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Transcript of interview with Jane Greenspun Gale by Barbara Tabach January 31 and February 9, 2018
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Archival Collection
Description
Jane Greenspun Gale-actor, activist, writer, magazine publisher, philanthropist, and farmer- has filled her life with accomplishments such as the Animal Foundation and Springs Preserve. It has also been a life filled with adventure - from “looking for John Lennon” during her time living and studying acting in London to learning to raise chickens on the acres of the Gilcrease Farm she owns with husband and photographer Jeff Gale. Everyone calls her Janie. Born Jane in 1949, she is the third of four children born to community leaders Barbara and Hank Greenspun. In this oral history, Janie captures the fun of growing up in Las Vegas under the watching eye of Hank. As a teen she and her friends cruised Fremont Street. Several years later she wanted to be arrested protesting the Atomic Test Site, when Hank diverted her into reporting about the event instead. Her Jewish foundation was at Temple Beth Sholom, where her parents were among the founding members. As the Jewish population grew, the tastes in synagogues grew to reflect the change. When Janie’s children preferred the Reform approach at Congregation Ner Tamid, a new family tradition began. She is proud of her background and shares loving stories of time spent with her grandparents as a child and pride in the heroic and dramatic story behind the naming of Hank Greenspun Plaza in Israel. Even her love story with Jeff is a tale made for movies. It unfolds in this engaging oral history interview along with anecdotes that are plucked from her personal history and preserve a reflection of growing up in Las Vegas, one of the Greenspun family of local fame.
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Transcript of interview with Rabbi Mendy Harlig by Barbara Tabach, October 18, 2017
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Archival Collection
Description
Known throughout the Las Vegas community as Rabbi Mendy, Mendy Harlig is a leader of the Chabad in Las Vegas, which was introduced to the valley in 1990 by his brother Rabbi Shea Harlig. Since his youth spent growing up in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, where he was surrounded by Hasidic Jews, Rabbi Mendy seemed destined to become a Chabad rabbi. During the early 1990s he often visited Las Vegas and assisted his brother at the Chabad of Southern Nevada. Then in 1997 he met and married Chaya Harlig and the couple permanently relocated to the valley to be the spiritual leaders of the Chabad of Green Valley. As their family grew, so did their importance to the Chabad movement in Las Vegas. During this interview, Rabbi Mendy touches upon the nature of Chabad teachings and observance in the so-called “Sin City” persona of Las Vegas. He also shares about his participation in the Las Vegas Metro Chaplaincy program. He particularly reflective of his active role immediately after of the horror of the October 1 mass casualty at the Route 91 country music festival and his perspectives afterwards.
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Transcript of interview with Yvonne and Joni Fried by Barbara Tabach, February 17, 2016
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Archival Collection
Description
Yvonne Fried, M.D., and Joan “Joni” Fried are the daughters of Milton and Esther Fried, the founders of Freed’s Bakery—the standard to which all other Las Vegas bakeries are held. When the Fried family moved to Las Vegas in 1955, Joni was born here, the fifth child, of the entrepreneurial Milton, a musician by night, and his industrious wife Esther, who guided the family business. As Esther’s 2006 obituary reads: in 1959 the couple opened “a snack bar, selling donuts and Danish, at the Panorama Market on West Charleston, while Milt played in the show band at the Sahara Hotel in the evenings.” For Yvonne and Joni, this made for a rather busy and interesting household to grow up in. Their Jewish upbringing was at Temple Beth Sholom. Photo above honors the multi-generations of the Freed’s Bakery tradition: (L-R) Joni Fried, Anthony & Sarah Fusco (Joni’s daughter) Max Jacobson Fried (Yvonne’s son) holding his son Lucas, and (far right) is his wife Emilia.
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Commemoration of Kristallnacht with Esther Toporek Finder, Raymonde Fiol, Alexander Kuechel, Philipp Meinecke, and Felipe Goodman oral history roundtable
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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.
Archival Collection
Irwin Kishner oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection
Sabina and Antonio E. Callwood oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection
Joni and Yvonne Fried oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection
Wilma and Burt Bass oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection
Polly and Jack Weinstein oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection
Temple Sinai roundtable oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection