Skip to main content

Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 1 - 10 of 77

Rabbi Mel Hecht oral history interview

Identifier

OH-02635

Abstract

Oral history interview with Rabbi Mel Hecht conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 17, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Hecht discusses being a Rabbi in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1980. He also talks about his involvement in the Engelstad event at Imperial Palace Hotel, where the gaming board claimed that Ralph Engelstad glorified the image of Hitler and the Third Reich on the Las Vegas Strip.

Archival Collection

Biography of Rabbi Mel Hecht, written for a brochure, approximately 2004

Level of Description

File

Archival Collection

Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project Community Collection
To request this item in person:
Collection Number: MS-00790
Collection Name: Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project Community Collection
Box/Folder: Box SH-035

Archival Component

Transcript of interview with Rabbi Mel Hecht by Barbara Tabach, March 17, 2016

Date

2016-03-17

Description

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.

Text

Audio clip from interview with Rabbi Mel Hecht, March 17, 2016

Date

2016-03-17

Description

In this audio clip, Rabbi Hecht talks about growing up in Hialeah, Florida, and an incident with a Christian boy in his neighborhood.

Sound

Joshua Abbey personal photos including Josh and Yves wedding in Valley of Fire officiated by Rabbi Mel Hecht, and Rita Deannin Abbey photo in art studio, undated

Level of Description

File

Archival Collection

Joshua Abbey Papers
To request this item in person:
Collection Number: MS-00820
Collection Name: Joshua Abbey Papers
Box/Folder: Box 01

Archival Component

Photograph of Joshua and Yve Abbey's wedding, Valley of Fire (Nev.), November 10, 1986

Date

1986-11-10

Archival Collection

Description

Rabbi Mel Hecht, bottom left, officiates Joshua Abbey and Yve Eiholzer's wedding at the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Various unidentified guests surround the couple for their special day.

Image

Jewish Federation correspondence, meeting minutes, and other records, item 23

Description

Jewish Federation of Las Vegas (JFLV) Board of Directors meeting minutes, September 7, 1988.

Jewish Federation correspondence, meeting minutes, and other records, item 24

Description

Local Allocations Recipients meeting minutes for the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, Nevada, September 28, 1988.

Brochure for building fund for Congregation Ner Tamid, early 1980s

Date

1980 to 1983

Archival Collection

Description

This fundraising brochure for the building campaign for Congregation Ner Tamid includes pledge amounts for specific parts of the building, and a proposed floor plan.

Text