The Sefer Torah in the Sanctuary at Midbar Kodesh Temple.
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Oral history interview with Mike and Sallie Gordon conducted by Adrianne Massa on March 02, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Mike and Sallie Gordon talk about being some of the first Jewish people to come to Las Vegas, Nevada when they moved to the city on January 26, 1932. They also discuss being involved members of a group of Jewish pioneers and being founding members of the Temple Beth Sholom, Las Vegas's first synagogue. They also discuss the growth and changes of the valley between the early 1930s and mid-1970s.
Archival Collection
Dayvid Figler (1967 - ) is the quiet boy who became an insightful and creative contributor to the local culture of Las Vegas. The oldest of Barbara and Meyer Figler?s three children, he was four years old when the family station wagon reached Las Vegas in 1971. They moved in with Uncle Izzy (aka Big Irish) Figler for a few months. Having the ?juice,? Dayvid?s father soon became a Pan dealer on the Strip. As the family grew, Barbara eventually immersed her energies in her children?s activities, Hadassah and Temple Beth Sholom. In this oral history, Dayvid also recalls his awkward, but incredibly interesting youth, his bar mitzvah at Temple Beth Sholom, and path to a successful career as a criminal defense attorney. He also talks about embracing Las Vegas as his home, owning a home in John S. Park neighborhood and mentions a number of literary depictions of Las Vegas that he admires. Dayvid describes growing up a ?casino kid? who lived in an apartment near the Riviera Hotel. This, in addition to his slight stature and academic brilliance, may have set him apart from many of his childhood peers. He graduated from Valley High School at the age of 16 and by the age of 23 he was a rising star in the legal world. He looks back with appreciation to his list of mentors who encouraged him along the way. Dayvid is also a local favorite as an essayist and poet. For a number of years he could be heard on KNPR/NPR. He has been a performer in hundreds of productions that featured his comic wit and writings, from Lollapalooza to Tom and Jerry?s on Maryland Parkway.
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Elaine Wynn, Lovee Arum, Lillian Kromberg, Reba Seger, Shirley Engler, and Susan Molasky at a Temple Beth Sholom Sisterhood event.
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