Issuu

www.davidlv.com OCTOBER 2012

The Fall of Aleppo The Millennial Home of the Aleppo Codex is Once Again in Crisis

Orchestrating Harmony The Israel Philharmonic Under the Baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta

Trick or Treat Vegas Fright Night Attractions that Make One Scream for More.

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$6 Billion Election

This Message is Approved by Your Local TV Station

9/24/12 6:48 PM

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Las Vegas Design Center is home to the city’s most comprehensive selection of home furnishings and interior design resources. LOCATED AT WORLD MARKET CENTER LAS VEGAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 10AM TO 5PM AND SATURDAY, 10AM TO 3PM COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING · LVDESIGNCENTER.COM

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October

pulse

live

think

grill

explore The month’s event listings to help plan your day or your stay

devour Where to find some of the best eats, drinks and foodie happenings in the Valley

Orchestrating Harmony Through turbulence and triumph Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic plays on.

speak A postcard from D.C. Conversations with the young elites that run the nation’s capital.

sense Halloween in Las Vegas. This year sin city is going all out to provide the ultimate fright night experience.

Jewish Aleppo, Lost Forever The Syrian diaspora in Israel watches its once-vibrant ancestral home fall to ruin in the country’s civil war

taste Each year during the harvest festival of Sukkot, Jews are encouraged to dine alfresco. Recipes that celebrate our seasonal organic produce can be found at gourmetkoshercooking.com

$6 Billion Election The impact of this media bonanza on our TV time.

www.davidlv.com OCTOBER 2012

on the cover A political trick or treat. Models: Cole Sims and Alex Kermani, Photography: Steven Wilson. Masks provided by halloweenmart.com

Copyright 2012 by JewishINK LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. DAVID MAGAZINE is protected as a trademark in the United States. Subscribers: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we are under no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged for in writing. DAVID MAGAZINE is a monthly publication. All information regarding editorial content or property for sale is deemed reliable. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions.

The Fall of Aleppo The Millennial Home of the Aleppo Codex is Once Again in Crisis

www.davidlv.com

discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the World daven Candle Lighting times and synagogue information. mingle Snapshots of the latest, greatest events

OCTOBER 2012

desire Sin City abounds in world-class shopping ... these are a few of our favorite things

3.6

Fran Lebowitz, Writer & Public Speaker The month’s spotlight on a person of interest

Orchestrating Harmony The Israel Philharmonic Under the Batton of Maestro Zubin Mehta

Trick or Treat Vegas Fright Night Attractions that Make One Scream for More.

$6 Billion Election

This Message is Approved by Your Local TV Station

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4 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Renowned music director Zubin Mehta and pianist Yuja Wang will lead the orchestra in a delightful performance including the works of Schubert, Chopin and Brahms.

OCTOBER 29 AT 7:30PM TICKETS STARTING AT $39 | For tickets, please visit TheSmithCenter.com or call 702.749.2000

361 Symphony Park Ave Las Vegas, NV 89106

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Publisher/Editor Associate Publisher

Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIALllllllll

Editorial Assistants

Jeremy Leopold a

Copy Editor

Brianna Soloski

brianna@davidlv.com

Pat Teague

Contributing Writers

Allison Calhoun Marisa Finetti Adam Friedland Jaq Greenspon Brian Sodoma Lynn Wexler-Margolies

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director/ Photographer Contributing Photographers

Steven Wilson

steve@davidlv.com

Lawton Howell Denise Truscello

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Director

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS 702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com

Volume 03 Number05 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.

To advertise in DAVID Magazine, call 702-254-2223 or email ads@davidlv.com To subscribe to DAVID Magazine, call 702.254-2223 or email subscibe@davidlv.com

DAVID Magazine sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This copy of DAVID Magazine was printed by American Web in Denver, Colo., on paper from well-managed forests which meet EPA guidelines that recommend use of recovered fibers for coated papers. Inks used contain a blend of soy base. Our printer meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards and is a certified member of both the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. When you are done with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it.

6 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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Sher F

Sher Fertility Institute Las Vegas

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contributors

Allison Calhoun is a writer, actress, and director who lives in Los Angeles, California. Having recently finished her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University she is now continuing her studies at UCLA. Allison spent the majority of her life in Tennessee and New York where she grew up and where her family still lives.

Marisa Finetti is a local writer, marketing professional and blogger. The Tokyoborn Finetti has called Las Vegas home since 2005. She has written for such publications as Spirit and Las Vegas and Nevada magazines and has a healthy-living blog at bestbewell.com. When she’s not writing, Finetti enjoys family time with her husband and two boys.

Adam Friedland is a graduate of George Washington University and lives in Washington DC where he works in television and writes and performs comedy in his spare time. His Comedy heroes are Woody Allen and Louis C.K.. Adam enjoys riding his bike, spending time with friends and chasing around his cat, Tupac Geronimo Friedland. All he is saying is give peas a chance; vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet.

Jaq Greenspon is a noted local journalist, screenwriter and author with credits on The New Adventures of Robin Hood and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also is a literary and movie critic, has taught and written about fi lmmaking but is most proud of his role in the fi lm, Lotto Love. A Vegas resident for most of his life, his native language is Hebrew, but he doesn’t speak it anymore.

Brian Sodoma has been writing professionally since 1998. He has called Las Vegas home since 2002, and enjoys covering the city’s business issues, real estate, health, sports ... anything that isn’t fashion. Sodoma currently is working on a feature-length screenplay about Las Vegas real estate meltdown with local fi lm director Roger Tinch. When he’s not hunting for new story ideas, Sodoma dabbles in real estate, coaches youth soccer and plays ice hockey.

Lynn WexlerMargolies has been a feature writer and contributor for magazines and newspapers, locally and nationally, for over 20 years. She writes a monthly online column entitled Manners in the News, which comments on the behavior of politicians, celebrities and others thrust in the public arena. She is the Founder and President of Perfectly Poised, a school of manners that teaches social, personal and business etiquette to young people. She is a former TV Reporter and News Anchor. Of her many accomplishments, she is most proud of her three outstanding teenaged children.

8 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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Titus_10

From the Desk of y Berkley Congresswoman Shelle Friends,

st Congressional sentative for Nevada’s Fir pre Re . U.S nt rre cu the District that I am community and Titus’s candidacy in the na Di nd As a member of the Jewish frie me gti lon strongly endorse my District, I am writing to . vacating to run for Senate ns from Iran’s nuclear weapo With the ongoing threat . ael re than Isr mo of w n no tio s na res ng the Co for nd like Dina in frie a ed We are at a critical time ne we st, Ea le dd d her votes. throughout the Mi our values goes far beyon for rt po program and instability sup her t bu , ord -Israel voting rec ever. She has a perfect pro can and Nevada service. She taught Ameri c bli pu d an ion cat edu people of Senate fessional life to years. She represented the 34 for Dina has dedicated her pro gas Ve s La a, vad to 2008. When University of Ne nority Leader from 1993 Mi the government classes at the as g vin ser rs, yea cial overseas Legislature for 20 ensured that her first offi she s, res District 7 in the Nevada ng Co 1th 11 the ern Nevadans in elected to represent South trip would be to Israel. ’s ating America’s and Israel dignitaries and demonstr ng ces of eti pie me , na few Di the h of wit e on ael er to introduce nn ma n I traveled throughout Isr isa art bip a in d n estigatio of the ngress Dina worke olution calling for an inv res a uce unbreakable bond. In Co rod int d pe hel e a incident. PAC in 2009. Sh nsible for the Gaza Flotill po res re legislation endorsed by AI we ich wh s up g ties to terrorist gro IHH, a group with stron Jewish people. rt of causes important to the po sup g din tan g-s lon by a Holocaust ael has been proven pushed for development of she 0s, Dina’s commitment to Isr 198 the in cil un a Governor’s vada Humanities Co ocated creation of the Nevad adv she As chairwoman of the Ne , tor isla leg a vad was c schools. As a Ne 5 legislative session, Dina studies curriculum in publi Holocaust. And in the 200 the riation to rop ng app lati Re the n for tio tus uca ishing line-item sta abl Advisory Council on Ed est in e itte mm Co e been supportive of the Senate Financ legislative career, Dina has her t successful as a member of ou gh rou Th g. din increasing its fun by religious bigotry. supporting the Council and to deter crimes motivated t par ge lar in s, me cri e stronger penalties for hat in the Middle t Israel is our greatest ally tha ief bel n mo com r ou y as a whole. The ll always share in and worldwide communit tes My friend Dina Titus wi Sta d ite Un the ts efi in Congress, we d safe Israel ben and its citizens; with Dina ael Isr East and that a strong an of ety saf d an ty support the securi Washington. U.S. must do all it can to cause representing us in r ou for e cat vo ad an e can be sure that we hav Sincerely,

swoman Shelley Berkley, Congres

Paid for by Titus for Congress

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from the publisher

Congratulations goes to Laura Sussman, who took this photograph whilst visiting Varanasi with her daughter Leah. As one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, Varanasi is situated on the banks of the Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Laura and Leah travelled there to explore Hindu death rituals. She wins a year’s subscription to DAVID. To enter submit your photo to editor@davidlv.com

UPCOMING ISSUES ADVERTISING DEADLINES

NOV. DEC. JAN.

LEADING LAWYERS CHANUKAH ARTS & CULTURE

OCT. 19 NOV. 16 DEC. 14

To advertise, please call Joanne phone 702.254.2223 • cell 702.497.2092 joanne@davidlv.com • www.davidlv.com

“The content of this magazine is approved by”… I guess I’ve been watching way too much television. In the last few months, candidates, parties and pundits have become permanent fixtures in our living rooms. How we long for breakfast cereal, laundry detergent, laxative and reverse mortgage ads. We yearn for simpler times, for Bridal Bootcamp, Breaking Amish, Celebrity Rehab, Undercover Boss and, yes, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. We too have been swept up by events. Brian Sodoma has done yeoman’s work in his piece $6 Billion Election (p. 52) His research provides a timely perspective, pulling back the veil on an election industry machine that is in high gear. America is amid its most expensive election to date. How many hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, are being spent for each vote cast? Adam Friedland (for full disclosure, a previous tax deduction of mine) has lived in Washington, D.C., the last six years. In Meet the Elites (p. 30), he writes about the young “elites” who flock to our nation’s capital after graduating college. They, more than anyone, keep Capitol Hill humming. Their enthusiasm, in support of both Democratic and Republican initiatives, inspires a social scene that is truly unique. Halloween is at the end of the month and Jaq Greenspon has found some outrageous fright night activities scheduled to run all month — and even longer. Don’t be a wimp, pay the admission price. Being scared stiff is the coolest part of the Vegas experience. If that is not to your taste, DAVID once again has partnered with the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas and The Smith Center to add another world-class event to the cultural calendar. On Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m., the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra will present an evening of Schubert, Chopin and Brahms. As usual, the august ensemble will be under the baton of maestro Zubin Mehta; the soloist will be the much-heralded pianist, Yuja Wang. On Saturday night, Sept. 22, in a ballroom just off Fremont Street, DAVID Magazine had its “bar mitzvah.” If you are peeved that you weren’t invited, let me explain. Due to circumstances (deadlines) DAVID was not in attendance either. We were slaving away to bring you this fine monthly read. The Nevada Press Association held its annual awards dinner at the “D” (formerly Fitzgerald’s). Represented were newspapers and magazines, big, small and independents, along with corporate muscle and government dollars. By evening’s end, DAVID had scooped up FOUR awards. After a scant two and a half years in the business, we had the honor of being recognized by our journalistic peers. I wish to congratulate all those who received awards, particularly our valuable writers, graphic artists and photographers who make what we do possible. Yasher Koach. For details of our awards, please visit us at www.davidlv.com.

Max Friedland max@davidlv.com

10 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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Lawton Howell/Vegas Shooter Photography

pulse INSIDE explore @ 14 devour @ 19 desire @ 20 discover @ 22

Sin City RolleRGiRlS 10.27, pg. 18

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OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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eXplore L A S

Gallery, 495 S. Main Street, Second floor. 702229-1012. artslasvegas.org Wicked: Through Oct. 7, times vary, $42$176. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com Frightdome: Through Oct. 31, 7 p.m., $37.95-$52.95. Adventuredome at Circus Circus, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. frightdome.com/index.html

V E G A S

AmericA’s got tAlent live: Through Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., $45-$125. The Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-607-2505. palazzo.com FreAkling Brothers hAunted houses: Through Oct. 31, 7 p.m.-midnight. AMC Rainbow Promenade Theaters, 2321 North Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-362FEAR. freaklingbros.com

BAtmAn live!: Through Oct. 7, times vary, $29.50-$79.50. Thomas & Mack Center, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-739-3267. unlvtickets.com/batmanlive/ lAs vegAs JeWish chAmBer oF commerce mixer: 6 p.m., $10, Oscar’s at the Plaza, 1 S. Main St., Las Vegas, 702-3181605. jewishchamberlv.com

chris tucker: 8 p.m., $69. Pearl at the Palms, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com

October 1

neAr And FAr By clAyton rippey: Through Oct. 7, free. Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, Las Vegas. 702-507-3860. lvccld.org the esoteric By trAcy s. moore: Through Oct. 21, free. West Charleston Library, 6301 West Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3940. lvccld.org 16 Weeks By dB donovAn: Through Oct. 31, free. Laughlin Library, 2840 South Needles Highway, Laughlin. 702-507-4060. lvccld.org Fine Art photogrAphy oF the greAt southWest: Through Oct. 16, free. Whitney Library, 5175 East Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-4010. lvccld.org moApA vAlley Art guilds memBers shoW: Through Nov. 4, free. Enterprise Library, 25 East Shelbourne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3760. lvccld.org

Justin timBerlAke shriners hospitAls For children open: Through Oct. 7, times vary, $20-$300. TPC Summerlin, 1700 Village Center Circle, Las Vegas. jtshrinersopen.com/

moApA vAlley Art guilds memBers shoW: Through Nov. 4, free. Enterprise Library, 25 East Shelbourne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3760. lvccld.org “neothtA” (youth): Through Oct. 27, free. Historic 5th Street School, 401 South Fourth Street, Las Vegas. 702-229-1012. artslasvegas.org

grouplove: 9 p.m., $20. Boulevard Pool at Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com god By Woody Allen: Presented by Chaos Theater Group. Through Oct. 7, $12=$15. Onyx Theater, 953 East Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-732-7225. onyxtheatre.com

“oBJect illusion”: Through Nov. 15, free, Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Las Vegas City Hall Terrace Gallery, 495 S. Main Street, Second floor. 702-229-1012. artslasvegas.org

disney’s phineAs And FerB: the Best live tour ever Through Oct. 7, Fri. 7 p.m.; Sat. 3:30 & 6:30 p.m.; Sun. 12:30 & 3:30 p.m.; $16.50-$71.50. Orleans Arena, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702.284.7777 orleansarena.com

“mountAins And vAlleys Without end”: Through Nov. 21, free, Weds.-Fri. 12:30-9 p.m. & Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Charleston Heights Art Center, 800 South Brush Street. 702-229-6383. artslasvegas.org

Winder FArms FArmers mArket: Fridays through Oct. 26, 4-8 p.m., free. Galleria at Sunset, 1300 West Sunset Road, Henderson. winderfarms.com

hispAnic-AmericAn heritAge exhiBit: Through Oct. 11, free, Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.5:30 p.m. Las Vegas City Hall Chamber

3rd AnnuAl lAs vegAs Food & Wine FestivAl: Through Oct. 7, $50. Various times and Strip locations. www.mgmresorts.com/ foodandwine/

14 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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the oFFSpRing: 9 p.m., $39.50. Boulevard Pool at Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com vegaS valleY book FeStival pReFeStival event - ReaDingS in the pumpkin patCh: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free. Gilcrease Orchard, 7800 Tenaya Way, Las Vegas. 702-229-5431. artslasvegas.org oktobeRFeSt: 2-10 p.m., free. Historic 5th Street School, 401 South 4th Street, Las Vegas. 702-229-3515. artslasvegas.org unCenSoReD voiCeS: CelebRating liteRaRY FReeDom: 7 p.m., free. Clark County Library Theater, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. vegasvalleybookfestival.org Faan walk FoR FooD alleRgY: 9 a.m., free. The District at Green Valley Ranch, 2240 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. http://www.foodallergywalk. org/site/TR/2012Walks/2012Walks?fr_ id=2220&pg=entry

Disneyâ€™s Phineas and Ferb, 10.5-10.7

Rainbow Youth theatRe CompanY: tom SawYeR Through Oct. 14, times vary, $3-$7. Charleston Heights Art Center, 800 South Brush Street, Las Vegas. 702-229-6383. artslasvegas.org

Don RiCkleS: Through Oct. 7, 8 p.m., $79.95. Orleans Showroom, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-227-3456. orleanscasino.com

FaRm to StRip DinneRS: Through Oct. 6, 6 p.m., $48. First Food & Bar, 3327 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-607-3478. firstfoodandbar.com 19th annual RenaiSSanCe FeStival: Through Oct. 7, times vary, $5-$10. Silver Bowl Park, 6800 Russell Road, Las Vegas. 702455-8200. lvrenfair.com FiRSt FRiDaY: 6 p.m., free. Various downtown locations. firstfridaylasvegas.org

movie night at tivoli village: 7 p.m. Ghostbusters, 9:30 p.m. The Grudge, free. Tivoli Village, 302 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-570-7400. tivolivillagelv.com

Clint holmeS: Through Oct. 7, times vary, $38-$51. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

new YoRk polYphonY: 4 p.m., $35-$75. UNLV Performing Arts, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-895-2787. pac.unlv.edu

home expo laS vegaS Fall Show: Through Oct. 7, times vary, $8. Cashman Center, 850 North Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. homeexpolasvegas.com

aRt in the paRk: Through Oct. 7, free. Bicentennial Park, 401 California Avenue, Boulder City. 702-293-0214. www. bouldercityhospital.org/art-in-the-park/

Happy Halloween Pick up some treats at Bagel Cafe

YouthFul enteRpRiSe SCholaRShip beneFit: 2 p.m., $10-$15. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at CSN Cheyenne, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac

FoxY Shazzam: 9:30 p.m., $10-$15. The Lounge at the Palms, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-944-3200. palms.com

into the wilD: new woRkS bY Su limbeRt: Through Nov. 30, free. Blackbird Studios, 1551 South Commerce Street, Las Vegas. 702-782-0319. blackbirdstudioslv.com

glow Run: 6 p.m., $55. Downtown Las Vegas. glowrun.com

keYboaRD ConveRSationS with JeFF Siegal: geRShwin & FRienDS: 2 p.m., $38. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

muSiC SCholaRShip ConCeRt: 7:30 p.m., $5-$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at CSN Cheyenne, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac

301 N. Buffalo Drive

255-3444 www.thebagelcafelv.com

aRt & wine at bellagio galleRY oF Fine aRt: 5 p.m., $30-$38. Bellagio Gallery

WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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of Fine Art, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-693-7871. bellagio.com Bone Making Days: To raise awareness about genocide. Clay Arts Vegas, 1511 South Main Street, Las Vegas. 702-375-4147. onemillionbones.com The xx: 9 p.m., $26. Boulevard Pool at Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com elTon John's Million Dollar Piano: Through Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m., $55-$250. Colosseum at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. caesarspalace.com

Pure aloha FesTival: Through Oct. 14, $8, times vary. Rio Hotel & Casino, 3700 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. riolasvegas.com

12 Dr. H.L. Greenberg, Dermatologist

Jay leno: Through Oct. 13, 10 p.m., $59.99$79.99. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-792-7777. themirage.com arT By yasMina reza: Through Oct. 21, 7:30 & 2 p.m., $10-$12. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at CSN Cheyenne, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac

• • • • • • • • • •

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(702) 456-3120

www.lasvegasdermatology.com

Doc severinsen & The san Miguel Five: Through Oct. 13, 7 & 9:30 p.m., $43$71. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com haunTeD harvesT aT sPrings Preserve: Through Oct 14, Oct. 19-21, Oct. 26-28, Oct. 31, 5 p.m., free-$8. Springs Preserve, 333 South Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-822-7705. springspreserve.org Dennis Miller: Through Oct. 13, 8 p.m., $49.95. Orleans Showroom, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

702-263-7777. silvertoncasino.com unlv reBel FooTBall vs. nevaDa, reno: 12 p.m., $25-$105. Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 East Russell Road, Las Vegas. 702-739-3267. unlvtickets.com/athletics/ DaviD Brenner: Through Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast Showroom, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoastcasino.com

Bryan aDaMs: 8 p.m., $38-$78. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

Dr. John & The BlinD Boys oF alaBaMa PerForMing sPiriTuals To Funk: 7:30 p.m., $27-$65. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-7492000. thesmithcenter.com

an evening wiTh BranDon Mull: 6 p.m., free. Galleria Library, Galleria at Sunset, 1300 West Sunset Road, Henderson. 702-2074275. vegasvalleybookfestival.org a sTaTe oF The union conversaTion: an evening wiTh Frank rich & Fran leBowiTz: 7:30 p.m, $32-$98. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

“The Tell: i FoughT The law / i aM The law”: 7 p.m., $10. The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-2292734. vegasvalleybookfestival.org

george Balanchine's Jewels: Through Oct. 14, 7:30 & 1 p.m., $225-$1199. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com Boys & girls cluB sneaker Ball: To benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas. 6 p.m., $200. Palms Casino, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-367-2582. bgclv.org

Medical Grade Laser Tattoo Removal 16 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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one Drunk PuPPy wine TasTing evenT: 7 p.m., $45-$50. Silverton Hotel & Casino, 3333 Blue Diamond Road, Las Vegas.

Michael Wilson

chris Tucker: 8 p.m., $69. Pearl at the Palms, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com

Dr. John & The Blind Boys, 10.16

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RAY ROMANO & KEVIN JAMES: Through Oct. 19, 10 p.m., $99.99-$120.99. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-7927777. themirage.com THE PILLOWMAN: Through Nov. 4, times vary, $14-$15. Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas. 702-362-7996. lvlt.org AN EVENING WITH CHRISTINE EBERSOLE: Through Oct. 20, times vary, $42$75. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

RODNEY CARRINGTON: Through Oct. 28, 8 p.m., $89.99. Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand, 3799 South Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-891-7777. mgmgrand.com

PARKER QUARTET: 7:30 p.m., $25. UNLV Performing Arts, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-895-2787. pac.unlv.edu

PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE: 7:30 p.m., $29-$85. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

MASTERWORKS I: 8 p.m., $50-$98. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

2012 PBR WORLD FINALS: Through Oct. 28, times vary, $18-$150. Thomas & Mack Center, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-739-3267. pbr.com

DON FELDER OF THE EAGLES: 8 p.m., $34. Pearl at the Palms, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com

JEWISH FEDERATION OF LAS VEGAS, WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY FALL OUTREACH: 6:30 p.m., $36, The Market LV at Tivoli Village, 420 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite #150, Las Vegas, 702-732-0556. jewishlasvegas.com/falloutreach2012

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SOUTHERN NEVADA, WORLD OF POP CULTURE: 7:15 p.m., $15($20 after 10/12), 55 N. Valle Verde Dr., Henderson, 702-7940090. jccsn.org EASTER SEALS CHEERS TO CHOCOLATE: 7 p.m., $35. Tivoli Village Las Vegas, 302 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. eastersealsnevada.org NAMASTE: FACES OF INDIA & NEPAL: Through Jan. 5, $3, Weds.-Sat. 12-5 p.m. Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art, 450 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-382-2926. snmfa.com UMC CRAFT BAZAAR: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., free. Desert Springs UMC, 120 North Pavilion Center Drive, Las Vegas. 702-256-5933. desertspringchurch.com

JEWISH GENEOLOGY SOCIETY: 1 p.m., free, with guest Tom Underhill. Sahara West

jewels the nutcracker

the joffrey ballet

Photo by Paul Kolnik

THE POET'S CORNER: 7 p.m., free. West Las Vegas Arts Center Community Gallery, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd. 702-229-4800. artslasvegas.org

MADAME TUSSAUDS AFTER DARK!: Through Oct. 23, Oct. 28-31, 9 p.m., $25. The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-7800. madametussauds.com/ LasVegas/Default.aspx

Photo by Jeff Speer

DOWNTOWN CULTURAL SERIES - ALEX CLEMENTS LATIN JAZZ SEXTET Noon, free. Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room, 333 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-229-3516. artslasvegas.org

JOHN TESH: BIG BAND LIVE!: 7:30 p.m., $29-$85. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

new york city ballet moves

Photo by Herbert Migdoll

romeo & juliet

NEVADA WILD FEST: Through Oct. 28, times vary, $9. Rio Hotel & Casino, 3700 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-862-8141. nevadawildfest.com “WISH YOU WERE HERE: THE LAS VEGAS WRITES PROJECT”: 7 p.m., free. Clark County Library Theater, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. vegasvalleybookfestival.org FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES GALA: 6 p.m., $180, Conference Center Forum Ballroom at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Las Vegas. 323-8432690. FIDF.org LAURA TAYLOR: 7:30 p.m., $25.50-$61. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

Photo by Virginia Trudeau

Library, 9600 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-528-4334. jgssn.org

Photo by Jerry Metellus

JAMES LONGENBACH: Sponsored by the Black Mountain Institute. 3:30 p.m., free. Flamingo Hotel & Casino, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-895-5542. blackmountaininstitute.org

the studio series

Subscribe Today

2012-2013 Premiere Season at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

702.749.2000 or

visit NevadaBallet.org Rubies Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

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Members Wanted

Your Family. Your Home.

Cantor Mariana Gindlin

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen

Sunday Oct 14th 7pm Moskow Lecture Series UNLV Ham Hall Free Admission 2nd Annual Gala Honoring Dr. Lawrence Copeland Saturday October 27th 6pm Red Rock Hotel Call for ticket information! Shabbat Worship

Friday evenings at 7:30pm Saturday mornings at 10:00am Got Kids? 1st Friday Tot Shabbat 6:15pm 3rd Friday Family Shabbat 6:15pm

Interfaith Marriage? Looking to get Involved? Seeking Adult Education? LGBT?

Temple Sinai is Your Family - Your Home! Call Temple Sinai Office and ask Debra for membership information. 9001 Hillpointe Road, Las Vegas, NV 89134

702-254-5110 www.TempleSinaiLV.org

Member

The Offspring, 10.6

Temple Sinai a Reform Congregation in Summerlin

DANIEL TOSH: Through Oct. 27, 10 p.m., $59.99-$79.99. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-792-7777. mirage.com GARTH BROOKS: Through Oct. 27, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m., $225. Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. wynnlasvegas.com ONE ACT PLAYS: Through Oct. 28, 7:30 & 2 p.m., $5-$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at CSN Cheyenne, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac JOHN PIZZARELLI: Through Oct. 27, times vary, $42-$54. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com LAS VEGAS CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATER, IMMORTAL MEMORIES: Through Oct. 28, times vary, $25-$55. UNLV Performing Arts, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-895-2857. unlvtickets.com

18TH ANNUAL NATHAN ADELSON HOSPICE SERENADES OF LIFE-DOCTORS IN CONCERT â€” FEATURING GLADYS KNIGHT AND CLINT HOLMES: 7 p.m., $41-$346.75. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com SIN CITY ROLLERGIRLS: 6:30 p.m., $10$15. Riviera Hotel & Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. rivierahotel.com/lasvegas-entertainment/sin-city-roller-girls/

ZOMBIE RUN: A zombie-filled obstacle course style run/walk. Through Oct. 28, times and locations vary. rampageraces.com

COX TREAT STREETS: 3 p.m., free. Tivoli Village, 302 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-570-7400. tivolivillagelv.com JCC BBQ & HEALTH FAIR: 12 p.m., $10$25. JCC of Southern Nevada, 9001 Hillpointe Road, Las Vegas. 702-794-0090. jccsn.org

ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: 7 p.m., $39. The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

INFORMAL DANCE CONCERT: 1 p.m., free. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at CSN Cheyenne, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR: 7:30 p.m., $8-$10. UNLV Performing Arts, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-895-2787. pac.unlv.edu LAS VEGAS HALLOWEEN PARADE: 7 p.m., free. The Arts District, Charleston Blvd. & 4th Street. thelasvegashalloweenparade.com

To submit your event information, email calendar@ davidlv.com by the 15th of the month prior to the month in which the event is being held.

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devour Japanese Wagyu Beef @ CUT When it comes to world class steakhouses, there are dozens of options in Las Vegas. CUT at Palazzo however is adding something extra special to their menu – Japanese Wagyu Beef. Under the direction of master chef, Wolfgang Puck and executive chef Matthew Hurley, the restaurant will prepare a number of dishes featuring this delicacy. This ultra rich, intensely marbled meat is moist and delicious and melts like butter in the mouth. The staff at CUT is thrilled to have Wagyu back on the menu after its long absence due to import restrictions. CUT at Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-607-6300. palazzo.comm

Culinary Dropout @ Hard Rock The rock and roll vibe of the Hard Rock Hotel is kicked up a notch by its newest addition. Culinary Dropout, the rebel child of Fox Restaurant Concepts, has found its home. The brainchild of Sam Fox, five time James Beard Foundation semi-finalist, Culinary Dropout does not skip a beat. The restaurant offers brunch and an extensive antipasti menu, including fresh vegetables and aged cheeses, such as dolce gorgonzola and manchego. The main menu features everything from soup to salad to sandwiches. The beer and wine menu takes up an entire page, covering everything from beers on tap to seasonal ales and canned beers. Culinary Dropout at Hard Rock, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

DAVID’s Witch’s Caldron Cocktail Bubble, bubble, toil and no trouble at all. Executive chef and mixologist, Alan Miguel Kaplan and Total Wine & More have created this user friendly concoction to take the edge off, on halloween eve. This recipe is for a single serving: 1 cup ice 2oz. Foursquare Spiced Rum 1⁄2 oz. Strega Liqueur 1⁄2 oz. Ginger Ale 3 dashes Amoretti Pumpkin Spice Syrup 1x Cinnamon Stick 1x Dry Ice Pellet Ice up the cocktail shaker. Add rum, liqueur, ginger ale and two dashes syrup. Shake well and pour into a brandy snifter. Add an additional dash of syrup and a cinnamon stick to the mixture. For the smoke effect add the dry ice pellet. Total Wine & More, 730 Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. (702) 933-8740. totalwine.com OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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desire

Fashion Masquerade

Sultry woods and rich fruit bring out the most luxurious scent of the Tom Ford Black Orchid fragrance for Morticia Adams to indulge in overall glamour. $105. Sephora at Town Square, 6671 Las Vegas Boulevard S. Las Vegas. 702-361-3727.

Mysterious and divine, these Italian-made specs by Alexander McQueen reminds us of dark dealings and international intrigue. $325. Solstice at Town Square Las Vegas, 6659 S. Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-263-5070.

Perhaps the swashbuckler’s most intoxicating treasure is this allover Swarovski-encrusted flask. $3,995. Judith Leiber at Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-792-0661.

The six-eyed lace up oxfords sit nicely on their stacked heels, as well as on the pedal of James Bond’s Aston Martin. $265. John Varvatos at Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-939-0922.

Luring sailors with song and shoe, this is the perfect Christian Louboutin ankle boot for red hot sirens. $2,395. Saks Fifth Avenue at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702- 733-8300.

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For the days when Liberace opts to skip the ostrich feather and mink coats, he wears the velvet smoking jacket. $129. H&M at Miracle Mile Shops, 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-369-1195.

The fictional fair maiden, Dulcinea from Don Quixote, is the inspiration behind this luminescent Armenta ring adorned with labradorite and diamonds. $2,160. Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas. 702-731-3636.

Cleopatra meets tribal in this exquisitely bold necklace that only a select few will dare to wear, ATELIER SWAROVSKI piece by Kostas Murkudis. $1,600. Swarovski at Town Square Las Vegas, 6643 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-269-9508.

The flappers of the 1920s were bold and even more risky with these faux feather lashes that complemented their bob hairstyles and straight hemlines. $19. Sephora at Town Square, 6671 Las Vegas Boulevard S. Las Vegas. 702-361-3727.

A masterpiece in mixed media design, Bottega Venettaâ€™s supple crocodile clutch is just the right carry all for the witchâ€™s fancy night out. $2,450. Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show, 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-3636. OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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discover Nevada Wild Fest Nevada Wild Fest is returning to Las Vegas for another year, and this year promises to be even better than the last. This music festival and fair, which benefits the Lili Claire Foundation, has more than 35 carnival rides, celeb meet & greets, and a stage featuring some of country’s hottest acts. In addition to the Iron Dog Dock Dogs East vs. West filming a TV special for the Outdoor Channel, there will be a haunted maze, beer and wine gardens, arts and retail vendors. Las Vegas’ gourmet food trucks and food vendors will also be on hand to keep everyone satisfied. Oct. 25-28, times vary, $9 per day; Special discounts for senior citizens & military. Nevada Wild Fest at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, 3700 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-777-7777. nevadawildfest.com.

Vinyl @ Hard Rock

Vegas Valley Book Festival In its eleventh year, the Vegas Valley Book Festival has promoted the excitement of books, with the spotlight this year being on young adult authors. Promising to be the biggest festival yet, it incorporates smaller festivals, including a comic book festival and a humanities salon to be held at the Historic Fifth Street School. There are also dozens of pre-festival events scheduled throughout September and October, be sure to check online for more information. There are two contests for writers, this year: the Flash! fiction contest and the Crystal Bookmark Award, information is also available online. Vegas Valley Book Festival, times and locations vary. For more information, visit vegasvalleybookfestival.org.

After you get a bite to eat at Culinary Dropout, head over to Vinyl, Hard Rock’s newest music venue. The speakeasy atmosphere will bring celebs and wannabe celebs within close range, offering space for all types of music and stand up comedy. The industrial feel of the room will be reminiscent of smoky, 1920s jazz clubs. A VIP section will offer leather seating, private wait staff, and a bird’s eye view of the action down below. The venue will serve a number of musical acts, both local and those making pit stops in Las Vegas while touring. The entertainment system at Vinyl is state of the art – video projection screens will broadcast the shows so that nobody misses a minute of the action. Vinyl at Hard Rock, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

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daven

Synagogues Central

Candlelighting Tishrei / Cheshvan 5773 MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, TISHREI 15 Light candles at 7:01 p.m. First Day of Sukkot TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, TISHREI 16 Light candles at 7:00 p.m. Second Day of Sukkot FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, TISHREI 19 Light candles at 6:00 p.m. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, TISHREI 20 Shabbat ends at 6:54 p.m. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, TISHREI 21 Light candles at 5:57 p.m. HoshanaR abba MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, TISHREI 22 Light candles at 6:52 p.m. SheminiA tzeret TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, TISHREI 23 Yom Tov ends at 6:50 p.m. Simchat Torah FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, TIHREI 26 Light candles at 5:50 p.m. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, TISHREI 27 Shabbat ends at 6:45 p.m. Blessing of the New Month TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, TISHREI 30 Light candles at 7:01 p.m. Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, CHESHVAN 1 Light candles at 7:01 p.m. Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan FIRDAY, OCTOBER 19, CHESHVAN 3 Light candles at 5:41 p.m. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, CHESHVAN 4 Shabbat ends at 6:36 p.m. FIRDAY, OCTOBER 26, CHESHVAN 10 Light candles at 5:32 p.m. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, CHESHVAN 11 Shabbat ends at 6:28 p.m.

CONGREGATION SHAAREI TEFILLA

1331 S. Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, NV 89014 Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America Rabbi Yakov Wasser 702-384-3565 East

CONGREGATION OR-BAMIDBAR

2991 Emerson Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89121 Sephardic Orthodox 702-369-1175 Green Valley/Henderson AHAVAS TORAH CENTER

55 S. Valle Verde Drive, Suite 430 Henderson, NV 89021 Traditional Rabbi Yehoshua Fromowitz 702-487-3133 ext. 1

BETH EL CONGREGATION

2756 N. Green Valley Pkwy, Suite 195 Henderson, NV 89121 Traditional Reform Rabbi Simon Bergman 702-389-8090

CHABAD OF GREEN VALLEY

10870 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 104 Henderson, NV 89052 Orthodox/Chabad Rabbi Mendy Harlig 702-617-0770

CONGREGATION NER TAMID

55 N. Valle Verde Drive Henderson, NV 89074 Union for Reform Judaism Affiliate Sr. Rabbi Sanford D. Akselrad Rabbi/Educator Sadie Reuben Cantorial Intern Philip Goldstein 702-733-6292

MIDBAR KODESH TEMPLE

1940 Paseo Verde Parkway Henderson, NV 89012 United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel Cantor Andres Kornworcel 702-454-4848 Southwest CONGREGATION Pâ€™NAI TIKVAH Services: 3975 S. Durango Drive, Ste. 104, Las Vegas, NV 89147 Office: 2045 Grouse St., Las Vegas, NV 89134. Reconstructionist Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Cantor Marla Goldberg

Music Director Marek Rachelski 702-436-4900 Summerlin BET KNESSET BAMIDBAR

Desert Vista Community Center 10360 Sun City Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89134 Traditional Reform Rabbi Elaine Schnee Cantor Jonathan Friedman 702-391-2750

CHABAD OF SUMMERLIN/ DESERT SHORES

2640 Regatta Drive Las Vegas, NV 89128 Orthodox/Chabad Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz 702-855-0770

CHABAD HEBREW CENTER

8502 W. Lake Mead Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89128 Sephardic Orthodox/Chabad Rabbi Samuel Attal 702-271-8025

TEMPLE BET EMET

Mountain Shadows Community Center 9107 Del Webb Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89134 Reform Rabbi Craig Rosenstein Cantor Lola Rivera 702-254-8103

TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM

10700 Havenwood Lane Las Vegas, NV 89135 United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Rabbi Felipe Goodman Cantor Robert Menes 702-804-1333

TEMPLE SINAI

9100 Hillpointe Road Las Vegas, NV 89134 Union for Reform Judaism Affiliate Rabbi Malcolm Cohen Cator Mariana Gindlin 702-254-5110 YOUNG ISRAEL AISH LAS VEGAS

9590 W. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89117 Modern Orthodox Outreach Rabbi Yitzchak Wyne 702-360-8909 West CHABAD CENTRAL

1261 S. Arville St. Las Vegas, NV 89102 Orthodox/Chabad Rabbi Shea Harlig 702-259-0770

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mingle AFAN’S (AID FOR AIDS OF NEVADA): 26TH ANNUAL BLACK & WHITE PARTY Hard Rock Hotel

Saturday, August 25

Photographs by Tonya Harvey

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Benny Yerushalmi – The Best Choice for Nevada Benny will fight for Nevada families as our State Senator. Benny Yerushalmi is a husband, a father, a local small-business owner and a lifelong Nevadan. Benny earned his business degree from UCLA and his law degree from Stanford Law School. For nearly 10 years, Benny has helped manage his family’s local business, The Jewelers of Las Vegas, which provides jobs for more than 120 Nevadans and is an active part of our community. Benny is proud to have been appointed by Governor Sandoval to be part of the new bipartisan Nevada Board of Economic Development working on a plan to diversify Nevada’s economy.

This is Benny’s Plan to Reinvent Nevada for a Better Future: - Diversify into new industries, including technology, aerospace, film/television, manufacturing and health sciences. - Invest in our schools while ensuring that our resources go to our children’s classrooms so we can hire more teachers and stop cutting important student programs. - Support our local small businesses and reduce their burdens so they can succeed and hire more employees. seniors, who, after a lifetime of hard work, now live on a fixed income. - Protect our seniors

B Benny

: @bennyfornevada

: bennyfornevada www.bennyfornevada.com • (702) 635-2866 Paid for and authorized by Benny for Nevada.

LegaL experience more than twenty-five (25) years experience as a practicing attorney and law clerk General Practice in business and real estate litigation, Probate and trust litigation, Personal injury, criminal law, family law, Gaming law, tax law & appellate law district court Judge Pro tempore, eighth Judicial district court, Short trial Program arbitrator, eighth Judicial district court, court annexed arbitration Program mediator, State of Nevada foreclosure mediation Program

certified pubLic accountant, gaming & reaL estate experience eight (8) years experience as a certified Public accountant and accountant audit Staff of major Public accounting firms auditing casinos, hotels and timeshare companies

community activities former board member: anti-defamation league State of Nevada regional board Jewish family Service agency. member: temple beth Sholom

Paid for by the committee to elect bruce l. Gale

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OCTOBER 2012 DAVID 27 9/24/12 7:08 PM

9/24/12 7:12 PM

mingle LAS VEGAS YOUNG JEWISH ADULT GROUPS: 1ST JOINT BOOZE SCHMOOZE Republic Kitchen & Bar Thursday, August 23

Photographs by Tonya Harvey

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live INSIDE speak @ 30 sense @ 34 taste @ 38

Bloody Fantastic. pg. 34

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OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

9/24/12 4:55 PM

speak

Meet the Elites A Postcard from Washington, D.C.

“They’re all kids in Washington. It’s like Bugsy Malone, but with real guns.” — Armando Iannucci’s 2009 political satire In the Loop

ith the domestic campaign season in full swing, Washington, D.C., is paradoxically quiet. While the focus of the national conversation has been squarely aimed at Washington since the Republican primaries, legislative activity in the Capitol itself has waned and will remain dormant through the end of 2012. At the national level, election season can represent a referendum on current policies or politicians. But for residents of the District, it can portend something different: an impending shift in the city’s demographic and cultural DNA.

The 112th Congress is unpopular. This Congress is practically taking-your-cousin-to-the-senior-prom unpopular. Gallup poll results confirm this; with an approval rating hovering just above 10 percent, this Congress is the least popular in American history. When one consults the chorus of news pundits on 24-hour cable networks, the excuses and post-rationalizations are abundant: Too many special interests control the congressional agenda; the president is a socialist zealot who’s unwilling to compromise; or (my personal favorite) my dog ate the Congress. One of the words most frequently

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deployed during the midterm elections and the now-forgotten Republican primaries was “elite,” usually as a pejorative and usually by Republicans – but sometimes by Democrats, too. What is not made clear on cable news is the sheer number of wet-behind-the-ears college graduates who make up these supposed elites. The 2012 Congressional Communications Report (published by David Rehr, Ph.D, and the George Washington University School of Political Management) found that a remarkably high number of congressional staffers are both young and junior in their careers. Fifty-one percent of the staffers on the Hill are 18-35 years old, and nearly half of all congressional staffers have worked on Capitol Hill for 36 months or less. Consequently, Washington has seen a revolving door of idealistic young people come and go — shuttling from the ample jobs proOCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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vided by the federal government, NGOs or a host of interest groups headquartered in the District of Columbia. In 2001, when the White House transitioned from Democrats to Republicans, Clinton administration officials rolled their collective eyes as the “cowboy > LEARN HOW hats” of the George W. Bush era came to town. Similarly, one RepubTO STAY FIT AND TRIM WITH LOCAL lican House staffer I spoke to described the 2008 election of Barack PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS Obama as heralding a wave of “hipsters and nerds” in Shepard Fairey T-shirts. If Mitt Romney wins in November, I anticipate the Come enjoy a Kosher * advent of a legion of Mad Men types on bicycles, or perhaps CadilBBQ cook-off & fundraiser with local lacs, handing out the Book of Mormon or the Wall Street Journal. celebrity judges. Washington is an attractive place for a certain type of young SIGN UP adult. With the federal government and private political organizaYOUR TEAM NOW & COMPETE tions and interest groups feeding the local workforce, the city has FOR THE $1,000 CASH PRIZE! experienced an explosion of civic and cultural development even amid a national economic slump. For instance, I live in the U Street Corridor, an area I’ve affectionately dubbed “the Fusion District” of Washington. In the last couple of years, a Latin/Asian restaurant popped up next door to a brand new South Asian/Middle Eastern joint across the street from a food truck that serves Korean kimchi inside of taco shells. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, WashingCHAMPIONSHIP tonians take part in their favorite weekly rite, brunch – a type of BBQ CONTEST > $150 ENTRY F EE “meal” that melds breakfast with booze. According to many Hill staffers, both Democrat and Republican, > SHOW OFF YOUR GRILLING SKILLS the increasing divisiveness in Congress that Americans have been > COMPETE AGAINST YOUR PEERS forced to watch (and endure) over the last few years has found its way into the social dynamic of Washington’s young elites. Take hap> CALL THE JCC TO REGISTER YOUR py hour, where the personal becomes political. A 2008 article in W TEAM: 794.0 090 Magazine described the Republican staffers’ response to their counterparts’ attempts to frequent the GOP hangout, Capitol Lounge: E-mails circulated among Republican staffers, rallying them with a battle cry: ‘Take back Cap Lounge!’ And so, every Thursday night for 9/21/12 11:51 AM weeks, Republicans dutifully arrived at 6 p.m. and crammed into the bar, smugly shutting out the Democratic hordes and their penchant for Beyoncé singles. Along with older neighborhoods like Glover Park and George-

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THURSDAY, NOV 1 − SATURDAY, NOV 3 A CELEBRATION OF IMAGINATION.»LEARN.DISCOVER.ESCAPE. HISTORIC FIFTH STREET SCHOOL & CLARK COUNTY LIBRARY MAIN FESTIVAL

Saturday, Nov. 3, 9:00 am to 9:00 p.m. Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth Street CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL Saturday,, Nov. 3, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Fifth Street, School, 401 S. Fourth Street COMIC BOOK FESTIVAL Saturday, Nov. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road FREE FUN FOR ALL AGES! Join us for Keynotes by Charlaine Harris and Jennifer Egan, First Friday Poets’ Stage, Las Vegas Writes, and a Steampunk Ball.

town, the residential area on Capitol Hill has become a Republican stronghold over the last 10 years, with more young Democrats moving to gentrifying zones like the U Street Corridor, H Street Northeast and Columbia Heights. For some of the young Dems I spoke to, the “Capitol Hill scene” carries a negative connotation. The term “prepster” or “bro” is used liberally in describing their Republican counterparts. “Capitol Hill is such a cloistered world; it can be overwhelming for people who aren’t really into the scene,” confides a 24-year-old Democrat and House staffer. Conversely, an unexpected equalizer highlighted in my discussions with Hill staffers is the recent cross-fit exercise revolution that has spread to both sides of the aisle. The P90X fitness regimen has exploded in popularity over the last few years among young staffers and junior members of Congress – the most notable devotee being the current Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. For an hour every day, the 42-year-old House budget committee chairman is known to lead fellow Hill lawmakers from both parties in early morning sessions of the program. “Anyone who has read the Ryan budget can tell you the man clearly has something against excess fat,” jokes one 25-year-old GOP House staffer. The image of the young idealist traveling to Washington, D.C., is straight from American Romanticism (vintage 1939). Jimmy Stewart’s “Mr. Smith” is emblematic of the belief that one motivated individual can make a difference in the face of corruption and disaffection. Rehr poses the question, “If congressional staff were older and stayed at their jobs longer, would we lose the idealism and youthful energy of those working on Capitol Hill every day?” In my opinion, the answer is yes: The consistent infusion of fresh blood is not only a vital element of our national capital’s identity, but on a larger scale the function of our democracy. Another question remains, however: With government mired in a constant stalemate, can this youthful energy be converted into something like actual empirical progress? The answer to that is more elusive. — Adam Friedland

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Bloody Fantastic

Eli Roth’s Goretorium

Sin City, The Year Round Halloween Destination

“T

hese are the times that try men’s souls … ” Thomas Paine’s words of more than 230 years ago couldn’t be truer today. The world is evolving (or being intelligently designed) at a frightening pace. Every day we’re presented new and exciting reasons to be scared out of our minds over what’s coming next. We should be quaking in our shoes, hiding under the covers — thankful that every day we wake up the planet is still capable of

supporting life. Yet we’re not. We get up every morning ready to face the challenges coming our way, and actively seeking our own ways of being scared, seeing it as both pleasure and catharsis, a way to control the fear thrust upon us. To that end, what better place than Las Vegas — for Halloween and all year round? Sin City has always been a prime Halloween destination. Even the adult-themed haunted houses in nearby Southern California

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(Knott’s Scary Farm, Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, Queen Mary Halloween Dark Harbor) can’t compete with the terrible pleasures Vegas offers. Here, terror takes on all comers and wins hands down. During October, the numerous nightspots in town will play host to women dressed up in lingerie renditions of every known stripe (expect a profusion of sexy witches, hot zombies and alluring vampiresses). And libations will have ghoulish additions tacked onto their names. None of this truly scares us, however. Scantily clad women may be intimidating but they’re not inherently frightful (though taking one home presents another set of problems, a matter, perhaps, best taken up in our weddings issue). And while a Bloody Mary is common, a Vampire’s Kiss is strictly a seasonal offering. No, we’re scared of things that come out of the darkness and make themselves known in the light of day. Not just for a night or a few weeks before All Saint’s Day – our fears are compounded all year

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round. In Vegas, when you’ve got something good, you always double down. That’s why this year, not one, but two, far different and permanent haunted houses are opening in town. The first and most talked about is Eli Roth’s Goretorium, on the new Harmon corner. The second is the creation of local madman The Amazing Johnathan. The Amazing Johnathan’s Screamont Experiment will take up residence in the Las Vegas Club at the far west end of Fremont Street. Both venues will be around long after the Halloween tourists have decamped and ghoulish go-go dancers have transformed into naughty little elves. While both impresarios are interested in scaring up profits, their approaches are radically different. Roth, the writer/director behind such gruesome fare as Hostel and Cabin Fever, has a vision of horror that seems tailor-made for a Vegas venue. “Las Vegas is a 24-hour city,” he told EW.com recently. “It never stops. A lot of European tourists never experience Halloween, and can here. I want to haunt the entire city.” His selfproclaimed “Disney World for horror fans” is centered around a closed Vegas hotel, The Delmont, where visitors will experience all manner of gruesome goodies. “I want to keep updating it for different seasons,” he says. “For Christmas, or if a new movie is coming out. We’re taking about ‘Hemlock Grove’ having a premiere there, and ‘The Green Inferno.’” He wants to bring in celebrities, too, and is building a horror-themed wedding chapel for necrophiliac nuptials. “It’s like a movie,” he says. “Also, you can pay to walk through alone. One of the

things that kills the experience is going through with too many people. We’re going to have them go through as a small group. … At the end is the Baby Dolls Lounge, and there you can try to pick up hot zombie chicks.” Roth wants to push the adult edge, with nudity and adult-themed gore. He sees Vegas as all outsiders do, a weekend resort town where inhibitions are checked with the luggage. His scares may be gruesome but they’re scares. Once patrons have navigated his maniacal maze they can laugh off their high-pitched screams of moments before by bellying up to the bar, ordering a drink with friends and contemplating the rest of an enjoyable evening. On the other side of town, in the middle of the other tourist area, (the one locals are starting to return to in droves), The Amazing Johnathan has something more personal in mind. This “Madman of Comedy Magic,” a Vegas resident for 13 years, knows a thing or two about building real-world haunted houses. His private, annual Halloween gatherings were among the “must have” invites for Vegas’ who’s who crowd. But potential problems loomed. “We were pushing our luck with my party,” he says a bit wistfully. “Here we are, doing it without any permits, selling alcohol, having live sex acts on stage, having no fire marshal for the haunted house. Basically, it was a private party that turned into a public party. And before I got busted for doing that, I decided I would stop.” Last year there was no party and no plans for one this year. That’s when the opportunity for something a little more solid presented itself. Even with the downtown revitalization, the Plaza-owned

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It’s easiest to prevent the devastating effects of bullying when you can stop it at the source. So we have to rewrite the story from the beginning. Each of us is responsible for intervening in a bad situation. Sometimes it’s telling an adult and sometimes it’s acting like an adult. But it’s never to look the other way. Take the pledge today at flipthescriptnow.org.

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Las Vegas Club was struggling. It was open on weekends only and the threat of closure was imminent. Enter Johnathan. “They … literally turned the whole hotel over to me, 35,000 square feet. The last half of the hotel is all haunted house. Two stories, 35,000 square feet, with an elevator, and they let me do whatever I wanted to do,” he says. So while Roth is creating the façade of an old hotel, Johnathan is using the real thing. He is also redefining the haunted house for the 21st century. Roth’s version of terror, based on his gorefest films, involves a world filled with psychotics who want nothing more than to rip off your limbs and use your blood to spray paint the walls. At The Amazing Johnathan’s Screamont Experiment, Johnathan takes his cues from the evening news. The “plot” concerns a deadly toxin outbreak transferred through a liquid medium. Guests have a simple task: Check in to the hotel and get to their rooms while avoiding those already infected. “There’s no monsters in this haunted house,” he explains. “There’s no vampires, no zombies, there’s nothing like that. All there is is really pissed off people who’ve become distempered, like they’ve got rabies. They got something in the water – somebody put something in the water and people just go stark raving mad. That’s the only thing it is.” No one’s jumping out at you. No one’s screaming or chasing you with a running chainsaw you know (because of safety rules) will never get close to you. Jonathan’s also playing with house money, with his casino partners backing him. “They’ve got nothing to lose

and neither do I. That’s a good partner to have, neither of you have nothing to lose. Going in there you can … There’s the ‘notouching’ bullshit – you’re going to be touched in here. You’re gonna be grabbed. There’s no rules in this haunted house.” For Johnathan, who makes his living prompting people to laugh at terrifying situations, horror is a passion. His home is rigged with all sorts of pitfalls and creepy traps (the shadow-box framed doll that comes to life and tries to escape as you walk past is a perennial favorite). He’ll often stay up late watching the latest scare flick in his home theater. In his version of horror, most of the scares occur inside the patron’s mind. “I don’t want any makeup. I have no makeup. (The actors are) taught not to talk. I think that noiselessness is scarier than talking. I always hated walking through haunted houses where someone jumps out and goes: ‘You don’t belong here … go home!’ or something. I hate that shit. It’s not Halloween 101. Hopefully, I’m right in what’s scary and what isn’t scary and this will be scary.” The frights that await patrons of both houses are going to be worth the cost of admission, certainly. And we’re not going to give away any specifics here. Rest assured, though, you will be scared. When it’s over and you’re relaxing in the bar at the end of either maze, expect one of two reactions: You’ll be thankful it was a fantasy and you’ll order a drink to calm your nerves. Or you’re going to throw back two or three stiff ones — knowing your next stop is the real world, where the terror’s only begun. — Jaq Greenspon

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Savoring Sukkot

taste

Seasonal Recipes Paired With Great Kosher Wines

Arugula Salad with Orange and Caramelized Fennel

“So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord your God … All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt.” — Leviticus 23:39 to 23:43 38 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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l fresco dining and fulfilling one of the most important Jewish mitzvahs. Who could ask for anything more? Heck, ask Jews. We’ll find any excuse for a great meal with wine and friends under the stars. It isn’t often that the holiday celebration template is so emphatically supplied in Scripture. With its biblical roots and ancient pagan origin, this harvest festival comes at the perfect time of year for Mojave Desert denizens. Once again, albeit for a brief period, Jews are building temporary huts in the desert. It requires a trained eye to find evidence of these structures tucked away in the walled backyards of our neighborhoods. If we were in other cities, where accommodations are vertical, it would not be uncommon to walk in the streets and see towering apartment buildings with balconies converted into temporary sukkahs. With hammers, nails, board and cloth, construction starts in the days leading up to the festival. Children gather to create paper decorations for the structure, and lanyards of fruit are strung together and installed on the ceiling and walls. Each family’s sukkah carries a unique identity, made from materials inherited and carefully stored for use at this time. In Jewish kitchens across Las Vegas, menus are prepared to celebrate the bounty of seasonal fruits, vegetables and grains. There is possibly no greater selection of produce available than at this time of year, and the range of traditional Sukkot recipes adequately reflects this. It’s the perfect time of year for families to rededicate themselves to consuming organically grown, nutritious produce. We are blessed in this part of the world, notwithstanding our desert destiny, with many locations where great seasonal produce is available. Farmers markets, a list of which we have supplied, provide outstanding produce, shipped in from nearby growing regions. Those readers fortunate enough to have their own market gardens now can celebrate this unique time of year, giving thanks for the cornucopia of goodness the season brings. The editors at DAVID Magazine have chosen a few delicious items, which easily are prepared at home by anyone with even minimal cooking skills. We want our readers to be adventurous, to try new things, both in the kitchen and in the fulfillment of the annual mitzvah.

1 medium onion, grated 4 tablespoons ketchup Mix the cranberry sauce, tomato sauce, 1 cup water, lemon and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; then add the raisins and the fresh cranberries. Peel, core and dice the apple and add to saucepan. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Core the cabbage, and place in a large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until wilted. Cover with cold water and drain. In a large bowl mix the meat, rice, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, egg, onion, ½ cup water and ketchup, blending with your fingers until well mixed. Trim the ribs of the cabbage, remove the outside leaves, and line a large flameproof casserole with them. Pull off the inside leaves and place them one by one on a board, outside down. Fill with a heaping tablespoon or two of the filling, depending on the size of the leaf. Fold up like an envelope, top first, then bottom and then the two sides. Place seam side down in the casserole. Repeat with the rest of the cabbage and the filling. Pour the sauce over the stuffed cabbage and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Then, place the stuffed cabbage in a preheated 300-degree oven and bake, uncovered, for one-half hour more.

Stuffed Cabbage with Cranberry Sauce Yummy, sweet and saucy, this is the perfect prelude to more cool weather feasts. Pair with any bright Pinot Noir or a medium-bodied wine like the 2009 Yogev Cabernet-Merlot blend, with hints of vanilla and spice. Serves 6 1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce ½ cup water Juice of 1 lemon ¼ cup brown sugar or to taste ½ cup raisins ½ cup fresh cranberries 1 apple 1 medium head of cabbage 2 pounds ground beef ½ cup uncooked rice Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 large egg

Stuffed Cabbage with Cranberry Sauce

Arugula Salad with Orange and Caramelized Fennel This salad is a joy if you’re into textures, flavors and colors. Keep an eye on the roasting fennel, as it can brown quickly. To accompany this spicy, citrusy salad, pour a crisp white wine that’s lively on the palate, with a dominating fruity aroma (try the 2011 Ben Ami Chardonnay). Serves 6 2 large fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, each cut vertically into 12 wedges with some core attached 6 fresh thyme sprigs 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 4 oranges, all peel and white pith cut away, halved vertically, thinly sliced crosswise 2 (5-ounce) packages baby arugula OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine fennel wedges, thyme and 4 tablespoons oil in large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange fennel, cut side down, on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fennel is tender and brown, turning once, about 40 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. This can be prepared ahead of time and stored. Use at room temperature. Whisk vinegar, mustard and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Add fennel, orange slices and arugula. Toss to coat. Transfer salad to large shallow bowl.

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Baked Apple Crisps

Baked Apple Crisps This is a delicious dessert that’s on the lighter side, but sweet and easy to make. The individual serving size makes it a special treat for larger gatherings. Pair it with a refreshing dessert wine (such as The 2010 Golan Moscato. Its aromatic florals and tropical fruit notes, combined with its sweet, light sparkle, make it a great complement in the glass, and a bold dessert topping when drizzled on top). Serves 8 1 cup old-fashioned oats 2/3 cup brown sugar 4 tablespoons flour 4 tablespoons margarine, melted 8 large baking apples 2 cups cranberry-apple juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour and margarine. Mix well. Cut a ½-inch slice from the top of each apple. Remove core and seeds (sometimes a melon baller helps if you don’t have the right tool). Place apples in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon oat mixture into center and on top of each apple. Pour juice over apples. Bake until tender – about 1 hour, basting every 20 minutes. Best served warm.

All recipes and wines are Kosher. Wines are available from Total Wines & More. Recipes are courtesy of gourmetkoshercooking.com and are tried, tested and photographed in DAVID’s kitchen. 40 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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FALL BOUNTY A joyful holiday, rich in history and celebrated at the peak of harvest are reasons enough to embrace the fertile goodness of the season. The fall is generous when it comes to seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here are the ones to make the TOP 8 (for every day during Sukkot) Apples — Nothing ushers in the arrival of fall like a bushel of apples. Great for applesauce, pies and cider, the different varieties make apples a versatile, nutritious staple. Even better: Their health benefits are plentiful, from lowering cholesterol to rumors of preventing a number of cancers. Arugula — A peppery green popular in Italian dishes, it can be enjoyed in salads or cooked. Add it to a hearty red pasta sauce with olives and zucchini for a fall vegetable feast. Even better: Arugula is a good source of Vitamins A and C. Beets — This naturally sweet and refreshing root vegetable can be enjoyed fresh, boiled, roasted — even juiced! Even better: Beets are high in iron and packed with antioxidants.

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Brussels spouts — Put all your feelings aside about these diminutive members of the cabbage family. Try: Going savory by splitting, then grilling them and tossing with turkey bacon pieces drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Butternut squash — Don’t let its tough outer shell deter you from fall’s most prevalent vegetable. Inside gives way to a distinctively sweet flavor that can be used in a variety of meals. Try: Baking it with brown sugar and butter for a delectably sweet side dish (or dessert).

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Eggplant — This beautiful purple transitional berry (it’s not a vegetable or a fruit) is mostly composed of fiber. This year, thanks to the unusually warm fall weather, eggplant is still widely available in most markets. Try: Adding a layer or two of sliced eggplant in your next lasagna. Pomegranate — Its intense health benefits has made this fruit quite popular. The pomegranate has almost 20 percent of the daily required amount of Vitamin C for adults, and its juice is packed with healthy antioxidants. Try: Sprinkling some of its jewel-toned seeds over a green salad with orange segments. Sweet Potato — Not just for Thanksgiving, sweet potatoes work well in both sweet and savory preparations, from sweet potato fries to sweet potato pie. Even better: Sweet potatoes are considered a superfood packed with Vitamin A and Beta Carotene.

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Orchestrating Harmony Through turbulence and triumph the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra plays on 44 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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By Lynn Wexler-Margolies

he history of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) has been a tale of turbulence and danger; courage and commitment; aspiration and brilliance. By its own pedigree, never has there been an orchestra more inextricably relevant and extraordinarily entwined with its country’s narration, and its global significance as ambassadors for peace. The IPO has the largest subscription base, upward of 26,000 worldwide, of any orchestra in the world. Zubin Mehta, its defiant and luminous music director since 1969, declared with obvious pride in 2006 (at the orchestra’s 70th anniversary celebration in Haifa), “Today, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the 10 greatest orchestras in

the world!” And perhaps the only one whose concerts have been interrupted regularly by the sound of explosions and gunfire. “Hezbollah rockets rained down nearly a mile from the town’s concert hall,” said Mehta. “But we played on, the audience stayed and everyone remained calm.” It’s something concertgoers in Israel apparently have grown accustomed to over the years. The IPO is one of Israel’s oldest, most influential and beloved cultural institutions, able to attract internationally lauded classical music stars. Founded in 1936 by Polish violin virtuoso Bronislaw Huberman as the Palestine Orchestra, the Jews of Palestine had an orchestra before they had a state. The IPO

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represents the fulfillment of Huberman’s dream “to unite the desire of the country for an orchestra with the desire of the Jewish musicians to have a country.” A favorite with audiences in Vienna and Berlin for most of the 1920s and early 1930s, Huberman fled the mounting Nazi regime for Palestine along with 75 other Jewish musicians, conductor William Steinberg among them. In doing so, Huberman created an “orchestra of soloists.”

Zubin Mehta

They made their debut on Dec. 26, 1936, in Tel Aviv’s Levant Fair Hall with Arturo Toscanini conducting a program of Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Brahms. Toscanini, America’s highest paid conductor at the time, donated his services to demonstrate his opposition to fascism. “I did it for humanity,” he later said. “It was the happiest moment of my life!” When Israel got its statehood in 1948, the Tel Aviv-based ensemble changed its name to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and aptly played, among other selections, the Hatikvah (Israel’s national anthem and Hebrew for the hope) at the Declaration of Independence ceremony. Huberman’s conviction that “every authentic art, when all is said and done, has its roots in the national soil” continues to influence the IPO today. “We are cultural ambassadors for the state of Israel all over the world,” says Avi Shosani, the IPO’s much-admired chief executive for the past 38 years. “At the same time, we are also the orchestra of the Jewish people all over the world. That adds another dimension to us that no other orchestra has.” The IPO’s frequent world tours have unofficially provided a diplomatic function and are as much a part of its raison d’etre as its concerts at home. The goodwill created by these tours, which have included historic visits to Japan, Argentina, Poland, Hungary, Russia, China, Europe and India, holds great value for the state. In 2005 the orchestra traveled to Berlin to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Mehta, the orchestra’s musical director for life since 1981, says

“consciously or otherwise, we carry a message to the world from Israel. A positive message. A message that is not necessarily on the front pages of the newspapers.” Shoshani, who stresses the orchestra’s nonpolitical nature (while noting where its cultural and political identities intersect), insists the IPO is “about more than Gaza, Lebanon and Hezbollah.” Throughout its 75-year existence, the philharmonic often has found itself literally on the front lines of Israel’s history. Its members traveled in armored cars to raise the morale of civilians and soldiers in a besieged Jerusalem during the 1948 War of Independence. The armies of six Arab countries attacked Israel the day after she received statehood. Senior orchestra members recall playing with IPO laureate Leonard Bernstein – a title conferred upon him in 1988 to mark his 40-year association with the orchestra. It was during the 1967 Six Day War that Bernstein conducted Mahler’s Resurrection symphony before 5,000 soldiers in the amphitheater on Mount Scopus – one of the seven hills of Jerusalem – and within earshot of retreating Egyptian forces. The IPO played on during the Sinai War in the late 1950s; the Yom Kippur War in 1973; the Lebanon War in 1982; and during the Gulf War in 1991. As Saddam Hussein’s minions launched Scud missiles over Israel, Mehta gave a memorable performance and the audience donned gas masks. Despite extreme adversity, the IPO has given concerts that have become a part of Israeli folklore, as well as musical history. Through it all, the orchestra boasts world-renowned associations that have helped maintain its high artistic standards. Among them: Emanuel Ax, Daniel Barenboim, Yefim Bronfman; principal guest conductor Yoel Levi, Yo-Yo Ma, Lorin Maazel; honorary guest conductor Kurt Masur, Itzhak Perlman, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Arthur Rubenstein, Gil Shaham, Isaac Stern and Pinchas Zuckerman. It offers a discography of 100-plus recordings from 1954 to the present, for such labels as Sony and EMI, including conducting performances by Paul Kletzki (Mendelssohn, Schumann); Sir Georg Solti (Rossini, Schubert); Istvan Kertesz (Grieg); Itzhak Perlman (Bach and Vivaldi); Leonard Bernstein (Mozart, Dvorak and Stravinsky); Gustav Dudamel (Mahler); and Mehta (Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Verdi, Rachmaninoff). Conspicuously absent from the orchestra’s repertoire are works from Wilhelm Richard Wagner, a sore subject for Mehta. “Wagner was 110% anti-semitic, and there are still people in Israel with (Auschwitz) tattoos. While I understand the sentiments, Wagner is half my world and I would love to play it with my favorite orchestra, in particular the second act of Tristan und Isolde.” Born in Bombay in 1936 and trained as a conductor in Vienna, Mehta has enjoyed the longest and most regaled collaboration with the IPO, spanning 50-plus years. The maestro dismisses his IPO music director for life appellation. “It’s just a handshake. There’s no contract. I will stay as long as the players want me! For me it’s been

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concert after concert of internal spiritual satisfaction.” Though he’s not Jewish, Mehta has become a part of Israel’s culture. He was introduced to the IPO in 1961 when he substituted for an indisposed Eugene Ormandy. Both Mehta and the orchestra were 25 years old at the time. But it was in 1966, when he stepped in for Carlo Maria Giulini during an IPO tour of New Zealand and Australia, that he cultivated a durable bond with the Israeli musicians that has grown into what he calls “a lasting marriage.” During times of war and crisis in Israel, Mehta often has canceled other obligations to stand in solidarity with his musicians. He attributes his passionate allegiance to their mutual devotion to music, and the kinship he feels with the spirit and tradition of the Jewish people. “When I started, it was an orchestra of the Hapsburg monarchy,” he said. “There were Poles, Hungarians, Viennese, Czechs and some German Jews, all basically Yiddish-speaking. Then the Sabras (Jews born in Israel) came in. Now, with the immigration of Soviet Jews, it’s become a Russian orchestra, though still continuing with the Central European sound.” Las Vegas music aficionados can indulge their classical palates Oct. 29 when the IPO debuts at the Smith Center for one performance. Mehta will conduct a program of outstanding works by Schubert, Chopin and Brahms, featuring the much-heralded pianist Yuja Wang. The San Francisco Chronicle’s music Yuja Wang critic Joshua Kosman has anointed Wang, 25, “the most dazzling, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today.” She has become widely recognized for performances that combine the spontaneity and fearless imagination of youth, with the precision and discipline of a mature artist. Music reviewers extol her authority over the most complex technical demands, and her depth of musical insight and charismatic stage presence. New York Times music critic Anthony Tommasini wrote that Wang’s performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (one of her favorite pieces because it fits her “edgy and kind of sarcastic and naughty personality”) features tempos that are brisk to the point of breathlessness. “She dispatches bursts of chords and arm-blurring octaves with ease. She is a wonder.” Born in Beijing in 1987, she began studying piano at age 6. Her classical training extends from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing to Calgary’s Mount Royal College in Canada and The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she graduated in 2008. Since her 2005 debut with the National Arts Center Orchestra, led by Pinchas Zuckerman, Wang has performed with the Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco and National symphonies; the Cleveland, Philadelphia and Royal Concertgebouw orchestras; and the Los Angeles, New York, China, London and Hong Kong philharmonics, to name just a few. She is an exclusive recording artist for Deutsche Grammophon. She has won several awards, including the 2011 Young Artist of the Year Echo Award; she was nominated for a Grammy as Best Classical Instrumental Solo; among her top performance highlights she lists

working with Charles Dutoit in Boston and replacing Martha Argerich; opening the Lucerne festival with Claudio Abbado; playing at the Mariinsky Theatre with Valery Gergiev; and performing with Gustavo Dudamel in Los Angeles this summer. “It’s all about the intensity generated onstage ... the vibe. ... it’s quite an experience,” she says. A grueling lifestyle is de rigueur for Wang. “I really love just living my life; doing the things I enjoy most, and finding inspiration along

the way.” When she’s not immersed in music she loves, there’s “ … going to spas and suntanning. I enjoy my few good friends. We’re into fashion and movies.” On her Twitter feed she quotes unlikely bedfellows Gustav Mahler (“Tradition is tending the flame, not worshipping the ashes.”) and Coco Chanel (“A girl should always be two things: classy and fabulous.”) And so she is, seemingly unfazed by the attention she’s garnered both for her stage garb and her prodigious talent. Her sometimes scant attire has raised a few eyebrows in the hallowed world of classical music. “This October will be my first time collaborating with (Mehta),” she says. “We will tour Israel and the U.S. together for the whole month. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know the music and each other, which doesn’t happen often. I’m really looking forward to it.” In addition to Mehta‘s devotion to the IPO (including its subscription and Youth Concert Series; concerts as part of the Arts for the People project throughout Israel; and special concerts for IDF soldiers at their outposts), the orchestra also premieres works by Israeli composers, absorbs some new immigrant musicians and develops young talents from Israel and abroad. Mehta also is dedicated to a music education program in Israel that involves its Arab citizens. “We have about 250 Arab kids in this program,” he said. “It’s absolutely my dream to have an Israeli-Arab playing in the philharmonic one day. It will happen. I see this as the future for Israel. Maybe music will help us come together.” OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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think

A Jewish family in a courtyard of old Aleppo

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Jewish Aleppo, Lost Forever The Syrian diaspora in Israel watches its once-vibrant ancestral home falls to ruin in the country’s civil war By Joseph Dana, published in Tablet Magazine on August 23, 2012.

he northern Syrian city of Aleppo, once a pillar of Jewish existence worldwide, is slowly being destroyed by the fighting that has engulfed Syria for the past 17 months. Last week, a Free Syrian Army rebel warned that soon “there will be nothing left to destroy in Aleppo.” Imagine Rome or Paris destroyed by civil war in the social media age. Coincidentally, Aleppo had already been in the news thanks to a new book and a lengthy New York Times Magazine article about one of the city’s most famous claims to recognition: the Aleppo Codex of the Hebrew Bible, said to have been complied in Tiberias in the 10th century and ransomed by the Jews of Cairo from the Crusaders after their conquest. After a short but monumental stay in the hands of Maimonides, it wound up in Aleppo, where it was kept hidden in a crypt lining the walls of the city’s great synagogue for the next 600 years. The codex, believed to be the oldest manuscript containing the entire Hebrew Bible, was smuggled out of Syria in the 1950s thanks to the courageous efforts of a handful of Aleppine Jews. Like a segment of Aleppo’s Jewish community, the codex found a home in Jerusalem, where it sits under lock and key at the Israel Museum. What made Jewish existence in Aleppo so unique and vibrant? For thousands of years, Aleppo was an unofficial capital of the Sephardic Jewish world. Fueled by wealth from international trade and waves of Jewish immigration, the city’s Jews sustained a pious community revered for educational excellence and as a guardian of traditions with roots in ancient Israel. Aleppine folklore—some even say that one of Kind David’s generals personally laid the foundation for its great synagogue, now located at the heart of fighting—hints at the prestige of the city in Jewish history. But the city is lost, and Jewish existence has been all but erased from its cobbled streets. Remarkably, what has not disappeared is the Aleppine way of life in diaspora communities spanning the globe. “I would say without any hesitation that the [community of Jews from Aleppo] is the strongest Jewish community in the world in the sense of solidarity,” Yom Tov Assis, a professor of medieval history at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, told me in his booksaturated office. Assis was born in Aleppo and briefly experienced the violence in the city that accompanied Israel’s independence. He recently founded the center for the study of Aleppine Jewry at the

Hebrew University in an effort to preserve and study the traditions of his vibrant community. “There is hardly any Jewish community apart from the Haredim, the ultra-Orthodox, that is so strongly attached to its past and traditions,” he said. ••• Outside of Israel, few cities in the Middle East have a richer history of Jewish cultural activity, education, and trade than Aleppo. Legend has it that the city, which is referred to as Haleb in both Hebrew and Arabic, derives its name from a story of Abraham guiding a flock of sheep through the fleecy shrubbery of the surrounding mountains. He is said to have distributed his sheep’s milk (halev in Hebrew) to the local residents of the city, nestled in Northern Syria’s rolling hills, which thereby was known as Haleb. Starting in the late 10th century, Aleppo grew to serve as a passageway between the Jewish communities of the Babylonian center and Israel. Its geographic position and impressive sphere of influence bridged the divide from Persia to the lucrative markets of southern Europe. The city held an almost mythic or legendary status among Jews worldwide. Visiting the city in the late 16th century, Italian monk Pietro Della Valle observed in a travel journal that, “Here, in one district [in Aleppo], converges all the Orient, with its jewels, silks, drugs, and cloths; and it is also joined by the Occident, namely France (in force), Venice, Holland, and England.” Aleppine Jews also used their wealth to establish prominent educational institutions and were recognized for their carefully kept traditions in line with the biblical practices of ancient Jews. In a letter to the Jewish community of Lunel in Southern France, Maimonides noted that “in all the Holy Land and in Syria, there is one city alone and it is Halab in which there are those who are truly devoted to the Jewish religion and the study of Torah.” Historically, Aleppo found itself at the crossroads of two of Jewish history’s major developments: the expulsion of Jews from Spain and the rise of the Zionist movement. As refugees from Iberia flooded the Eastern Mediterranean in the early part of the 16th century, Aleppo became one of the most important centers of absorption. When Aleppo fell under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, the Caliphate maintained a relatively warm relationship with the Jewish community. Provisions ensuring that synagogues were not built taller than mosques and that Jewish religious behavior was performed OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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Above: Khan el-Vezir, old Aleppo, Right: An alley in old Aleppo

quietly—part of their status as Dhimmis—meant that Jews found a fragile entente. In 1947-48, after the United Nations voted to implement a twostate solution in Palestine, anti-Jewish riots broke out in Aleppo. False rumors spread that the codex had been destroyed in an attack. From this point until the late 1980s, the community dismantled itself, and the Aleppine Jewish diaspora began to take shape— mainly in Israel, Brooklyn, and South America. “We used to summer in Lebanon near Beirut,” Assis told me. “One summer my parents rented a large bus with other Jews from Aleppo, and only after we crossed into Lebanon did they inform us that we would never return to Aleppo.” They were not alone. Some Jews do remain in Muslim countries, from Morocco to Iran. Their numbers, however, are too small to legitimatize the notion that outside of Israel there are still vibrant 50 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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Above: Typical three column page from the 10th century Aleppo Codex. Left: Old Aleppo and Castle taken from the southwest.

Jewish communities in the Middle East. What, then, is the best way to remember Jewish life under Muslim rule in the Middle East? It’s a question that has floated through the halls of Jewish academia for at least 30 years, alternately provoking idealized versions of peaceful life in the Arab world and dramatic tales of persecution. Especially among those dedicated to European Jewish history, which still struggles to understand the tragedy that befell European Jewry in the 20th century, there is a tendency to view life under Muslim rule as exceedingly peaceful, marked by co-existence and even mutual respect. Outside of academia, the question tends to adopt political contours, with people seeking to place blame either on the Zionist movement or the Arab populations that expelled their ancient Jewish communities after the creation of the state of Israel. Whichever side one falls on politically, it is clear that, for Jews, Aleppo was lost in 1948. The recent destruction of the city’s ancient monuments is merely a reminder of what had already been lost. While the Aleppine community in Israel is not nearly as numerous or powerful as their brethren in Brooklyn—the largest Aleppine Jewish community in the world, covered widely for their financial success and excess—their proximity to Syria and relationship with Jews from other Arab countries give the events in their lost city a more immediate feel. Like for the Aleppine community in Brooklyn, the idea of Aleppo

lives on in schools and synagogues in the exile community in Israel. During our conversation, Assis relayed stories of his adolescence moving around the Middle East. “When I arrived in Beirut and Istanbul, I found myself far more learned than any other kid my age,” he said. “We had a very strong Jewish education, we used to read the Bible and translate it on the spot to the astonishment of our teachers.” Aleppine synagogues, especially in Israel, have tried hard to protect the unique aspects of their religious observance. On winter Shabbat mornings, tucked deep in the serene streets of Jerusalem’s Nahlot neighborhood, Syrian Jews sing Bakashot, Kabbalistic poetry originating in Spain. The Great Synagogue of the Aleppo Jewish community in Jerusalem, established in 1901, maintains these and other traditions, such as liturgical singing heavily influenced by Arabic, known as the Sephardi Hazanut. For people like Assis, maintaining this tradition in the face of the winds of history is nothing short of an obligation. “The Jewish world under Islam has vanished,” he said. “You can mourn the whole Jewish world under Islam, there is nothing left. What happens to the cemeteries, to the synagogues, to the books, to everything? Well, God knows.” “This article is reprinted from Tablet Magazine, at tabletmag.com, the online magazine of Jewish news, ideas, and culture.” OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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think

The $6 Billion Election Weighing the middle ground in a pricey 2012 election By Brian Sodoma

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tephen Brown has been crunching numbers for a while. The head of UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research is aware of the election spending figures being tossed around these days – roughly $6 billion for all the federal elections, including $2.5 billion for the presidential race alone – the highest totals ever. Advertising Age puts it higher still, estimating outlays of up to $9.8 billion for all the federal elections combined. But Brown likes to think beyond the campaign spending figures. Sure, all this money could finance $40,000-a-year jobs for 100,000 people. And, yes, the numbers seems grand to any layperson. But the internationally recognized economist, a member of the advisory board for the U.S. Energy Information Administration, wonders how Americans are managing to separate fact, fiction and the outright ludicrous in these election showdowns. Brown says technology has led to more partisan “news,” a far different take from the days when television evolved in the late ‘40s and into the ‘60s. Back then, he believes, there was a more middle ground approach to news delivered on TV and in newspapers. He fears “mass customization” of the message arrived with the Internet. “We can deliver a lot of information to a lot of people in a way they want to get it,” but with an objectivity tradeoff, he adds. Like others, he’s tuned out the television attack ads, but admits to enjoying a chuckle or two when viewing the overtly negative “flush Obama” or “Click here if you think Romney’s a creep” ads on the web. Brown is no stranger to the middle. The registered Independent enjoys a relatively empty mailbox these days. In the past, Democrats summoned him to Capitol Hill to testify on oil and gas tax preferences. “I suppose I would have been invited by the Republicans had I found it to be a good idea,” he says, laughing at the thought. Brown says some of his economic data support the notion that a growing budget deficit could indeed be troublesome. He has no ideological dog in the fight, just key data points. “I don’t want any party to take any comfort from me,” he adds, laughing again.

Battling in a battleground state With many Americans separated along partisan fault lines, few are able to summon the kind of neutrality Brown cultivates, or apt to find unvarnished truth in the highly tailored political messages that confront them every few minutes on television. Brown, who lives in one of roughly 10 so-called battleground states, gets plenty of calls from the national media seeking the “pulse” of the Silver State’s electorate. Brown is happy to supply data, but less sanguine when his answers are elicited for partisan views. Digesting election information in Nevada is different than in other states, according to Brown and other political observers. Candidates, on short notice, fly into Las Vegas for rallies, clogging roadways near McCarran. Some Nevadans may be getting used to the fly-ins on some level, even anticipating them. Meanwhile, the advertising spend in our state is proportionately higher than in some states with more electoral votes. Between April and June, for instance, spending per electoral vote in Nevada was calculated at more than $1.4 million, highest of any state, according to Kantar Media/Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political ad spending. By contrast, in California where the Democrats are in firm control, or in Texas, a Republican stronghold, television advertising budgets probably look more like they did in May 2010. OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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“Remember, if we’re 50 miles away (to the west) we don’t have any of this,” says David Damore, a UNLV political science professor. David Fott, another political science professor, says the Internet and its increasing footprint in society offer opportunities to find good information. Wading through the extreme positions on the web can make that task difficult, however. Fott tells his students to seek out sources on either side of the debates, and those that provide information not widely disseminated. PBS and National Public Radio are sources, he says, that offer a better option for neutrality and added tidbits about people and issues. He also cites opinion journals such as The New Republic, Weekly Standard, The Nation and National Review, which typically cater to either the left or the right, as sources that can help form a more nuanced view of the issues. He and Brown are less enthused about cable new stations. “In a nightly network newscast you get 22 minutes of news,” Fott says, “and the rest is 30 minutes or so of commercials.”

Love-hate entertainment Paul Ryan pushing a grandmother in a wheel chair off a cliff will doubtlessly be an enduring advertising image from this election. It may not have had the visceral impact of the “daisy girl” TV ad that Democrats employed one single time against Republican Barry Goldwater in 1964 (he was crushed in a landslide by incumbent Lyndon Johnson). But it certainly harkens to circa 1800, when John Adams suggested a vote for Thomas Jefferson could presage a world of rape, murder, robbery and incest. The truth is, some political observers believe Americans have been conditioned to expect attack ads drama, a sort of pseudo-entertainment approach to topics that most people have no desire to discuss substantively. And while some attack ads likely do resonate with the public, Damore believes there’s more at stake than mere votes for the consultants advising the candidates. “The ad buyer gets 10 percent of the buy,” the UNLV professor says. “What would you tell your candidate to do? ‘You gotta hire my buddy in production.’ It’s just disgusting.” Like others, he believes Americans are more willing these days to accept slanted truth as the actual truth, a strategy that inures to the benefit of the candidate selling it. “Consultants will tell you, ‘You’ve gotta move the gut, make that visceral reaction. Don’t worry about the facts. Start with a grain of fact and see how you can emotionally charge that,’” he explains. “People know that if voters don’t trust the person, they won’t consider their policies.” For those on the periphery of politics, the system is awash in cash – money brought in through endless fundraising that begins years ahead of the showdown that comes the first Tuesday of every fourth November. And, just as it is with other consumables, the cost of buying television, Internet and newspaper ads continues to climb with each election cycle. By some accounts, this cycle’s media spend is upward of $5.2 billion, roughly $1 billion more than in 2008. Not surprisingly, Disney, Comcast, CBS and News Corp. issues are up about 25 percent in value since 54 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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early summer. David Axelrod, an Obama adviser, told The Economist that about $3.4 billion will be spent on TV ads alone this cycle, with 83 percent of it spent at local stations. “Some of my sources in the media here locally tell me they operate on a three-year loss,” Brown says, “and make it up in the fourth year.”

The influence question America’s election funding process is hardly a template for good government, but it reflects a system sustained and perpetuated by money. The law allows an individual to contribute up to $2,500 to a campaign during the primary election and $2,500 thereafter. But individuals and companies can give unlimited amounts to Super PACs (political action committees) and directly to political parties. The Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission essentially opened the door to limitless campaign contributions from virtually anyone. For economic reasons, some contributors must hedge their bets and play both sides of the political street. Money from PAC’s aligned with a particular party are also responsible for much of the advertising seen in the campaigns, even if the identifiers fail to indicate whether a Democratic or Republican organization is behind the message. Fott says money at least suggests there is an underlying pay-forplay approach to politics, and many find that troubling. “People are very ambivalent about money,” he says. “On one hand, I give money to a candidate. In a way that’s ‘speech.’ I endorse with money, shouldn’t I be allowed to do that? On the other hand, money is traditionally a form of exchange. If I’m giving money, I want something in return. “What is it that the person who gives money wants in return? Candidate access? His vote on a particular issue? … A lot of people are uncomfortable with that. … It’s the ambiguity of the nature of money in our capitalistic society that makes it a tough issue.”

campaign contributions. Money flows to candidates most likely to win. Koepnick’s party, for better or worse, seems to bear testament to these findings. This election season, America has learned a little more about what a few billion dollars can purchase. Over the course of an hour of TV viewing, it can be a colorful, humorous and sad landscape to behold. But as we analyze the partisan messages, we can take great pride knowing money doesn’t actually guarantee an election win. At least that’s what we’re told.

Money losers? For a long time, research has shown that the candidate with the most money does not necessarily win the election. But Fott says there is a “general threshold,” or financial minimum, that a person must raise to be considered a credible candidate. So what about the case of Sam Koepnick, who won the Democratic primary in this state’s 2nd Congressional District after spending $17 on his campaign? He doesn’t raise funds, and he acknowledged liking the Republican incumbent Mark Amodei. The Internet technician for the state’s Division of Water Resources also hasn’t engaged in negative campaign advertising. He believes he is making enough of a statement with the way he has conducted his “campaign.” Certainly the Democratic Party has no intention of bankrolling a man in a district where no Democrat has ever won a congressional seat. Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, authors of “Freakonomics,” posit that the population has a “herding” nature when it comes to OCTOBER 2012 DAVID

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Super PACs’ Super Spending Essentially created by the landmark 2010 ruling in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, Super PACs (political action committees) are a big part of the messaging and money in today’s presidential campaigns. As of Sept. 20th, 107 super PACs had spent more than $243 million, 77 percent of it on negative advertising. While Super PACs are not supposed to have direct ties to political candidates, that rule has plenty of give to it apparently. Restore Our Future, the largest of all the Super PACs, is run by two former Mitt Romney campaign aids; the same goes for Priorities USA, which supports Barack Obama. Those two groups have raised $96.7 million and $35.6 million, respectively, this year. American Crossroads, another pro-Romney Super PAC, has raised some $56.8 million. Meanwhile, individual campaign funding data show Obama raising $441.3 million and Romney

only bringing in $283.6 million, but clearly bridging the “gap” with the Super PAC support. Since early April, a time many regard as the official start of the campaign season, Super PACs have piled up the spending with attack ads. Anti-Obama advertising from 37 PACs topped $101 million collectively, while 20 Super PACs spent $38 million attacking Mitt Romney. PAC spending from groups not tied to a specific presidential candidate totals $94 million. Locally, the Shelley Berkley-Dean Heller U.S. Senate race is seeing strong Super PAC support. Expect it to get stronger, too: American Crossroads has reserved $1.8 million in fall airtime to combat Berkley and her $2.3 million provided by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Both candidates’ individual campaigns raised roughly $7 million in direct support. Sources: Federal Election Commission, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg News, rollcall. com. Presidential race figures are based on information available as of Sept. 21.

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Fran Lebowitz, Social Commentator New York based Writer and Public Speaker Lebowitz appears at The Smith Center, alongside acclaimed journalist and Writer-at-Large for New York magazine Frank Rich, for a “State of the Union Conversation”. October 17, 7:30 pm DAVID: What led you to be a writer? LEBOWITZ: The love of reading. I knew I wanted to be a writer at the age of 5. Reading was always pleasurable and writing was work. But it was something I succeeded at, and there are not many things I can say that about. DAVID: You’ve said, “It’s what I’ve wanted my whole life was for people to want to know my opinions.” What’s your favorite topic of discussion? LEBOWITZ: I have no favorites. I’m happy to discuss any topic. DAVID: If you weren’t a writer what would you be? LEBOWITZ: What would I like to be or what would I probably be? DAVID: Both! LEBOWITZ: What I would like to be is a conductor for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. What I would probably be, I shudder to think about. As a child, there was a brief flirtation with wanting to be a tollbooth operator, because I thought they traveled a lot. And I also thought they got to keep the money. DAVID: Do you feel that your gender plays a significant part in how you identify yourself as a writer or how society views you in either a positive or negative way? LEBOWITZ: Of course I do. Gender is an incredibly determining factor. You know, gender is just given to you. As a child in the 1950s it played a large part in how children were raised. You were told you couldn’t do things because you were a girl, or you couldn’t do things because you were a boy. It’s gotten immeasurably better as we’ve continued on, but I think women are obviously more conscious of it. But, yes, I think it has played a significant part, whether I’ve been conscious of it or not. DAVID: You’ve compared writing to a godly act. How so? LEBOWITZ: Writing is a godly act. You are creating a world, even in nonfiction. It is a very powerful feeling. Unconsciously, writers know they are usurping the power. DM: You’ve also said you reserve all your fear for writing. What about writing is most fearful? LEBOWITZ: Writing. Writing is most fearful. What I meant by that is, I don’t have any phobias, I’m not afraid of heights, et cetera. But I don’t know exactly what about writing I am fearful of or else I would overcome it. I think some of it is laziness. DAVID: What was your favorite job you had before your writing career? LEBOWITZ: None of them. Belt peddling was probably the worst, though. I was robbed.

I had this giant suitcase, and I probably weighed 100 pounds. I was just a kid. And, of course, it was illegal. DAVID: What was your favorite? LEBOWITZ: I hated work. I always said I was available to be an heiress. Of course I think now it’s too late for that. DAVID: What role has Judaism played in your career? LEBOWITZ: I’m not a religious person. But Judaism is the only religion that you can be Jewish, feel that you are a part of it and be an atheist. It acts as an ethnicity. DAVID: Do you have any routines that you adhere to on a daily basis? LEBOWITZ: I’m not the most disciplined. I have a few household rules. I never eat except at the table, and in the morning I do not read fiction — a habit I’ve always had. DAVID: What are the most overrated things to you? LEBOWITZ: Money. I don’t want it. I don’t need it. I’m not a communist. But, truthfully, money as a subject is tedious. It’s just math. Our national preoccupation with it has not done this country any good. And yoga. I don’t even know what yoga is. It cannot be that important because Albert Einstein did not practice it. DAVID: What is your biggest pet peeve? LEBOWITZ: My pet peeves are so numerous. A lot of things annoy me. Noise. I am enraged by noise ... and everything else. I’m in a constant state of fury. DAVID: Are you annoyed right now? LEBOWITZ: Ah, I am most comfortable when I am in my own house. There are no people on bicycles riding toward me. There is no food being sold. I am at ease when I am home. DAVID: In Martin Scorsese’s documentary, “Public Speaking,” you mentioned that there was a recent literary trend in which the market was saturated with bad writing, which you correlated with the authors being given too much selfesteem. Why do you think that is? LEBOWITZ: Well, I think it’s because everyone is younger than me. And it’s the way younger people were brought up. At a certain point, the entire culture changed. The most frequent thing I heard as a child was that I was unimportant. We were discouraged to talk about ourselves. But then at a certain point it switched. Now people give you so much information about themselves that I don’t care about. DAVID: Are you writing anything now? LEBOWITZ: If I was under oath, I would have to say no. But I am making an effort. DAVID: What do you feel is the strongest identifying characteristic of you as a writer? LEBOWITZ: Brevity. Other writers are told to cut down their work. I have the exact opposite problem. Brevity is my problem.

58 DAVID TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5773

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BE SMART. BE SAFE. BE SEEN. Fact: Nevada is one of the ﬁve most dangerous states for pedestrians. Recent painful events in Las Vegas have reminded us of this repeatedly. Through your emails and calls, you’ve told us you are concerned and are tired of pedestrians, especially our children, dying and being injured on our roadways. Action News wants to change that. IF YOU ARE DRIVING: Pay attention! Respect pedestrians. Slow down near crosswalks. Pedestrians do have the right of way in crosswalks and at intersections. IF YOU ARE A PEDESTRIAN: Pay attention! Look both ways before crossing. Always stay focused on the trafﬁc while you are in the intersection. Don’t assume all cars will stop for you. Wear bright clothing. Don’t wear dark clothing at night. For the rules of the road regarding pedestrians and driving, go to KTNV.COM.

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Tell us about dangerous intersections or send story ideas to: 13INVESTIGATES@KTNV.COM 9/21/12 3:21 PM

UPCOMING SHOWS T I C K E T S STA R T I N G AT $2 4

Dr. John & The Blind Boys of Alabama Performing “Spirituals to Funk”

A State of the Union Conversation: An Evening with Frank Rich & Fran Lebowitz

Two American greats team up to explore jazz, blues and gospel Tuesday, 10/16 – 7:30pm

Two powerhouses of political discourse tackle the election Wednesday, 10/17 – 7:30pm

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

ZOPPÉ – An Italian Family Circus

Presenting the works of Schubert, Chopin and Brahms Monday, 10/29 – 7:30pm

A traditional one-ring circus right in Symphony Park Thursday, 11/1 – 7:00pm | Friday, 11/2 – 7:00pm Saturday, 11/3 – 2:00pm & 7:00pm Sunday, 11/4 – 2:00pm & 5:00pm

T h e S m i t h C e n t e r. co m

John Tesh: Big Band LIVE! The entertainment icon presents his favorite big band tunes Sunday, 10/21 – 7:30pm

Ballet Folklorico de Mexico The pinnacle of traditional Mexican dance and music Sunday, 11/4 – 7:30pm Monday, 11/5 – 7:30pm

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Pilobolus Dance Theatre Jaw-dropping dance mixed with startling humor Wednesday, 10/24 – 7:30pm

Clifford The Big Red Dog – LIVE! TM

An all-new, larger-than-life musical fit for the whole family Tuesday, 11/6 – 6:00pm

UPCOMING SHOWS AT

Clint Holmes Friday, 10/5 – 8:30pm Sunday, 10/7 – 2:00pm

Doc Severinsen & The San Miguel Five Friday, 10/12 – 7:00pm Saturday, 10/13 – 7:00pm & 9:30pm

An Evening With Christine Ebersole: The End Of The World As We Know It Cabaret Friday, 10/19 – 8:30pm Saturday, 10/20 – 7:00pm & 9:30pm

An Evening With John Pizzarelli Friday, 10/26 – 8:30pm Saturday, 10/27 – 7:00pm & 9:30pm

Visit TheSmithCenter.com to see the full lineup today 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106

SEASON PARTNERS

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