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.

In the beginning, services were held at Truman White and Greenspun Middle Schools, and in a storefront on Eastern Ave, across from McCarran Airport. Congregation members published a newsletter and established a preschool and a Hebrew school.

In 1997, the Greenspun Family of American Nevada Corporation donated 3.8 acres of land on Paseo Verde Parkway. Until the new building was finished, the congregation moved to another temporary location at 33 Cactus Garden Drive. The groundbreaking for a permanent home took place in 1999, and in March 2000 congregation members took turns carrying the Sifrei Torah by hand while walking 4.3 miles to their new synagogue. Midbar Kodesh continues to provide a place for worship, education, and socialization for Conservative Jews in the Green Valley area.