Oral history roundtable interview with members of the Kristallnacht Commemoration conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 17, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Esther Toporek Finder, Raymonde Fiol, Alexander Kuechel, Philipp Meinecke, and Rabbi Felipe Goodman discuss the importance of remembering the Holocaust, the Kristallnacht event and why they participated in the commemoration event hosted at Temple Beth Sholom.
Oral history interview with Irwin Kishner conducted by Claytee D. White on September 10, 2013 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Kishner briefly discusses growing up Jewish in Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn, New York. He then discusses his family’s move to Miami, Florida and his relocation to Las Vegas, Nevada to work with his uncles, Herman and Maury Kishner. Other topics discussed include real estate management, and hotel operations in Nevada.
Oral history interview with Sabina and Antonio E. Callwood conducted by Claytee D. White on October 13, 2014 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. This interview begins with Sabina Callwood's ordeal in the Holocaust in Belgium and her family's various experiences with the persecution. She recalls her adjustment to life after the war and talks about her family's history with Judaism, also giving some insight into Jewish culture, law, traditions, and customs. Antonio Callwood discusses his family genealogy and his career as a musician. The couple delve into their marriage in 1990 and their extensive travels for Antonio's music career as well as their eventual settlement in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007. The Callwoods end the interview with a discussion of the Jewish community in Las Vegas and an awareness of how the new environment allowed them to explore their Jewish identities.
Oral history interview with Joni and Yvonne Fried conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 17, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Joni and Yvonne discuss their upbringing and growing up in a family full of musicians. They describe living in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in the late 1950s. Joni and Yvonne talk about their parents' bakery business, Freed’s Bakery, and franchising the business throughout the city. Later, Joni and Yvonne discuss being Jewish in Las Vegas and attending Hebrew school at Temple Beth Sholom. Joni recalls working at the bakery and Yvonne talks about becoming a physician. Lastly, Joni and Yvonne describe Freed’s being recognized as one of the best bakeries in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Wilma and Burt Bass conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 09, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Burt Bass discusses his photography business, the migration of its storefront around town, and his colorful landlords. Wilma Bass talks about her sales career in the local jewelry industry, and more extensively, she shares memories of her involvement in the Jewish community with theater productions. The couple also shares stories of friendships with local entertainers, including Jerry Lewis and Neil Sedaka.
Oral history interview with Pauline "Polly" and Jack Weinstein conducted by Barbara Tabach on April 12, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Jack talks about his upbringing in Detroit, Michigan and getting into the jewelry business. He talks about owning a wholesale jewelry business, relocating to Los Angeles, California, and forming a partnership with Tower of Jewels in Las Vegas, Nevada in the late 1950s. Jack recalls becoming the sole proprietor of Tower of Jewels in Las Vegas and describes his clientele. Jack and and his daughter Polly discuss operating up to ten locations at one time, advertising on the Howard Stern radio show, and their more well-known customers. Lastly, Jack and Polly talk about joining Temple Beth Sholom, Polly’s interests in the jewelry industry, and creating her own line of jewelry.
Oral history interview with the Temple Sinai roundtable conducted by Barbara Tabach on April 26, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, five congregation members of Temple Sinai in Las Vegas, Nevada talk about its formation in 2007 as a result of the merge between two struggling synagogues, Adat Ari El and Temple Beth Am. They discuss the struggles each synagogue had leading up to the merge and Temple Sinai's current Jewish community. Foremost, the members explain the personal connections they each have with Temple Sinai as well as the warm atmosphere they strive to uphold for all of the congregation.
One day in 2012, UNLV student Lyn Robinson spied a posting on the bulletin board for a photographer for the Sperling Kronberg Mack Holocaust Resource Center. She was an art major with a concentration on photography. She was also had a deep appreciation of the horror of the Holocaust and what the survivors she would take photos of had endured. Thus began a two year project, during which she took photos of over sixty survivors. Her images are preserved at UNLV Special Collections & Archives. Prints are displayed at the Sperling Kronberg Mack Holocaust Resource Center. On September 18, 2014, Lyn shared her work for this oral history recording. She is a native of Florida, daughter of a horticulturist father and pianist mother.
Oral history interview with Marcy and Jack Simon conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 16, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Marcy and Jack discuss their personal backgrounds and meeting one another in Los Angeles, California in 1964. Jack talks about his work building homes in the San Fernando Valley, earning a contractors license, and how Marcy became involved in the contracting business. The two then recall the formation of their electrical company, Expo-Tech Electrical and Plumbing, being the electrical contractors for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and moving their business headquarters to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1994. Later, Marcy and Jack recall their involvement in the Las Vegas Jewish community and the Jewish Federation (now known as Jewish Nevada). The two describe purchasing Commercial Casino in Elko, Nevada and selling their casino operations in 2005. Lastly, they discuss their involvement with the Jewish Family Services Agency.