Essay, The Jewish Community and Temple Beth Sholom (Las Vegas, Nev.) (3 pages)

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY & TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM On a day in 1946 the dreams of the Jewish Community of Las Vegas were fulfilled with the laying of the cornerstone of what was to be the Jewish Community Center of Las Vegas at 13th and Carson Streets. For ten years a community center had been in the minds of many. The Center was not to be realized until a group led by Arthur Brick, Nate Mack and Murray Wollman put their hearts and minds together, and the idea of the Jewish Community Center of Las Vegas was born. Although the start was small, the hearts of many were big; and, before too long, the Center was completed, thus enabling the community in their two rooms to have their meeting place, their house of worship, their Hebrew School, their social hall and their youth center. With Nate Mack as the first President, followed by A.J. Schur, Mike Gordon, Jacob Kozloff, Harry Levy, Lloyd Katz, A1 Goot, Judge David Zenoff and Melvin Moss, membership grew steadily when in 1957 it reached 175 families. The Center had been expanded to include a complete kitchen, small offices and meeting rooms, but facilitie: were becoming crowded. The decision was then made that, if the Jewish Community was to grow and prosper, additional space was necessary and another home advisable. A site at 16th Street and Oakey Blvd. , its current location, was chosen, and after many problems of planning, financing and construction, the new Jewish Community Center of Las Vegas and Temple Beth Sholom became a reality. To Melvin Moss goes the honor of being the last president of the old Jewish Community Center and the first president of Temple Beth Sholom. Temple Beth Sholom, a magnificent structure of modern red brick design, faces on East Oakey Blvd. in the southeastern section of Las Vegas. It is the center of all Jewish activities for Southern Nevada. Its many rooms, social hall and auditorium provide meeting places and activity rooms for all Jewish organizations: the Temple Men's Club (membership 180), the Temple Sisterhood (membersiiip 300), B'nai B'ritli Men, B'nai B;rith Women, A.Z.A. Boys, B'nai B'ritli Girls, Jewish War Veterans, Jewish War Veterans Auxiliary, National Council of Jewish Women and the Jewish Center Social Club. The Danny Kolod Memorial Youth Center, a separate, but adjoining, building with complete recreational facilities including a tennis court, has a total membership of 150 boys and girls, from ages 9-17 years. The Youth Program of Temple Beth Sholom is all important, and, under the capable leadership of Cantor Joseph Kohn, activities have been expanded in all directions. Currently, the Hebrew School, starting with age eight, has a total of 107 pre-Bar Mitzvah and 15 post-Bar Mitzvah students. Sunday School, starting with age 5, now has 161 children. Through the Danny Kolod Youth Center and the Hebrew School many social and athletic programs have been instituted, and now there are Little League teams, dancing classes and dances, parties and barbeques, lectures, arts and crafts instruction, art classes, Junior Choir, tennis lessons and gymnastic instruction. In addition, field trips to Phoenix and Los Angeles to visit centers of Jewish Culture and interest have been included in the Youth Program. Under the continuing leadership of Past President Jack Entratter, who served for four years, and current President Harry Wallerstein, ably assisted by 1st V.P. Lloyd Katz, 2nd V.P. Norman Shlisky, Treasurer Art Lurie and Recording Secretary Mrs. Will Schwartz, Temple Beth Sholom has grown tremendously during the last five years. Southern Nevada population has doubled in the last five years, while Temple member- ship has almost tripled to 400 family and 75 single memberships. In the past year, there have been 20 Bar Mitzvahs. Temple Beth Sholom and the Jewish Community Center of Las Vegas comprises a sanctuary with seating capacity of 320, an adjoining social hall and auditorium where banquets seating 450 people can be served from its complete kitchen, or lectures, meetings and plays holding as many as 800 people can be accommodated. There are page 3 also six Hebrew School classrooms, 4 combination Hebrew, Sunday and Nursery School classrooms, a Junior Sanctuary, the Danny Kolod Memorial Youth Center, and a consecrated Jewish Burial Ground. During the High Holy Days, as many as 1200 have been seated to hear the chanting of Cantor Joseph Kohn and the choir under the direction of Morry King. Temple Beth Sholom is a conservative congregation affiliated with the United Synagogue of America. George Katz November 25, 1963