Oral history interview with Doug Unger conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 26, 2014 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Unger discusses his upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio, working at a family-owned mattress factory, and attending boarding school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He recalls joining Jewish youth groups in Cleveland, his employment with Sealy Corporation, and buying his own mattress factory in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unger then talks about being invited to a Jewish Federation meeting, attending Temple Beth Sholom and Congregation Ner Tamid, and becoming more involved with the Jewish Federation (currently known as Jewish Nevada). Lastly, Unger discusses being co-chair of the Holocaust Library committee, fundraising for the Jewish Federation, and obtaining funding from Governor Brian Sandoval for the Jewish Federation.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Kathleen Kahn Mahon conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 03, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Mahon discusses her family’s upbringing in New Mexico and talks about her Jewish education as a child. Mahon describes her family’s role in the founding of Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She then talks about moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1980, taking on a pediatric ophthalmologist position, and being involved in the pediatric community. Mahon recalls becoming the first female president of the Nevada Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and her involvement with the Junior League of Las Vegas. Lastly, Mahon discusses the Ronald McDonald House, the Pediatric Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and being a founding member of the Children's Discovery Museum.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Frieda 'Faye' Steinberg conducted by Barbara Tabach on September 10, 2014, November 10, 2014, and August 15, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In these interviews, Steinberg discusses her upbringing in New York City, New York and moving to San Antonio, Texas because of her father’s health. She recalls attending the University of Texas and becoming an elementary school teacher. Steinberg describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband in 1958, her husband’s career in radiology, and joining Temple Beth Sholom. Later, Steinberg discusses the increase of the Jewish population in Las Vegas, how she celebrates the Sabbath, and the importance of Jewish education. Lastly, Steinberg talks about being honored by Jewish Nevada for her work in Women’s Philanthropy.
Archival Collection
Barbara Tabach, coordinator for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University Libraries, Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project photographed in her Lied Library office.
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Ike Lawrence Epstein’s office at the recently opened UFC headquarters is sunlit and handsomely decorated. A black and white photo taken by the famous British photographer David Bailey of the Kray brother adorns the wall. Lawrence, as everyone knows him, is the son of Kenny Epstein and Donna Goldstein. He was born, in 1966, and raised in Las Vegas. He attended Vanderbilt University (BA 1989, JD 1992) and then returned to live full time in Las Vegas with his law degree in hand. In addition to being COO of the UFC, he is active in the family business, the El Cortez Hotel and Casino. In this oral history, Lawrence recalls his grandparents, their careers in Las Vegas, and his youthful favorite holidays being Passover and Thanksgiving. He became a bar mitzvah in Israel, a tradition he continues with his own children with Michelle Epstein. Lawrence serves the community as a board member of Meadows School and on the Stadium Board. As an executive with UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship], Lawrence observes the overall magnitude of sports in Las Vegas in 2017, how it came to this point with professional sports, and what he envisions as the future possibilities of the city as an international sports destination.
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Born in 1939, Sharon Maurer-Schwartz’s life experiences have traversed a groundbreaking era: she’s a female, Jewish and a married to a Protestant lesbian. This oral history reveals what it has been like for her as she explored her Judaism and recognized her personal identity. Her Judaic foundation began in the Reconstructionist movement in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has never wavered from her religious identity, though she has belonged to various types of synagogues. She and Ande (Edna) Rice, who also participates in this interview, were legally married in California in 2008, but have been together since the 1980s. They raised Sharon’s daughter Julie, pursued careers and moved to Las Vegas in 1999. Ande is a Protestant and the topic of blended religious couples is discussed. Sharon is devoted to her life coaching business – Growth Unlimited – and to helping others.
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Oral history interview with Ellen Barre Spiegel conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 04, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Spiegel discusses her family’s origins in Eastern Europe, growing up in Jericho, New York, and being raised as a conservative Jew. She talks about attending Cornell University, majoring in consumer economics, and completing an internship with American Express. Spiegel explains how she became involved in Las Vegas, Nevada politics, being elected as Assemblywoman for District 20 in 2008, and the redistricting of Assembly Districts 20, 22, and 29. Later, Spiegel explains her position on the board of the Green Valley Ranch Master Association and recalls her successes from the 2017 legislature. Lastly, Spiegel talks about her involvement with the National Association of Jewish Legislators.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Phyllis Friedman conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 02, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview Friedman talks about first coming to Las Vegas, Nevada to work for the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas (now Jewish Nevada). Then she discusses what made the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) work unique and about ADL’s programming fighting cyberbullying. The interview finishes with her talking about work in addressing and combatting anti-Semitism and listing other influential Jewish organizations working in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Roberta Kane conducted by Barbara Tabach on September 6, 2017 and May 22, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Kane explains how she was the first born Jewish baby in Las Vegas, Nevada and her parents’ deep involvement with the Jewish community of the 1930s. She then talks about the formalization that occurred in the Jewish community with the building of Temple Beth Sholom. In a second session, Kane recalls the Wildcat Lair, a gathering spot of students from Las Vegas High School in the 1950s.
Archival Collection
When Melanie Greenberg was a young girl in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, she thinks it is likely that she crossed paths with her future husband at Hebrew School. However, it would be years later in college when they officially met – and fell in love and married in 1970. By 1976, Missouri was in the rearview mirror and career opportunities for her husband Gene Greenberg would lead them to Las Vegas. With their 18-month-old daughter Sari, they drove into Las Vegas for the first time, down Boulder Highway to Flamingo Road. Gene’s employer had arranged for a room at the Flamingo Hotel. As she explains, there many have been a better route, but it brought them to town and they stayed, raised their family, and became fixtures in the community since that moment. Among their first goals was finding a synagogue. Melanie’s magical touch has been felt in many places within the Las Vegas Jewish community: an active member of Temple Beth Sholom, the Jewish Federation’s Young Leadership and Women’s programs, organizer of Hebrew High, coordinator of L’Dor V’Dor activities for seniors, and Executive Director of Hillel from 1996 – 2003.
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