Tabach, Barbara

Barbara Tabach believes in the power of the human story and the value of preserving the voices that lived those stories. She has been Project Manager and lead Oral Historian for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project since its August 2014 launch. She has interviewed well over 100 members of the Las Vegas Jewish community, facilitated multiple panel discussions, and worked with community advisory groups. In addition, Barbara assisted in directing the development of the project’s web portal and identification of photo and document collections for the project.

The Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project is just one of many projects organized and managed by UNLV’s University Libraries’ Oral History Research Center [OHRC]. Among those that Barbara has been integral in are: the African American Experience of Las Vegas, Shake Rattle and Roll, the oral histories of the wives of the Test Site scientists, West Charleston, a neighborhood history about the residents of Ward 1, and a collection of interviews about the Walking Box Ranch in Searchlight NV.

Prior to coming to the OHRC, Barbara worked as an independent oral and personal historian. In the summer of 2007, she gained unprecedented access to the Frontier Hotel and Casino floor and backrooms during its final closing days. She spent two months interviewing employees, former employees and nostalgic guests about the Frontier’s history.

Barbara is the author of two books: LifeCatching—the art of saving and sharing memories and In Your Own Words. She serves on the board of the Southwest Oral History Association and is a member of the Oral History Association.