The Chabad of Las Vegas at 1261 Arville Street.
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The Miriam "Mimi" Katz Papers are mainly comprised of materials documenting Katz's involvement with community organizations in Las Vegas, Nevada from the 1940s to 2015 (the bulk of the materials date from 2002 to 2014). A large portion of the collection consists of planning documents, correspondence, event programs, newsletters, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, photographs, and other records related to Katz's involvement in the Brandeis National Committee Las Vegas Chapter and the Temple Beth Sholom Women's League. The collection also includes similar types of materials that document Katz's work with other community groups such as the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada and the League of Women Voters, and her work on the political campaigns of Democratic state and federal politicians.
Archival Collection
An ornate menorah sits in the sanctuary in the Chabad of Las Vegas at 1261 Arville Street.
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Publicity photographes of the Combined Jewish Appeal at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). 120mm negatives.
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The Combined Jewish Appeal holding an event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. 120mm negative.
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They've been referred to as the two Jewish mothers who own a funeral home. At first glance that seems too simple a description. However, it is how they arrived at this description that tells a story of two women who moved here in the late 1990s and whose paths crossed as they became part of the Jewish community of Las Vegas. Laura Sussman arrived first. It was 1997. The Jewish Community Center, a JCC without walls as Laura puts it, hired her as its first executive director. She was from Ohio where there was a robust Jewish tradition. She was director for eight years; then executive director at Temple Beth Sholom. Wendy Kraft moved to the valley in 1999. She was a stay at home mom from Boston, who was accustom to volunteering in the Jewish community. Knowing no one and on the brink of divorce, the Jewish community became her life, a way to build a network of friends and keep her occupied just as it had been in Boston. The two women met through their work with the JCC and love followed. Several years later, in 2009, so did their new business, Kraft-Sussman Funeral and Cremation services. By February 6, 2015, Laura and Wendy had married. They had already formed a family with each other and their three daughters, Leah Sussman, Emma and Elyse Kraft. In this interview they discuss their joint sense of purpose that includes love of family, dedication to the Jewish community, pride in the LGBT identity, and providing caring services to those at the time of funeral services. They talk also of Jewish traditions related to death, the Jewish burial society known as Chevra Kadisha, and challenges of their industry. They share feelings about nonprofits and how they value being actively involved in the community.
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Two photographs of the the Temple Beth Sholom Children's Choir performing. 4x5 negatives.
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Rabbi Sanford Akselrad, Gerald Gordon, Bob Unger, David Wasserman, Renee Diamond and Gilbert Shaw discuss the founding of Congregation Ner Tamid in 1974. It became the first Reform synagogue in Las Vegas. The conversation includes discussion about the first meeting, the move into the current location, and the hiring of Rabbi Akselrad.
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Letter from Arne Rosencrantz, President of Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, to the Board of Directors, August 25, 1988.
Monthly bulletins from Congregation Ner Tamid. Topics covered in the bulletins include scheduled events, messages, news, letters, photographs, prayers, birthdays/anniversaries, and recipes.
Mixed Content