In 1961, at the age of thirteen, Gerald ?Jerry? Gordon became a bar mitzvah. This typical coming of age celebration was unusual in that he had simultaneously studied in both his home state of California and his adopted home of Las Vegas, where he spent summers with his grandparents. 1961 is also the same year that the Gordons made Las Vegas their permanent home. Jerry graduated from Las Vegas High School, attended University of Nevada, Las Vegas and earned his law degree from University of California, Los Angeles. His gregarious and trustworthy personality led him to career building steps in the legal community of Las Vegas that included illustrious names such as Louis Wiener, Jr., David Goldwater, Neil Galatz, and many others. His personal law specialty became bankruptcy, especially dealings with hotel/casinos. As a member of the Jewish community, Jerry?s energy and expertise to organize was instrumental in the construction of Congregation Ner Tamid, the reform synagogue, at its site on Valle Verde and I-215. It was a multi-year process and includes a vast array of stories?a cash donation from Moe Dalitz, finalization of receiving of a donation land from the Greenspun family during the High Holy Days, and the ongoing challenges of a building campaign during a recession. In addition, he explains that CNT included two unique negotiations: 1) a cell tower and 2) a solar field on the synagogue?s property. Jerry and his wife Yvonne met while attending UNLV. Yvonne taught math at various levels in the Clark County School District. They raised their two children, Sara and Jeffrey, in Las Vegas, and forged an important role together in Congregation Ner Tamid. In April 2017, they were among those honored for their work with the synagogue.
Group of interviews and montage including community members and leaders for the Champions of Freedom gala held by the the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Jay Poster conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 26, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Poster describes his growth through his career in funeral services and his respect for the Jewish traditions of burial and grieving. He also talks about his participation in the ShabbaTones Band at Congregation Ner Tamid, and Desert Winds, a community based performance organization.
In this clip, Adele Baratz and Florence Frost discuss growing up in Las Vegas, the absence of a concentrated neighborhood of Jewish families, and the establishment of the Temple Beth Sholom gift shop for selling Jewish goods like candles and menorahs.
Group of photographs from a family album show the students at Sunderland Talmudical College in England, the wedding reception of David and Iris Torjman at Temple Beth Sholom's Ruby Kolod Center, and the Torjman family traveling in Israel and Morocco.
Oral history interview with Midbar Kodesh Temple members conducted by Bradley Tecktiel on April 19, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Two groups of early members of Midbar Kodesh Temple in Henderson, Nevada discuss the founding of the congregation and how it serves the Jewish community. They also discuss other aspects of being Jewish in Southern Nevada.
A book recommendation for "Family Corner" written by Bill Feldman, the Executive Director of the Jewish Family Service Agency. The book is titled "Raising Your Child to be a Mensch."