In this interview, Michael Saltman recounts his family background, his schooling in Michigan, and living abroad in London and Munich. His travels to Israel in 1968 reinforced his connection to Judaism. Saltman and his wife, Sonja, moved to Las Vegas in 1975 and he began working with Larry Larkin, who eventually became his partner. He discusses several projects he completed with Larkin, including shopping centers and apartment complexes. He talks about the changes in Las Vegas that came about from the availability of financing from legitimate sources, and the population growth of the area. He then talks about his involvement in the local Jewish community with the Jewish Federation, Anti-Defamation League and Congregation Ner Tamid.

In 1942, Michael Saltman, the son of a rugged Canadian entrepreneur and of an educator, was born in Flint, Michigan. Michael spent a fulfilling childhood in Flint, where his family was involved in the Jewish community, even helping start a new temple. However, his life changed dramatically when his father passed away during his teenage years. At his mother's insistence, Michael went to law school after graduating from Michigan State University, and received his Juris doctor from Wayne State University. From Detroit, Michael headed to London to participate in an LL.M. program, though he quickly withdrew and landed a position with a life insurance and investment company in London. Michael soon relocated to the company's Geneva office, where his job included establishing operations in Israel. It was during these trips that he more intensely connected with Judaism and his Jewish identity. Michael left the company to join a former colleague at Shareholders Capital Corporation, where he met his wife Sonja. The couple moved to Munich, where they lived until 1975, until moving to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, Michael became a successful real estate developer. His projects include apartments, shopping centers and office parks, like Village Apartments, Campus Village Shopping Center and Renaissance Center. He later opened Food 4 Less grocery stores in Nevada, Utah and California, eventually buying the Kansas-based company from Lou Falley. He and his partner later sold the company to Kroger. Michael served on the local Jewish Federation's board of directors, and Sonja is a longtime board member for the Anti-Defamation League's regional office in Las Vegas. In 2003, Michael and Sonja co-founded the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution within William S. Boyd School of Law. Michael's other efforts to promote peaceful conflict resolution include the production of Streetball Hafla, a movie shot in Israel about Jewish and Palestinian teenagers interacting in basketball camp.

Interview with Elaine Galatz by Barbara Tabach on April 22, 2015. In this interview, Galatz talks about growing up in Wisconsin. She attended the University of Wisconsin where she was an English major and active in Hillel and the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. She met her husband, Neil, while traveling through Las Vegas on several occasions, and sparks finally flew when she visited him in Tucson on a whim. She describes Neil's background in law, moving to Las Vegas together, and her job teaching second grade. She describes the small Jewish community in the 1960 including the Katzes, Brookmans, Freys, Molaskys and Greenspuns, and the current direction of the Jewish Federation. Galatz discusses raising her children, some of the cases that Neil worked on, their group of friends, and her love of horses.

Elaine Galatz was raised on a farm outside Madison, Wisconsin. Her father was a Russian immigrant father and her mother a young American born bride. Her father died when she was a teenager and her mother remarried a man who enjoyed gambling and that would lead her to first encounter with Las Vegas. Las Vegas would coincidentally become the center of her life when she and her husband of 51 years, Neil Galatz moved here in 1961. Elaine taught school briefly and worked in Neil's successful law firm for a number of years. Neil was a significant litigator in the MGM fire and PEPCON explosion cases. The couple also shared in the growth of Las Vegas Jewish community. Elaine served as Jewish Federation president, the second woman to hold that office. Among their favorite shared family activities was a love of Morgan horses, which continues to present day for Elaine.

Interview with Barbara Raben by Barbara Tabach on February 24, 2015. In the first part of the interview Raben discusses her involvement with Hadassah in Southern Nevada, and the various groups within that organization. During the second part of the interview, she talks about her family and her relationship to Judaism, and moving to Las Vegas in 1991. Raben discusses the business she built in Los Angeles and Las Vegas called the Candy Factory. She then talks about the formation of Midbar Kodesh with other families from Temple Beth Sholom. Raben continues to be involved in the Jewish community and the Jewish Family Service Agency.

In 1945, Barbara Raben was born to Kermit and Adele Shulman, children of Eastern European emigrants. She enjoyed a happy childhood in Stamford, Connecticut, and was raised with a strong Jewish identity. After attending college in New Jersey, Barbara married Richard Grisar, and the couple lived in London for a year, before returning to Stamford. In 1975, Barbara and Richard moved to Los Angeles where Barbara owned and operated a very successful candy business, Candy Factory. Sixteen years later, Barbara sold her business, and the family relocated permanently to Las Vegas, where her husband owned radio stations. Barbara has always been an active member of the Jewish community, wherever she lived, giving her time to synagogue, children's day school and service organizations. Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Barbara and her family were members of Temple Beth Sholom, before leaving the congregation to start Midbar Kodesh Temple with a small group of other families. She has been an active member of Hadassah Southern Nevada Chapter for over a decade, helping rebuild the organization locally after participating in the Hadassah Leadership Academy, a program designed to engage a younger generation of members. Currently, Barbara serves as board president and interim executive director for Jewish Family Service. In 2004, then a widow, she married Terry Raben. Barbara has four sons with her first husband: Michael, Andrew, David and Marc Grisar.

In this interview, Phyllis Friedman reflects upon her extensive work with the ADL in Las Vegas. She discusses the city?s relatively low anti-Semitic activity, and how this allowed the Las Vegas ADL office to focus its efforts more broadly than in other cities. She also touches upon her family history, and how the community of Las Vegas has evolved since first visiting in 1963.

A Chicago native, Phyllis Friedman first came to Las Vegas in 1996 to become the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas? first foundation director. After two years, Friedman moved to year Los Angeles to work for ORT. Itching to get back to Las Vegas, in 2007, Friedman returned to the city to became director of the Nevada regional office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In this position, she worked with schools as well as law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), teaching about tolerance and justice. She is a recipient of the FBI?s Las Vegas Division Director?s Community Leadership Award as well as the first awardee of Jewish Federation?s Jewish Professional of the Year. Three weeks into retirement, Friedman gave this interview, reflecting upon her extensive work with the ADL in Las Vegas. She discusses the city?s relatively low anti-Semitic activity, and how this allowed the Las Vegas ADL office to focus its efforts more broadly than in other cities. She also touches upon her family history, and how the community of Las Vegas has evolved since first visiting in 1963.

Diana Saunders was born Diana Salshutz in the Bronx, the northern most borough of New York City. She was raised in a Jewish neighborhood and recalls how her maternal grandparents pickled pickles, tomatoes and other traditional Jewish delicacies for Wolfie?s Deli. By the time she was twelve years old, Diana was bustling through the city to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer. Encouraged by her mother Rose?her father Sidney was not as eager for this pursuit?Diana was accepted into High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. In addition, she was accepted at the School of American Ballet where she studied classical ballet during the leadership of renowned choreographer George Balanchine. Her first professional performance was in the Nutcracker for American Ballet. At the age of seventeen, Diana was on her own, confident in her dancing potential, and eager to study jazz dancing. This led her to Matt Mattox and to her important mentor, Luigi (Eugene Louis Faccuito). In time she was a featured dancer for Steven Lawrence and Eydie Gorm?s show Golden Rainbow. This was soon followed by a position on Sammy Davis Jr.?s television show in the 1960s. Diana also studied musical acting and showed talent for comedic performance. In the 1970s, Diana crossed paths with Las Vegas venues. She relocated to Las Vegas in 1974 when Donn Arden offered her a dancer position in Hallelujah Hollywood at the MGM. She met and married musical theater actor/singer Joe Bellomo, whose career spanned four decades. He passed away of complications of early onset Alzheimer?s in 1996. Always true to her personal mantra?Wake up; Dress up. Show up?Diana maintains a busy schedule. At the time of this of this interview, she is currently a manger of gondoliers at the Venetian. She brings to life that career and also talks about being a part of the former Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Diana shares stories of long career as a dancer, from substituting in the black dancer line to continued study of dancing with Anglo Moio. She also talks about the AIDS fundraising event Golden Rainbow, having dinner at Rabbi Shea Harlig?s home and observations of local theater.

On March 4, 1975 collector Gregory T. Hafen interviewed his father, Kent (Tim) Hafen (born April 17th, 1932 in St. George, Utah) at his ranch home in Pahrump, Nevada. This interview covers the history and development of Pahrump from 1951 to 1975. Kent relocated to Pahrump, Nevada in 1951, after living in Mesquite, Nevada from 1932 to 1951. Kent was a local farmer.