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Transcript of interview with Stephen Nasser by Barbara Tabach, January 17, 2018
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Archival Collection
Description
At the age of thirteen, the incredible life journey of Stephen “Pista” Nasser (b. 1931 - ) is preserved in his heart. His ordeal begins when his family are ripped from their home to be interred in a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. Fifty years later, he sits in his Las Vegas home and reflects on his calling to write and speak about his survival and losses. His ordeal is preserved in his book My Brother’s Voice (2013) and in his follow up stage production Not Now Pista. He is also the author of a companion memoir, Journey to Freedom. Stephen and his wife Francoise are tireless in their travels throughout the United States and the world. At the time of this 2018 oral history interview, Stephen had done over 1092 presentations about his harrowing life story to thousands of people of all ages and denominations. Each presentation fills a spot in his heart as he honors his brother and reminds listeners that such devastating episode in history should not be forgotten, and should never occur again. The timing of this interview also coincided with the premiere of a 20-minute documentary based on his writings and the play production. It was shown at the 2018 Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival. Note: the photo above of Stephen and Francoise Nasser was taken shortly after this interview on their next cruise. (2018)
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Doug Unger oral history interview
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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
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 Todd S. Polikoff by Barbara Tabach, August 30, 2016
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Archival Collection
Description
In 2015, Todd S. Polikoff was named the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas. (The organization is now known as Jewish Nevada). Todd is a graduate of Stockton University and earned his MBA at Cleveland State University. He has three children: Samuel, Shira and Jordan. Born in 1971 to a steelworker and hairdresser, Jack and Judy Polikoff, Todd grew up in Philadelphia, became a bar mitzvah there, and shocked his mother when he explained he was putting college on hold to move to Israel. In addition to stories about these life memories, Todd also traces his career path to decision-making to a meaningful trip to Moscow a where a defining moment helped him understand his own relationship with Judaism. To the time of this interview, Todd has invested over twenty years in leadership of Jewish Federation and AIPAC in states that include New Jersey, Delaware, Texas, Ohio and Nevada.
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Transcript of interview with Gene Greenberg by Barbara Tabach, February 12, 2015
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Archival Collection
Description
In 1976, Gene Greenberg decided to accept a job transfer with Donrey Media Group and relocated from Laredo, Texas to Las Vegas. Las Vegas was comfortable fit and for the next 30 years, he primarily worked in television ad sales. He rose to become executive vice president and general manager of KVBC-TV. Significant to Gene’s ties to Las Vegas have been his ties to the Jewish community. This oral history includes reminiscences of connecting with the Jewish community and meeting many of the Jewish leaders through Young Leadership, Jewish Federation, and being on the board for Temple Beth Sholom. The most poignant aspect to his Jewish roots is the survival of both his parents during Holocaust. Both Helen and Abe Greenberg were from Lodz, Poland and interred in concentration camps. Gene is a frequent presenter of their story for his commitment to Holocaust education and as a member of the next generation. Gene and his wife Melanie both spent their childhoods in Kansas City, Missouri and are graduates of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. They married in 1970 and have three children: Sari Mann, Elissa Burda, and Jaron Greenberg.
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Transcript of interview with Martin, Linda, and Robert Wilner by Barbara Tabach, May 10 & 24, 2016
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Archival Collection
Description
During the early 1970s, the boom of Las Vegas included many single people following family who had already settled there. Among those was Martin (Marty) Wilner. Marty?s parents were Leo and Mickey Wilner. Leo moved to Las Vegas to become the Executive Director at Temple Beth Sholom, the only synagogue in town. Marty, who was born and raised in California, had recently earned his doctorate in psychology at the University of Houston. He became a counselor at UNLV. Not long after, Marty met Linda at a Jewish Singles event. Linda was a divorced, mother of three children, who had moved from California to find comfort in living near her parents. Robert Wilner is one of her three children. He was adopted by Marty and works with his mother in the real estate business. In this interview, they recall together the Las Vegas of the 1970s. For Robert, he remembers his bar mitzvah, and growing up with Jewish friends under the careful eye of his grandparents. As an adult, he has enjoyed a successful career as a real estate agents working with his mother. For Linda, the success of real estate was being part of one of the most robust housing markets in the country. She and Robert recall an extensive list of visionaries who developed the valley, as well as the inherent challenges of water, unions and maintaining their high level of ethics.
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Marcy and Jack Simon oral history interview
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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.
Archival Collection
Norma Friedman oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Norma Friedman conducted by Barbara Tabach on November 19, 2015 and April 06, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Friedman talks about owning Walker Furniture, her family history, and being a member of the Las Vegas, Nevada Jewish community for over 40 years.
Archival Collection
Florence Frost oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Florence Frost conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 10, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview Frost talks about her parents and early life, her marriage and coming to Las Vegas, Nevada in the early 1960s, and her husband's work as an interior designer. Then she discusses her work with the Temple Beth Sholom and involvement with the board, as well as many of the Jewish-owned businesses in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Arlene Blut oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Arlene Blut conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 28, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Blut discusses her involvement in local and national arts, being an actor and promoter/director of theater events, and recalls her experiences in Las Vegas, Nevada’s Jewish community.
Archival Collection