamin as a loving father to her and her younger sister. She is proud of his status as a Las Vegas visionary, though she affixes a footnote that the city of today might not be to his liking. She includes a few anecdotes about common names of the early days, including Meyer Lansky who walked her down the aisle when she married Jack Rosen. They had three children: Benjamin, Cindy, and Wendy. Millicent moved to Las Vegas to be with her daughter and her family in about 2000 and cherished her role as a grandmother. Always an artist at heart, Millicent once painted canvases for needlepoint and in 2015 promoted her clothing line.
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Oral history interview with Ruth Urban conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 24, 2015 and September 16, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Urban discusses her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada, including observations on childhood friendships, many of whom came from within the Jewish community. She talks extensively about her professional career and passion for mediation as a strategy for problem-solving. In addition, Urban describes her community service commitments over the years, including her current role with Nevadans for the Common Good.
Archival Collection
Gertrude Rudiak and her daughter Geri Rentchler discuss their early lives in Las Vegas, including their experiences as a Jewish women and social activists in Southern Nevada.
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