Videos included as part of an interactive "Welcome to Temple Beth Am" CD.

Correspondence, legal documentation, meeting agendas, and notes regarding the history of Temple Beth Am, the merger between Temple Beth Am and Congregation Adat Ari El to form Temple Sinai.

Oral history roundtable video with members of Temple Sinai: Jack Kaufman, Meera Kagemai, Sue Rhodes, Amy Stein and Jeff Klein. The participants discuss the creation of Temple Sinai from the merger of Temple Beth Am and Adat Ari El Congregation, and their experiences serving on the board of directors of the temple.

In this interview, Hecht talks his life experiences leading him to becoming a rabbi, eventually being a spiritual leader in Las Vegas. He discusses his experiences at Ner Tamid as well as the joy of starting Temple Beth Am, with the support of Morris and Lillian Shenker. Hecht shares stories about working with unions and Ralph Engelstad.

In 1939, Rabbi Mel Hecht was born in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of five, his family moved to Miami, Florida where they had a large, extended Jewish family, complete with relatives who were hazzans and mohels. Soon after moving to Florida, his parents bought a hotel in Hialeah, about 10 miles outside of the city, where Hecht spent the remainder of his childhood. Hecht attended the University of Miami where he earned a Ph.D. in Divinity, and subsequently attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1971, he became a rabbi upon graduating from seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three years later, Hecht joined the U.S. Army and served as a race relations officer in Germany. After his service, Hecht returned to Florida (Fort Pierce) to lead his own congregation, and in 1980, he moved to Las Vegas and became the congregational rabbi for Congregation Ner Tamid. Two years later, he left Ner Tamid to start a new congregation?Temple Beth Am?which grew swiftly. In 1982, Hecht also married Michelle (?Micki?). The couple have three children: Melissa Hecht, Karin Toti, and Adam Hecht.

During this interview, Natalie shares stories of operating the bus station, a brief ownership of Commercial Deli (1987-1990), and her long career working collections for the casino industry. Her first position was at the Tropicana Hotel and has worked for MGM Properties, a loyal employee at the Mirage since 1990, starting a few weeks after the casino opened.

This program is from the gala opening of the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1983, which featured a celebrity lineup including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Diana Ross. The program provides details of the contributions of Jerome Mack and Parry Thomas to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Meeting minutes include reports from committees of the board, correspondence, and balance sheets.