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Transcript of interview with David Wasserman by Barbara Tabach, October 21, 2016
For nearly two decades between 1950 and 1970, only one dentist of Jewish ancestry was known to be licensed to practice in Nevada. That was Dr. Joe Chenin. Finally, in 1971, the steadfast and easy mannered Dr. David R. Wasserman (1944 - ) broke through the barrier to become the second Jewish dentist serving the Las Vegas community. Over the following years, Dr. Wasserman built a sizeable following and immersed himself in the Jewish community of Las Vegas. Among his achievements is his participation and leadership in the formation of Las Vegas’ first Reform Jewish synagogue, Congregation Ner Tamid. He also would be active in the Jewish Federation. In 1992, as the HIV-AIDS epidemic affected dental offices throughout the nation, Dr. Wasserman saw an opportunity to get ahead of the infection. With the help of his wife Juanita Davis-Wasserman and his father-in-law Warren Davis, he developed, patented, manufactured and distributed a disposable tip for a treatment instrument commonly found in dental offices called a tri-syringe. This disposable tip brought sanitary options and great financial fortune to Dr. Wasserman and his family. In this oral history, Dr. Wasserman reflects on his joy of living in Las Vegas. He is a highly regarded dentist and leader in the Jewish community.
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Transcript of interview with Robert D. "Bob" Fisher by Barbara Tabach, January 8, 2015
Robert D. "Bob" Fisher is a Las Vegas, Nevada broadcast personality and lobbyist. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and moved to Las Vegas in 1994 when he was hired to be the founding president and CEO of the Nevada Broadcasters Association (NVBA). During his 22 years as head of the NVBA, he produced and hosted Observations, a public affairs program broadcasted on radio and television throughout the state of Nevada. Soon after, he began producing and hosting the only weekly live television program about diabetes in the United States; in 2015 his weekly live radio program The Diabetes Show was the only one of its kind to be aired over commercial radio in the U.S. Fisher helped bring the AMBER Alert program to Nevada in 2003, and served as its chairman and coordinator for ten years. His other lobbying successes include the classification of certified broadcasters as First Responders and the elimination of Broadcaster Non-Compete contracts in 2013. He served on the Nevada Homeland Security Commission for 13 years, the Nevada Crime Commission, and the Governor's Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. Fisher is a founding clergy member of Midbar Kodesh Temple in Henderson, Nevada and served as its cantor for over a decade. After his retirement from NVBA at the end of 2014, he established Bob Fisher Weddings to provide his services as a wedding officiant. In this interview, conducted shortly after his retirement from NVBA, Fisher discusses his childhood in Twin Cities, and the large role Judaism played in his upbringing. He speaks at length about his involvement with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism over the years, including as regional director of the United Synagogue Youth Far West Region, which took him from Minnesota to California. He talks about his time in Los Angeles, and later, about his life in Las Vegas, including his broadcasting career as well as involvement with Midbar Kodesh Temple.
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Transcript of interview with Beth Molasky by David Shwartz, June 2, 2014
In this interview, Molasky discusses her parents, Irwin and Susan Molasky, and growing up in Las Vegas as a member of Temple Beth Sholom. She attended Sunday school and Hebrew school, but is not particularly religious as an adult.
Beth Molasky-Cornell is a partner, shareholder, and an active member of the board of directors of the Molasky Group of Companies, which was founded by her father Irwin Molasky. She is a founding partner and a core member of the board of directors of Ocean Pacific Companies, a high-end real estate development firm founded by her husband Ken Cornell in San Diego, California. Molasky-Cornell contributed to numerous Molasky Group building projects, including the Bank of America Plazas, the Winterwood Corporation land development, and the Park Towers luxury condominiums. Molasky was born in Florida; however, her family moved to Las Vegas before her second birthday. She graduated from Valley High School in 1968, and started college at the University of Southern California at the age of seventeen. After spending a couple of years in Rhode Island, where she had her children, she moved back to Las Vegas in 1975. In this interview, Molasky discusses her childhood experiences in Las Vegas, especially as a member of the Jewish community, and reflects upon changes that influenced her children?s upbringing in the city.
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Jewish Federation correspondence, meeting minutes, and other records, item 05
A letter about local allocations from Hal Ober to the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, Nevada. May 20, 1986.
Congregation Pânai Tikvah
Congregation P’nai Tikvah, formerly known as Valley Outreach Synagogue, is the only congregation in Nevada affiliated with the Reconstruction and Renewal movements of Judaism. Located in Las Vegas, Valley Outreach Synagogue was founded by Rabbi Richard Schachet in 1993. In 2005 he retired and Rabbi Yocheved Mintz became spiritual leader of the congregation. Reconstructionism views Judaism not just as a religion, but as an entire culture, which evolves over time and continues to be shaped by tradition.
Corporate Body
Renee L. Diamond oral history interview
Oral history interview with Renee Diamond conducted by Barbara Tabach on November 20, 2014 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Renee Diamond discusses coming to Las Vegas, Nevada via Los Angeles, California with her husband and children in the 1970s and getting involved in politics. She talks about her husband, Leo, and his business selling vinyl records in L.A., and her work in a doctor's office. Once in Las Vegas, the Diamonds joined Temple Beth Sholom and later Congregation Ner Tamid. Diamond also talks about her involvement in the political arena in southern Nevada, including the League of Women Voters.
Archival Collection
Barbara Raben oral history interview
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
Sanford Akselrad oral history interview
Oral history interview with Rabbi Sanford Akselrad conducted by Barbara Tabach on October 29, 2014 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview Rabbi Akselrad describes his rabbinical training, coming to Las Vegas, Nevada, becoming the rabbi at Congregation Ner Tamid in 1988, and the growth of the congregation.
Archival Collection
Doug Unger oral history interview
Oral history interview with Doug Unger conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 26, 2014 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Unger discusses his upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio, working at a family-owned mattress factory, and attending boarding school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He recalls joining Jewish youth groups in Cleveland, his employment with Sealy Corporation, and buying his own mattress factory in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unger then talks about being invited to a Jewish Federation meeting, attending Temple Beth Sholom and Congregation Ner Tamid, and becoming more involved with the Jewish Federation (currently known as Jewish Nevada). Lastly, Unger discusses being co-chair of the Holocaust Library committee, fundraising for the Jewish Federation, and obtaining funding from Governor Brian Sandoval for the Jewish Federation.
Archival Collection