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Joyce Mack oral history interview
Oral history interview with Joyce Mack conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 23, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Joyce Mack discusses meeting her husband, Jerry Mack, their early life as a couple, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada at the suggestion of Jerry's father, Nate Mack. She discusses how Jerry met Parry Thomas and their banking and real estate investments. Mack talks about the opening of the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the development of the strip hotels, and discusses her children.
Archival Collection
Article, The Jewish Community of Las Vegas by Jerry Countess, September 1987
In this essay, Jerry Countess provides narrative context for a demographic study of the Jewish population in Las Vegas, and addresses the services and community needs revealed by the study and the growing Jewish population.
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Midbar Kodesh Temple (Henderson, Nev.)
Midbar Kodesh is a Conservative Jewish temple founded in Henderson, Nevada in 1995 by former members of Temple Beth Sholom. Population growth and physical expansion of real estate warranted the establishment of the second Conservative congregation in Southern Nevada, whose name means “Holy Desert.” Temple Beth Sholom was moving to the west side of the valley, and a group of families- the Kaminskys, Goldmans, Rothmans, Simons, Goldsteins, and Feldmans, decided to start a new temple on the east side.
Corporate Body
Steinberg, Leon, Dr.
Dr. Leon Steinberg is the founder of Steinberg Diagnostic Centers in Las Vegas, Nevada. He moved to Las Vegas in 1958 to help build the first radiology center in Southern Nevada at Sunrise Hospital. In 1988 he founded Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging (SDMI) with his son Dr. David Steinberg.
Person
Transcript from interview with Rabbi Yocheved Mintz by Barbara Tabach, March 11, 2015
During this oral history, Rabbi Yocheved Mintz weaves the journey of her life before and during her move to Las Vegas. She recalls thinking the "whole world was Jewish" growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, and discusses finding a community in Las Vegas, and becoming a rabbi in 2004.
Yocheved (nee Porath) Mintz is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, where she grew up surrounded by Jewish tradition and teachings. Her grandfather was Rabbi Israel Porath and inspiration to become the family?s first female rabbi. She was ordained in May 2004. The next year she became the second spiritual leader of Valley Outreach Synagogue, now known as P?nai Tikvah. She soon was known as a tireless and inspirational rabbi for the entire Jewish community of Las Vegas. After eleven years, on June 17-18, 2016, Rabbi Mintz?s life and dedication to being Jewish were celebrated. She transitioned to be Rabbi Emerita/Senior Educator. Before moving from Chicago to Las Vegas in 1999 she was abundantly busy with raising four sons she had with her husband the late Dr. Alan Mintz (1938-2007). However, she also managed to pursue her education, become an interior designer, and co-found with her friend Etty Dolgin, a Jewish education consulting firm called Kesher Team. Yet there was a lingering goal to become a rabbi. Throughout her life, Yocheved eagerly studied various approaches to living a Jewish life. So once she had settled into Las Vegas, she began her commute to Los Angeles to study at the Academy for Jewish Religion, a trans-denominational seminary. She interned at Temple Beth Sholom and has been involved in Jewish education locally and nationally. She has served as the first president of the Las Vegas Board of Rabbis and on the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada.
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Transcript of interview with Leonard I. Gang and Roberta Gang by Barbara Tabach, September 14, 2016
Leonard Gang (1935 - ) and Roberta Gang (1940 - ) are both natives of New York, though different boroughs and Jewish traditions. The couple met in 1960 while students at Cornell University and married in 1961. Two years later, Len graduated from New York University School of Law. Leonard had fallen in love with Western United States as boy on a family vacation. So when a notice was posted for a law clerk with the Supreme Court of Nevada, he knew he wanted to apply. When he presented Bobbie with a choice of Alaska or Nevada, she flatly responded that Nevada was as far west as she was willing to move. Thus, began their long and influential residencies in both Carson City and Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, Temple Beth Sholom was quickly a welcoming place to be for the Gang family. While Leonard?s law career flourished, Bobbie realized her energy and commitment to become an advocate for the benefit of the vulnerable. Over the years, she actively participated in the political campaigns of others and even entered the political arena herself, which she discusses in this oral history. During Leonard?s successful legal career, he held positions as Deputy District Attorney and Deputy Public Defender in Clark County and was in private practice. From 1971 ? 1974, he was District Court Judge in Clark County before returning fulltime to private practice. By 1988, Bobbie and Leonard had become forceful lobbyists including representing Nevada Women?s Lobby among others. In 2012, Bobbie received the Virginia Cain Progressive Award from the Washoe County Democratic Party for her leadership and dedication to the rights of others. In this oral history, the Gangs highlight their tireless efforts, the long list of political and civic leaders that they worked alongside of, some of Leonard?s high profile cases, and their Jewish heritage. They are parents of three: Lynne Moore, Karen Schnog, and Joshua Gang.
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Wilner, Martin S.
Martin Wilner was born March 14, 1946 in Los Angeles, California to Leo Wilner, an Executive Director at Temple Beth Sholom. He was raised in California, but earned his doctorate in psychology at the University of Houston, Texas. He moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963 and became a counselor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Soon after moving to Las Vegas, Wilner met Linda at a Jewish Singles event. They were married on December 22, 1974 and they adopted a son, Robert, to raise with Linda’s two other kids from a previous marriage.
Person
Figler, Dayvid, 1967-
Dayvid Figler was born August 18, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. He was four years old when the family station wagon reached Las Vegas, Nevada in 1971. Figler’s father soon became a Pan dealer on the Strip. As the family grew, his mother, Barbara, immersed her energies in her children’s activities, Hadassah and Temple Beth Sholom. Figler graduated from Valley High School at the age of 16 and by the age of 23 he was rising in the legal world. He was also a local essayist and poet.
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