Oral history interview with Marcy and Jack Simon conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 16, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Marcy and Jack discuss their personal backgrounds and meeting one another in Los Angeles, California in 1964. Jack talks about his work building homes in the San Fernando Valley, earning a contractors license, and how Marcy became involved in the contracting business. The two then recall the formation of their electrical company, Expo-Tech Electrical and Plumbing, being the electrical contractors for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and moving their business headquarters to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1994. Later, Marcy and Jack recall their involvement in the Las Vegas Jewish community and the Jewish Federation (now known as Jewish Nevada). The two describe purchasing Commercial Casino in Elko, Nevada and selling their casino operations in 2005. Lastly, they discuss their involvement with the Jewish Family Services Agency.
Archival Collection
Early Days poster consists of photographs of various people. Top left photo labeled: "February 1979 Edythe Katz (Yarchever) organizes new Holocaust Education Committee of JFLV [Jewish Federation of Las Vegas]" had a piece of paper stuck behind it with identification of people in photo: "Edythe _ _ Ralph Cadualla _ _ Karla _ Dwayne, Augi Orci, Frank Lamping" (handwriting is difficult to read, names may be misspelled). Additional people also identified in the other photographs include Lillian Kronberg, Carolyn Stewart, and Franklin Littel.
Oral history interview with Phyllis Friedman conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 02, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview Friedman talks about first coming to Las Vegas, Nevada to work for the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas (now Jewish Nevada). Then she discusses what made the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) work unique and about ADL’s programming fighting cyberbullying. The interview finishes with her talking about work in addressing and combatting anti-Semitism and listing other influential Jewish organizations working in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Press Release titled "Human Rights Proclaimed" from the Clark County School District.
Text
Part of an interview with Elliot Karp on December 17, 2014. In this clip, Karp talks about his vision of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas as a tent under which all Jewish people can find a place to thrive.
Sound
Collection is comprised of scrapbooks from 1948 to 2009 documenting the career of Las Vegas, Nevada lawyer Neil Galatz, his family, and his involvement with the local Jewish community. Contents include news clippings, photographs, event programs, and other ephemera.
Archival Collection
Philip Engel is a Las Vegas CPA and was president of the Las Vegas Jewish Federation from 1983-1984. Engel was born in New York and educated at the
University of Illinois and University of California Los Angeles where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Engel came to Southern Nevada in 1950
as part of a professional team responsible for installing a state-of-the-art- accounting system for the Desert Inn Hotel and Casino. Engel stayed in
Person
Oral history interview with Karin Sporn conducted by Claytee D. White on May 25, 2023 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Karin Sporn grew up in Germany when her father was a member of Hitler's army. As a young woman, she converted to Judaism, and she shares how it was a difficult path. Much of her study and sacred rituals were done in Israel, and she shares that many signs along the way gave her encouragement, and she learned from others around her in Israel who shared their stories with Sporn. Eventually, her travel business brought her to Las Vegas, Nevada. After selling her and her husband's business, Sporn discusses how she was then free to volunteer for Jewish and civic organizations, and the leisure to sculp and to write her memoir, Just Peek Over the Fence.
Archival Collection