The Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project Community Collection is comprised of organizational records, photographs, event programs, and ephemera donated by members of the Southern Nevada Jewish community as part of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries’ Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Materials document the history of the Jewish community and Southern Nevada from 1941 to 2017. The collection provides information about family life, religious rituals, community events, and local businesses and organizations.
Archival Collection
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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owner of Vegas Valley Morgans Horse Farms; widow of Neil Galatz (Las Vegas lawyer)
Person
Roberta (Sterman) Sabbath is an Assistant Professor of English in Residence at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and an active member of the Las Vegas, Nevada Jewish community. Sabbath was born on December 23, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia. She received her bachelor's degree in French from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1965 and married Dennis Sabbath in 1967. The couple spent two years in Chicago before moving to Kodiak, Alaska in 1969, where she started an adult basic education program and a youth program.
Person
Norma Friedman was born to Rose and Jacob Adler on July 22, 1935 and was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Person