Michael Tell, the youngest son of Jack and Beatrice Tell, is the publisher of the Las Vegas Israelite newspaper and the second generation of ownership. He briefly traces his Jewish ancestral roots back to Eastern European grandparents who settled in New Jersey and New York. He became a bar mitzvah in a conservative Jewish synagogue in New York City. At age sixteen, he accompanied his father, Jack Tell, westward to Nevada. The elder Tell was in pursuit of owning a newspaper and Mike was a perfect companion as Jack took over ownership of the Territorial Enterprise. Mike recalls it was a short lived venture and the family settled in Las Vegas, where his father went to work for Hank Greenspun at the Las Vegas Sun and then for Henderson Home News, owned by Morry Zenoff. In 1965, Jack Tell opened the Las Vegas Israelite. Meanwhile, Mike explored the lucrative business of concert promotions and opened a teen nightclub 1961 called the Twin Lakes Twist. He hired such talents of the era as Bobby Darin and Wayne Newton. Soon his business acumen grew and he moved Mike Tell Productions to Los Angeles. He tells the story of his last concert, booking Al Green, and being held at gunpoint. Then in 1979, he returned to work at the Israelite, which had a circulation of about 2000. The Jewish community was beginning to show signs of growth. He recalls running an ad in 1992 for High Holy Days services to be held at the Aladdin hotel. He used the word “Lubavitvh” in the ad and this sparked an interest in Las Vegas from the Chabad movement. He also recalls anti-Semitic episodes in Las Vegas, such as Ralph Englestad’s Hitler birthday parties and the presence of Skinheads. And he reflects on the changes in the community that he has observed over the decades.

Commencement program from University of Nevada, Las Vegas Commencement Programs and Graduation Lists (UA-00115).

Oral history interview with Sonia Rivelli Jiavis conducted by Nathalie Martinez and Barbara Tabach on March 6, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Rivelli discusses her life including the evolution of her cultural background and her role in business. She describes how her parents moved to Brazil from Italy and how she has come to value her cultural roots in Brazil, Italy, and the United States. She mentions that travel was a major part of her life and that she has been to North America, South America, and Europe. One of Rivelli's accomplishments in her career was helping the development of the Brazilian community in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also states that she created the Aqua Diva Global water purification company in hopes of providing more safe and clean water to all people.

Full interview audio with Mike and Sallie Gordon in March 1977 in which they discuss arriving in Las Vegas and their business enterprises.

Commencement program from University of Nevada, Las Vegas Commencement Programs and Graduation Lists (UA-00115).