Midbar Kodesh is a Conservative Jewish temple founded in Henderson, Nevada in 1995 by former members of Temple Beth Sholom. Population growth and physical expansion of real estate warranted the establishment of the second Conservative congregation in Southern Nevada, whose name means “Holy Desert.” Temple Beth Sholom was moving to the west side of the valley, and a group of families- the Kaminskys, Goldmans, Rothmans, Simons, Goldsteins, and Feldmans, decided to start a new temple on the east side.
Oral history interview with Bill and Jim Mason conducted by Stefani Evans on March 15, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project and the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Bill and Jim discuss their upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada. They talk about their Jewish heritage, attending Kit Carson Sixth Grade Center, and their participation at Temple Beth Sholom. Bill and Jim recall working for their father’s construction company, Taylor Construction, some of the construction projects they were involved in, and taking ownership of the company in 1999. Lastly, Bill and Jim describe the growth of the Jewish community in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Dayvid Figler conducted by Barbara Tabach on June 22, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Figler discusses his youth, his bar mitzvah at Temple Beth Sholom, and path to a career as a criminal defense attorney. He also talks about embracing Las Vegas, Nevada as his home, owning a home in the John S. Park neighborhood, and mentions a number of literary depictions of Las Vegas that he admires.
The Organizational Records series consists mainly of Temple Beth Sholom (Las Vegas, Nevada) Board of Directors records such as meeting minutes, by-laws, policies, correspondence, memos, and budgets from 1952 to 2006. The Men's Club records in this series include correspondence, meeting minutes, by-laws, and documents related to the contruction of the Summerlin temple building and the Warsaw Ghetto Remembrance Garden. Temple president Gene Greenberg's records date from 1985 to 1988 and include board minutes, correspondence, organization charts, reports, materials from United Synagogue of America biennial weekend, and resources for selecting a rabbi.
Part of an interview with Jon Sparer, March 4, 2015. In this clip, architect Jon Sparer discusses his involvement with designing and building the synagogue for Congregation Ner Tamid.
Oral history interview with Jacque Dvorak conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 9, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Dvorak discusses being a member of Jewish youth organizations at Temple Beth Sholom, early episodes of antisemitism, the opening of MGM Grand, and raising Jewish children in Las Vegas, Nevada.