Elliot B. Karp was born October 10, 1955 in Mineola, New York. Karp grew up in Long Island, New York. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Stonybrook University and a master's degree from the Benjamin S. Hornstein Program in Jewish Communal Service at Brandeis University. Karp was Director of Financial Resource Development for over 15 years at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Ohio and Director of Leadership and Human Resource Development for six years at the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jacques Ribons describes his life during the Nazi occupation of Poland. During the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto, his family decided to turn themselves in to the Germans. They were sent to a prison and separated. He and his brother survived and went to France with the OSE, and came to the United States in 1947.
Jacque Dvorak was born in London, England, in 1944. Two years later, her family immigrated to Canada and then in 1953 they fulfilled their dreams to reside in the United States. The Dvorak family settled in Long Beach, California where Jacque?s brother was born. In 1957, the Dvorak family relocated to Las Vegas when Jacque?s father, Sam, opened a 24-hour barbeque restaurant in Market Town with his brother Harry. While growing up in California, Jacque enjoyed dancing and being on stage. She found herself drawn to performance much like her mother, Irene, who was an entertainer in Great Britain. This enthusiasm served her well in her future retail career which included the opening of the MGM. Jacque attended Las Vegas High School and graduated in 1962. Taking full advantage of being a teenager in Las Vegas, Jacque remembers the days when the need to lock your doors didn't? exist. Though, Jacque describes being keenly aware of being Jewish and forming strong bonds within the Jewish community through BBYO and other Jewish organizations. She also recalls protesting during school prayer recitations in the 1960s. In this interview Jacque gives an insider?s perspective of growing up in Las Vegas and Jewish life in the city. Her stories range from tales of teenage fun to dealing with modern anti-Semitism in Las Vegas to the joy she has found in friendships in the community. Jacque has two children, Harry Fagel and Lisa Sokoloski.