Lloyd Katz's letter to the Board of Regents requests information about the appropriate department in which to establish a Chair of Judaic Studies.

Oral history interview with Marc Franco Casibang conducted by Catherine Mariano on December 5, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. University of Nevada, Las Vegas nursing student Marc Franco Casibang shares stories of his childhood moving with his family from Cagayan province, Philippines to different locations around the world. After their international travels, the family immigrated to the United States and lived in South Dakota and Maryland before settling in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2014 when Marc was a high school sophomore. Marc Casibang discusses his experiences as an immigrant in America, learning English and adapting to the culture of the United States, and maintaining his Filipino identity. He shares his thoughts on Filipino stereotypes, the community he and his family have found in Las Vegas, his faith, and his educational pursuits to become a nurse.

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.