DAVID

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THE SHOES OF PIETY WHY THE RABBI GOES VEGAN ON YOM KIPPUR

HANGING WITH HARRY 01_Cover_Form.indd 1

WHAT’S SHAKING

ONLINE SERVICES

AGENCY OF LAST RESORT 8/20/13 9:50 AM

Š JB Star 2013 JB star is a registered trademark of Jewels by Star 01_Cover_Form.indd 2

by Rafael

Rare Mozambique Paraiba Oval 10.35ct Set with Fine Diamonds in Platinum

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Cruise Antarctica – December 2013 We’re taking an 11-day cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula during the Antarctic summer. See the continent’s unique wildlife and landscapes.

Weather permitting, we’ll ride in Zodiacs among icebergs, walk across ice, snow and rock to visit penguins, and explore on-land cultural sites.

> The new Continuing Education Catalog is out.

There are months of programs, courses and experiences available in our free catalog. Try something fun. Go somewhere exciting.

Build your knowledge. Amp your career. Never stop.

For more information on courses and the cruise, call 702.895.3394 or visit us online at continuingeducation.unlv.edu

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SEPTEMBER

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

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daven Candle lighting times and synagogue information.

know Up close and personal with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He discusses his wife’s Jewish roots and the impact that has had on his family.

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

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46 What’s Shaking in the Garden China Ranch Date Farm has become the Lulav growers of distinction.

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

sense A exploration of the virtual world of congregational prayer. How going digital challenges the concept of community.

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Shoes of Piety Why the Rabbi goes vegan on Yom Kippur.

on the cover

THE SHOES OF PIETY WHY THE RABBI GOES VEGAN ON YOM KIPPUR

Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz gets ready for the High Holy Days.

Photo by Steven Wilson

www.davidlv.com

Copyright 2013 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.

S E P T E M B E R 2013

discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the World

taste Why have Jews have been braiding their challahs for centuries? Why do we create round loaves for Rosh Hashanah? These questions and more are answered as we explore the wonderful word of Jewish baking.

Jonathan Fine, Entrepreneur The month’s spotlight on a person of interest

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Agency of Last Resort The Jewish Family Service Agency is inspired by the principle of “Tikkun Olam,” repairing the world one life at a time.

HANGING WITH HARRY

WHAT’S SHAKING

ONLINE SERVICES

AGENCY OF LAST RESORT

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Friends

oF the

idF Las Vegas Chapter

3rd annual Gala October 10, 2013 Gala Chairs

Gala Honorees

Dana & Michael Werner

Arlene & jerry Blut

On e Hom e lan d. On e Cau se . One Evening to Celebrate its Heroes. in tribute and celebration of the brave soldiers who fiFIght for Israel.

The Venetian Hotel photos

with

5:30pm soLdiers For aLL Chai CLub members

6:00pm CoCktaiL reCeption

For

more inFormation, pLease ContaCt

7:00pm dinner and program

646-274-9659,

abigaiL.amseL@FidF.org

their job is to look after Israel. Ours is to look after them.

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David Magazine Color Ad_2012:3.8125x10.375

12/12/12

Nevada’s only Funeral Home and Cemetery combination dedicated exclusively to the Jewish Community • Southern Nevada consecrated Jewish cemetery • Proudly serving all Jewish denominations • Elegant 250 seat Allen Brewster Memorial Chapel • Knowledgeable and caring Jewish staff • Special Veterans Pricing Plan • Special Synagogue Pricing Plan • Burials out-of-state and Eretz Yisrael

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Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIALllllllll

Editorial Assistant

Brianna Soloski

Copy Editor

Pat Teague

Jeremy Leopold a

Contributing Writers

brianna@davidlv.com

Devin Aaron Marisa Finetti Jaq Greenspon Marilyn LaRocque Brian Sodoma Pat Teague Lynn Wexler-Margolies

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Endorsed by the entire Rabbinic community, meeting the needs of every denomination with tradition and compassion.

Art Director/ Photographer

Steven Wilson

Contributing Photographer

Paul Sleet

steve@davidlv.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Jay Poster Funeral Director, Manager & Founder

Irv Weinberger Counselor, Family Services

Sheryl Chenin-Webb Counselor, Family Services

Advertising Director

Joanne Friedland

Account Executives

Gina Cinque

Kacia-Dvorkin Pretty Counselor, Family Services

joanne@davidlv.com

gina@davidlv.com

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

Volume 04 Number 05 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.

Copyright 2013 by JewishINK LLC. 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-459 Las Vegas, NV 89134 (p) 702-254-2223 (f) 702-664-2633

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

A Dignity Memorial® Provider

2697 East Eldorado Lane Las Vegas, NV 89120 702-464-8570 www.kingdavidlv.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.

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Shanah Tovah U’Metukah!

A Happy and Sweet New Year! ‫שנ ה טובה ומתוקה‬

Best wishes for a year filled with good health, success, love, Brachot, Mitzvot… and most of all Shalom!

(702) 794-0090 www.jccsn.org

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(702) 732-0556. jewishlasvegas.com

(702) 732-0304 www.jfsalv.org

8/21/13 12:42 PM

contributors

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.

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.

Marilyn LaRocque is Contributing Editor for Gastronomique en Vogue and former Senior Food and Wine Editor for LUXURY Las Vegas.

She’s traveled extensively around the world, visiting great wine regions and enjoying fantastic food.

She’s also Vice Chargée de Presse Nationale des Etats Unis for Chaîne des Rôtisseurs USA.

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.

Pat Teague has been a practicing journalist, manager and editor for international and regional wire services, and has worked for several metropolitan daily newspapers. He also has worked for one of the world’s largest corporations and was one of five Southern Californians in the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists honored in 2000 for career achievement.

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 ELUL 5773 / TISHREI 5774

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feedback

AUGUST 2 013

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To the Editor, I loved August’s cover feature in David magazine and stunning photos featuring Michele Rothstein’s extraordinary health and fitness journey.

Inspirational! Thank you for 2 0 1 3 M E D I C A L sharing her story.

M A V E N S Jolie Brislin Las Vegas

LOSING &

WINNING

A U G U S T 2013

To the Editor, I loved reading the article about Michele’s Rothstein’s journey. As a man who’s been through a similar journey in my life, I feel that her work and dedication is going to inspire other people and motivate them to change.

It’s inspiring to see what she’s done and what she continues to do to inspire others.

Avi Dan-Goor Las Vegas

WEIGHT LOSS,

www.da vidlv.co

m

SET TING NO LIMITS

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TRIAGING TRAGEDY

LIFESTYLE CHA NGES AND PERSONAL GROWTH

HIV CURED?

FU CANCER

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7/21/13 4:40 PM

To the Editor, My wife Charlene and I are regular shoppers at the Costco in Summerlin. We have seen Chris Lane on multiple occasions and have been assisted by him often. Please believe when I tell you that we never were aware of his prosthesis, until reading the wonderful article “Setting No Limits” in your August issue of DAVID Magazine.

His attitude toward life perfectly demonstrates the human qualities described in the your story’s title.

We further read with great interest the rest of the article, and marvel at the advancements made in technology from the earliest days of innovation by James Hanger. We quite possibly are moving into an age when anything that can be imagined, becomes possible. As a senior citizen this could not have happened too soon.

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We want to hear from you!

Compliments and complaints are welcome, but only if we get them. Send them to the editor at editor@davidlv.com with “Letter to Editor” in the subject line or mail them to DAVID, 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-459, Las Vegas, NV 89134

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Tishrei, the first month of the Jewish calendar falls on Sept. 5, causing Rosh Hashanah (New Year) to be really early this year. By the time some of you read this, the sounds of the shofar, the apples and honey and the two days of prayer will be a fond memory.

Compliments of some serious dining, the realization has already set in for most of us that a weight loss regime is less expensive than a new wardrobe, and the cycle of reflection and repentance encouraged by the reading of the Machzor (the prayer book used on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) would be in full force.

I wish to thank Nevada’s own Harry Reid for sitting down with us to answer questions about current national affairs. The U.S. Senate majority leader waxed personal as he expounded upon the reasons for his enthusiastic support of comprehensive immigration reform. He referenced the influence that his father-in-law, an Orthodox Jewish immigrant from Russia, had on him in this matter, and Reid’s familiarity with and enjoyment of Jewish ritual, especially during the High Holy Days. Do not be too surprised if you see him somewhere Jewish these holidays.

Most of us live a hop, skip and a jump from a house of worship of our choice; but some are not so fortunate. For myriad reasons, there are those who cannot or choose not to attend services. Some years ago my wife and I found ourselves in that situation. Neither of us felt good about missing Kol Nidre (the Aramaic declaration recited before the evening services for Yom Kippur). We were, however, able to participate in this solemn occasion and “attend” services at Temple MacBook Pro. Digital davening (prayer) challenges traditional concepts of “community,” as we were in Africa but still “participated” in services at a synagogue in London.

How would the French toast their bread without delicious Challah? This sweet braided loaf holds a special place in my heart. I often accompanied my maternal grandfather on his Friday rounds to supply family and friends their loaves for the Sabbath. It was his mission to make sure they all had the opportunity to do the mitzvah of blessing the bread during Kiddush (Grace), as well as supporting the local kosher bakeries’ significant bottom lines.

During a time of reflection, it is required to consider the plight of those less fortunate.

DAVID Magazine endorses the important work that the Jewish Family Service Agency does, and encourages all our readers to open their hearts and wallets, too. Join their ever-growing army of volunteers; together, we have the power to heal this world.

I have resolved to be more diligent with my emails. Our two last stories came as a result of an email that almost found its way into the trash without a cursory glance. I had been receiving emails from Brian Brown, the owner of China Ranch Date Farm, for some time. I also started getting correspondence from a company in New York promoting its vegan (no leather) footwear. I guess it was the despair caused by being a story or two short for this month that caused me to go hunting for inspiration. Please read our What’s Shakin’ in the Garden (pages 46-51) and The Shoes of Piety (pages 52-55) to see how lucky I got.

Scion of a power family, Jonathan Fine has carves his own niche. He represents the very best of a new generation of entrepreneurs. Las Vegas is in good hands, we salute you, sir.

Finally, it hardly seems practical for Jews to consider doing any business this month, as September boasts less than a handful of non-chag (holidays) days. October, neglected by the celestial event planners, this year allows those of us with recently purified hearts to make up for lost time.

L’Shanah Tovah TIkatevu. May you be inscribed in the book of life for a good year.

702. 358.0088

www.TheMillenniumGroup.net License #3286

Max Friedland max@davidlv.com

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pulse

explore @ 12 • daven @18 • devour @ 19 • desire @ 20 • discover @ 22

MOTLEY CRUE 9.18

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eXplore L A S

West Library, 9600 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3630. lvccld.org AS I SEE IT: THE ART OF PEG LOZIER: Through Sept. 3, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas.

702-507-3400. lvccld.org

V E G A S

JOURNEY OF THE HEART BY JANE ASARI: Through Sept. 22, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Windmill Library, 7060 West Windmill Lane, Las Vegas.

702-507-6030. lvccld.org POST RURAL: Through Sept. 27, Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. & Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free. College of Southern Nevada, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-651-4146. http:// sites.csn.edu/artgallery/index.html JOURNEY OF THE HEART BY JANE ASARI: Through Sept. 22, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Windmill Library, 7060 West Windmill Lane, Las Vegas.

702-507-6030. lvccld.org RON WHITE: 10 p.m., $59.99-$79.99. Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-7917111. mirage.com ZIGGY MARLEY: 9 p.m., $40. The Beach at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com COSMOPOLITAN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE DAVID SANCHEZ BURR: Through Sept. 15, Weds.-Sun. 6-11 p.m., free. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6987000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com JEWISH RENAISSANCE FAIR: 4 p.m., free.

Tivoli Village, 440 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-570-4700. tivolivillagelv.com

THE SYMPHONIC ROCKSHOW FEATURING BRODY DOLYNIUK WITH YELLOW BRICK ROAD: 8 p.m., $24+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

September 1 BILL MEDLEY WITH SPECIAL GUEST MCKENNA MEDLEY: 7:30 p.m., $45. South Point Hotel, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com THE TALKING MACHINES BY RICHARD RAMSDELL: Through Sept. 24, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free.

Spring Valley Library, 4280 South Jones Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3820. lvccld.org OPTICAL FUSION BY BILL AND ROSE GLASS: Through Oct. 1, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free.

Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, Las Vegas. 702-507-3860. lvccld.org

EXHIBITION OF GEOMETRICAL ART BY CLIFFORD SINGER: Through Oct. 15, Mon.Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.6 p.m., free. Enterprise Library, 25 East Shelbourne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3760. lvccld.org FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT SOUTHWEST BY KENT A. LEFEVRE: Through Oct. 29, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. & Fri.Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. West Las Vegas Library, 951 West Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas.

702-507-3980. lvccld.org ALL ABOUT CLAY BY THE NEVADA CLAY GUILD: Through Oct. 20, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.7 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Sahara

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DIVE-IN MOVIES - CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS & OCEAN'S ELEVEN: 7:30 & 10 p.m., free. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

ROASTING LAS VEGAS: To benefit Three Square Food Bank. 7 p.m., $25. Three Square Food Bank, 4190 North Pecos Road, Las Vegas. 702-644-3663. threesquare.org CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART - JAPANESE/ GERMAN RELIEF PRINTMAKING: 11 a.m., free. Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-4836055. ccf.org TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT THE BIJOU EDITH HEAD & HER ACADEMY AWARD

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Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com JERRY SEINFELD: Through Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m., $75-$150. Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com MARGARET CHO: 10 p.m., $49.99-$69.99.

Mirage, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-791-7111. mirage.com FIRST FRIDAY: 6 p.m., free. Various downtown locations. firstfridaylasvegas.org DENNIS MILLER: Through Sept. 7, 8 p.m., $55$88. Orleans, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com TIM ALLEN: Through Sept. 7, 10 p.m., $85.75.

Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-414-1000. venetian.com ROCK 'N' ROLL WINE: Through Sept. 7, times vary, $59-$119.50. Mandalay Bay Beach, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com

Ziggy Marley 9.1

WINNING FASHIONS: Tuesdays through Sept. 24, 1 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702507-3459. lvccld.org

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MONSTER ENERGY ROCK ALLEGIANCE TOUR: 6:45 p.m., $39.50. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-6935000. hardrockhotel.com EPICUREAN EPICENTER SERIES - FALL INTO AUTUMN: 7 p.m., $95. Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-693-7111. bellagio.com

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OTTMAR LIEBERT FEATURING LUNA NEGRA: 8 p.m., $20. Aliante Casino, 7300 North Aliante Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-692-7777. aliantegaming.com

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PAM TILLIS AND LORRIE MORGAN “GRITS AND GLAMOUR”: 7:30 p.m., $29+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com JACK JONES: Through Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m., $30.

South Point Casino, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com

FITZ & THE TANTRUMS: 9 p.m., $25.

Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

Shana Tova Celebrate with holiday specialties from Bagel Cafe

SUPER SUMMER THEATRE - THE PRODUCERS: Through Sept. 20, 8 p.m., $12-$20. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, 6375 Highway 159, Blue Diamond. supersummertheatre.org AN EVENING WITH FORMER GOVERNOR BOB MILLER - SON OF A GAMBLING MAN: 7 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. lvccld.org

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301 N. Buffalo Drive 255-3444

THE SYMPHONIC ROCKSHOW FEATURING BRODY DOLYNIUK WITH YELLOW BRICK ROAD: 8 p.m., $24+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492000. thesmithcenter.com CLINT HOLMES: Through Sept. 8, times vary, $35+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony

www.thebagelcafelv.com

WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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Temple Sinai is a warm and welcoming Reform Jewish community engaged in lifelong learning, soulful worship, and social justice.

Arturo Sandoval 9.13-14

KATHY GRIFFIN: 10 p.m., $59.99-$79.99.

Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-791-7111. mirage.com BACKSTREET BOYS: 8 p.m., $39.50-$79.50.

Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com DENNIS MILLER: Through Sept. 8, 8 p.m., $49.95. Orleans Showroom, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7075. orleanscasino.com

Join Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Mariana Gindlin Shabbat Worship Friday evenings at 7:30pm Saturday Service and Torah Study at 10:00am  Religious School Enrollment Open  High Holy Day Tickets available (Limited number)  Shenker Academy registration is ongoing with full day Kindergarten

702-254-5110 9001 Hillpointe Road, Las Vegas, NV 89134

www.templesinailv.org

GABE KAPLAN: Through Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast Showroom, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoastcasino.com HEART OF GIVING GALA: To benefit Ronald McDonald House. 6 p.m., costs vary. Keep Memory Alive Center at Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-252-4663. rmhlv.org

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THE WIZARD OF OZ: Through Sept. 15, times vary, $26+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com SAN GENNARO FEAST: Through Sept. 15, times vary, $8-$9. 4245 South Grand Canyon Drive, Las Vegas. sangennarofeast.com

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ART & WINE - A PERFECT PAIRING: 5 p.m., $30$38. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-693-7111. bellagio.com

UNLV JAZZ CONCERT SERIES - THE JOE WILLIAMS EVERY DAY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP SEXTET: 7 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. lvccld.org

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MINUS THE BEAR: 9 p.m., $20. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6987000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

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ARTURO SANDOVAL: Through Sept. 14, times vary, $42+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492000. thesmithcenter.com CHRISTOPHER TITUS: Through Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m., $15. South Point Hotel, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: Through Sept. 16, times and costs vary. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com GABRIEL IGLESIAS: Through Sept. 15, 10 p.m., $49.99-$59.99. Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com

OUTDOOR PICTURE SHOW - THE INCREDIBLES & PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE: Through Sept. 14, 7 p.m., free. The District,

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2225 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. 702654-8595. shopthedistrictgvr.com

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ONE RUN: 8:30 a.m., costs vary. Town Square Las Vegas, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-269-5000. mytownsquarelasvegas.com CARLY RAE JEPSEN: 8 p.m., $40. Pearl at the Palms, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas.

702-942-7777. palms.com 23RD ANNUAL HO'OLAULE'A PACIFIC ISLANDS FESTIVAL: Through Sept. 15, 9 a.m., free. Henderson Events Plaza, 200 South Water Street, Henderson. 702-267-2171. hendersonlive.com THE JAMES TAYLOR EXPERIENCE: Through Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast Showroom, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702636-7075. suncoastcasino.com OKTOBERFEST KICKOFF WITH SIEGFRIED & ROY: 7 p.m., free. Hofbrauhaus, 4510 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-853-2337. hofbrauhauslasvegas.com FALL BLOOD DRIVE: 11 a.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. lvccld.org SATURDAY MOVIE MATINEE - STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS: 2 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas.

702-507-3459. lvccld.org

HADASSAH BREAK THE FAST: 6 p.m., $25.

For more information, call Gayle Pallans at 702-657-0456, Mady Shapiro at 702-3995347, or Arlene Harris at 702-633-5798. southpointcasino.com

BELLAGIO MASTER SOMMELIER - THE INCOMPARABLE WINES OF BURGUNDY: 6 p.m., $80. Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-693-7111. bellagio.com

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BLINK-182 WITH NEW BEAT FUND: 9 p.m., $60. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

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TREY MCINTYRE PROJECT: 7:30 p.m., $29+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com NEVADA WILD FEST: Through Sept. 22, times vary, $10-$30. Rio Hotel, 3700 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-777-7777. nevadawildfest.com TONY ORLANDO: Through Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m., $45. South Point Casino, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com JAY LENO: 10 p.m., $59.99-$79.99. Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-7917111. mirage.com

OUTDOOR PICTURE SHOW - THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN & WINNIE THE POOH: Through Sept. 21, 7 p.m., free. The District, 2225 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. 702654-8595. shopthedistrictgvr.com IHEART RADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL: Through Sept. 21, times vary, $29.55-$447.15. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-891-1111. mgmgrand.com

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CARNIVAL OF MADNESS: 5 p.m., $59.50.

Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

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CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS/ CONTEMPORARY ART: 11 a.m., free. Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-483-6055. ccf.org

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ELTON JOHN'S MILLION DOLLAR PIANO: Through Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m., $55-$250.

Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com MOTLEY CRUE: Through Oct. 6, 9 p.m., $49.50. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

Elton John 9.18 SEPTEMBER 2013 DAVID

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Nevada Wild Fest 9.20-22

DANA CARVEY: Through Sept. 21, 8 p.m., $54.95. Orleans Showroom, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7075. orleanscasino.com LENA PRIMA, WITH LOUIS PRIMA: 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast Showroom, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoastcasino.com

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TOMMY TUNE: Through Sept. 22, times vary, $39+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com RTC VIVA BIKE VEGAS 2013: 6 a.m., costs vary.

Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-269-5000. mytownsquarelasvegas. com KATHLEEN MADIGAN: 10 p.m., $29.99$49.99. Mirage, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com 19TH ANNUAL SERENADES OF LIFE DOCTORS IN CONCERT: 7 p.m., $35+.

The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com

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THE BUCKINGHAMS: Through Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast Showroom, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoastcasino.com GARY SPIVEY: 8 p.m., $25. Aliante Casino, 7300 North Aliante Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-

692-7777. aliantegaming.com NEVADA BALLET NUTCRACKER POP-UP EXPERIENCE: 8 a.m., free. Tivoli Village, 440 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-5704700. tivolivillagelv.com

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DRIVING MISS DAISY: 7:30 p.m., $24+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com HADASSAH LOU RUVO TOUR: 1 p.m., $10.

Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas. For more information, contact Karen Krebs at 702-8454811 or Jennifer Cohen at 702-340-6885. southpointcasino.com

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AUDI SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS ALAN ALDA - THINGS I OVERHEARD WHILE TALKING TO MYSELF: 7:30 p.m., $29+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

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UNCENSORED VOICES - CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM TO READ: 7 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. lvccld.org

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DISH LAS VEGAS: To benefit Three Square Food Bank. 6:30 p.m., $75. Three Square Food Bank, 4190 North Pecos Road, Las Vegas. 702644-3663. threesquare.org

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INNER CIRCLE: 9 p.m., $20. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6987000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

DON RICKLES: Through Sept. 29, 8 p.m., $79.95. Orleans Showroom, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7075. orleanscasino.com

POOLSIDE JAZZ UNDER THE STARS - HOT CLUB OF LAS VEGAS: 7 p.m., $15. Aliante Casino, 7300 North Aliante Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-692-7777. aliantegaming.com

3RD ANNUAL SUNSET ROCK 'N' RUN: 6:30 p.m., costs vary. Kellogg-Zaher Park, 7901 West Washington Avenue, Las Vegas. sunsetrocknrun.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS CHARITY & FASHION SHOW: 6 p.m., cost TBA. Tivoli Village, 440 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas.

702-570-4700. tivolivillagelv.com

UNITED HEALTHCARE'S TEDDY BEAR RUN: 8 a.m., cost TBA. Tivoli Village, 440 South Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-570-4700. tivolivillagelv.com

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STEVE MARCH-TORMé: Through Sept. 28, 7 p.m., $36+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

LAUGHTER AND REFLECTION WITH CAROL BURNETT - A CONVERSATION WITH CAROL WHERE THE AUDIENCE ASKS THE QUESTIONS: 8 p.m., $39+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

TRAVELING FOOD FESTIVAL: Through Sept.

28, 10 a.m., costs vary. Sur La Table at Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. jbftasteamerica.org

LAS VEGAS RIDE FOR KIDS: 12 p.m., $40. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-269-5000. mytownsquarelasvegas.com

DANIEL TOSH: Through Sept. 28, 10 p.m., $65.99-$95.99. Mirage, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd.

S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com OUTDOOR PICTURE SHOW - MARCH OF THE PENGUINS & THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS: Through Sept. 28, 7 p.m., free. The District, 2225 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. 702654-8595. shopthedistrictgvr.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.

Carol Burnett 9.29

41ST ANNUAL LAS VEGAS GREEK FESTIVAL: Through Sept. 29, free-$6, times vary. St. John Greek Orthodox Church, 5300 El Camino Road, Las Vegas. 702-221-8245. vegasgreekorthodox.com WHITNEY CUMMINGS: 9 p.m., $64.90.

Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com BRUCE BRUCE: Through Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast Showroom, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoastcasino.com

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LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC MASTERWORKS I OPERATIC LOVE: 7:30 p.m., $100. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com PAINT THE SQUARE PINK: 6 p.m., free. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-269-5000. mytownsquarelasvegas.com

Call or go online to schedule your FREE CONSULTATION today!

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VEGAS VALLEY BOOK FESTIVAL PREFESTIVAL EVENT , VEGAS VALLEY POETRY CELEBRATION: 7 p.m., free.

Historic 5th Street School, 401 South Fourth Street, Las Vegas. 702-229-3515. vegasvalleybookfestival.org Body Contouring.indd 1

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Synagogues Central

Candlelighting Elul 5773/Tishrei 5774 WED., SEPT. 4, ELUL 29

WED., SEPT. 18, TISHREI 14

Light candles at 6:46 p.m.

Light candles at 6:25 p.m.

Eve of Rosh Hashanah

Eve of Sukkot

THURS., SEPT. 5, TISHREI 1

THUR., SEPT. 19, TISHREI 15

Light candles after 7:41 p.m.

Light candles after 7:20 p.m.

First Day of

First Day of Sukkot

Rosh Hashanah

FRI., SEPT. 20, TISHREI 16

FRI., SEPT. 6, TISHREI 2

Light candles at 6:22 p.m.

Light candles at 6:43 p.m.

Second Day of Sukkot

Second Day of Rosh Hashanah SAT., SEPT. 7, TISHREI 3 Shabbat ends at 7:38 p.m.

SUN., SEPT. 8, TISHREI 4 Fast begins at 4:45 a.m.

Fast ends at 7:28 p.m.

Fast of Gedaliah FRI., SEPT. 13, TISHREI 9 Light candles at 6:32 p.m.

Fast begins at 6:46 p.m.

Eve of Yom Kippur SAT., SEPT. 14, TISHREI 10 Fast ends at 7:27 p.m.

Yom Kippur

SAT., SEPT. 21, TISHREI 17 Shabbat ends at 7:17 p.m.

WED., SEPT. 25, TISHREI 21 Light candles at 6:15 p.m.

Hoshana Rabba THUR., SEPT. 26, TISHREI 22 Light candles after 7:09 p.m.

Shemini Atzeret FRI., SEPT. 27, TISHREI 23 Light candles at 6:12 p.m.

Simchat Torah SAT., SEPT. 28, TISHREI 24 Shabbat ends at 7:06 p.m.

Blessing of New Month

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-CHABAD EAST 2991 Emerson Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89121 Sephardic Orthodox Rabbi Yossi Shuchat 702-369-1175 CHABAD UNLV Orthodox/Chabad Rabbi Tzvi Bronchtin 702-635-1656

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 89014 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 Philip Goldstein 702-733-6292 MIDBAR KODESH TEMPLE 1940 Paseo Verde Parkway Henderson, NV 89012 United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel Cantor Daniel Gale 702-454-4848

Southwest

Going to Shul ...

For service times and seating arrangements and locations, please contact your Synagogue of choice.

CONGREGATION P’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 William Chenoweth 702-436-4900

Summerlin

BET KNESSET BAMIDBAR Desert Vista Community Center 10360 Sun City Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89134 Traditional Reform Rabbi Shai Specht 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 SUMMERLIN KOLLEL CENTER 2041 Lordsburg Lane Las Vegas, NV 89134 Traditional Rabbi Dovid Y. Kitainik 702-487-3133 ext. 3 TEMPLE BET EMET Mountain Shadows Community Center 9107 Del Webb Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89134 Reform Rabbi Craig Rosenstein Cantor Lola Rivera 702-240-3769 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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Tacos & Tequila Led by a chef who has appeared on Food Network’s Chopped, Tacos & Tequila puts a rock ‘n’ roll twist on Mexican food. The décor is not your basic old-school Mexican. Instead, it features a sombrero made of brushed aluminum, with laser-cut images and 30-foot-tall dancing skeletons. Guests may purchase the company’s award-winning tequila for their personal bars at home. The modern Mexican fare, created by executive chef Saul Ortiz, evokes food served in Mexico — from ceviche to enchiladas and street tacos, with a seemingly endless list of fillings.

T&T, as it’s affectionately known, does a flavorful twist on cocktails, such as Pineapple Chipotle and Pomegranate Açai margaritas. Tacos & Tequila at the Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-262-5225. tacosandtequilalv.com

Circus Garden Party Childhood obesity is fast becoming an epidemic.

Coming to the rescue is Create A Change Now, a Las Vegas non-profit 501c3 organization, educating and empowering children to make healthier food choices. By pairing with local elementary schools, they teach children how to plant their own gardens, and then harvest what they’ve grown for delicious meals. The organization will celebrate its first fundraiser with a circus-themed garden party at the Historic Fifth Street School. The event will feature magic, stilt walkers and other kid-friendly activities, as well as demonstrations by local chefs.

Saturday, September 7. $40-$65. 3-6 p.m. Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., Las Vegas.

702-300-7399. createachangenow.org

The “Tekiah Gedolah” A skilled shofar blower can produce one hell of a note – a sound only a powerful drink can do justice to. Since the emphasis is on sweetness it is only fitting that we hit the Manischewitz, add some cream sherry for extra sweetness and package it all in an elegant oak barrel aged Irish whiskey. Sip it slowly my friends and proceed to contemplate the past year.

1 1/2 oz. Jameson Irish Whiskey.

1 1/2 oz. Harveys Bristol Cream.

1 1/2 oz. Manischewitz Concord Grape Kosher Wine.

Pour all the ingredients into a wine goblet full of ice, stir and garnish with a few apple slices.

Deep thoughts will soon ensue.

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Fall Preview

The magnetism of animal prints are dominant this fall. Gucci’s silkscreen-printed New Zealand calf hair “Lady Buckle” tote is a wardrobe must-have. $3,190. Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-3636.

Designer Sandra Dini makes this handsomely-sized faceted square crystal, “rock” the arm candy category. Etched sterling silver cuff bracelet with 9k gold and silver organic strand overlay – it’s boho chic! $1,360. Barneys New York at the Shoppes at the Palazzo, 3327 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-629-4200.

From Morgenthal Frederics’ Air Corps Collection, the “Amelia” features an oversized round frame with vintage detailing. Shown in copper with tortoise acetate inserts and brown-gradient lens, “Amelia” is not only sexy and smart, but will pair well with this fall’s nod to tweeds, tartans and argyles. $1,495 Optica at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-733-7624.

Printed with a rabble of butterflies, Athena Procopiou’s extra large scarf is a beautiful year-round accessory. The cashmere-blend is exceptionally soft and light - loop it around the collar of a trench coat or style it as a sarong on vacation. $435. Saks Fifth Avenue at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-733-8300.

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Rev up your style with this four-pocket, multi-zipper, utility-style jacket. It’s warm, comfortable, stylish, and ready for any adventure. $250. Tommy Bahama at Town Square Las Vegas, 6635 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-948-8006.

Manolo Blahnik’s “Bellanto” ultra-chic peep-toe bootie flashes a sultry bit of skin with curvy cutouts and corset lacing up the back. $1,075. Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd.,S., Las Vegas. 702-731-3636.

Quirky cufflinks featuring a colorful harlequin pattern will instantly add a playful touch to a classic look. Perfect for fall’s fashion homage to the Scottish Highlands. $105.

Thomas Pink at Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-696-1713.

SEPTEMBER 2013 DAVID

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Sky Combat Ace Let’s talk about adrenaline rushes for a second.

There are plenty to be had around the world, but Vegas has something that’s hard to come by: the chance to operate a plane while doing stunts in the air. With an expert by your side, take on the Top Gun package, which allows YOU to control the plane after a brief lesson from your pilot.

The Afterburner flight is a little tamer, but it’s still full of loops and heart-stopping thrills, leaving the pilot in charge for the entire flight.

SCA offers a number of other packages to the biggest thrill-seeker down to someone who just wants to watch a friend or family member take the ride of a lifetime. Visit the SCA website for information about other packages and FAQs. Sky Combat Ace, 1420 Jet Stream Drive, Henderson. 888-494-5850. skycombatace.com

Viva Bike Vegas The annual Mojave Desert peloton hits the strip on Sept. 21 at 6 a.m., as the RTC Viva Bike Vegas 2013 Gran Fondo Pinarello gets rolling. The race has three courses designed for individual ability, 104, 61 and 17 miles, respectively. They run from Town Square, crossing the Las Vegas Strip, and ending back at Town Square, where their supporters will be raucously cheering .

Since it’s a ride for charity, not a race, everyone wins, no matter which course is chosen. The ride benefits After School All-Stars, Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and many more. Viva Bike Vegas at Town Square Las Vegas, 6611 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. Vivabikevegas.com

3rd Annual Prostate Cancer Walk & Run

Support the men in your life by raising awareness for prostate cancer detection and prevention: Saturday, Sept. 28, UNLV Track, 8:30 a.m. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. A 2-mile walk or 3-mile run will raise funds for two local nonprofits that support the cancer community. To register, please visit: www.21stCenturyCARE.org and click on the UNLV event. Online registration is $25, or $30 the day of the event. The first 200 participants will receive a T-shirt.

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mingle

2

DAVID MAGAZINE AUGUST 2013 COVER LAUNCH PARTY Venue View Wine Bar & Kitchen

Date Saturday, August 3 3

Photos 1.

Emma Behrens.

2.

(left to right) Dr. David Silverberg, Barbara Silverberg, Shelley Shalev, and Dr. H.L. Greenberg.

3.

Alia Rothstein, Sue Rothstein and Mark Rothstein.

4.

Bobby Feldman and Bob Dubin

4

Michelle Latour, Michele Rothstein, Kimberly Miles, Mariah Hoffman, Sheila Cooper and

5

Joan Black.

5.

Kerry and Reinier Geyser

6.

Julie Katz, Michael Rosenblum, Emma Rosenblum, Andrea Behrens, Karina Barcena, Eric Blank.

7.

Leah Sussman and Wendy Kraft.

8.

(back row, left to right) Andrea MicklesTadich, Michele Cababe, Andrea Hadhazy

6

and Arleen Turok, (front row) Katarina

7

Despina and Remi Turok.

9.

(back row, left to right) Julian Wilson, Michelle Latour, Luke Hoffman, Stephanie Dixon, Ruth Furman, Michele Rothstein, Sheila Cooper, Eddie Guerra and Seth Manheimer, (front row) Arie Anderson and Mariah Hoffman.

8

9

Photos by Tonya Harvey SEPTEMBER 2013 DAVID

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LAS VEGAS PEP RALLY & TEAM INTRODUCTIONS FOR THE 2013 JCC MACCABI GAMES Venue & Date Score, Luxor Hotel, Wednesday, July 31

Event The Las Vegas Jewish Community Center hosted a pep rally for its team of 34 teens before they departed for the 2013 JCC Maccabi Games/ArtsFest in Orange County, California. The JCC Maccabi Games速 are an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America and is the second largest organized sports program

5

for Jewish teenagers in the world. Today, over 6,000 teens, ranging from 13 to 16 years of age, participate in them. JCC Maccabi ArtsFest is a weeklong arts experience for creative Jewish teens, featuring workshops in a variety of specialties.

Photos 1.

(left to right) Paul Bodner, Richard

6

7

8

9

Frankoff, and Leonard Stone.

2.

Las Vegas JCC, 2013 Maccabi Games Team Equipment Bags.

3.

Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel.

4.

Brett Primack.

5.

(left to right) Logan Braner, Alex Shmuelevich, Nathan Phillips, Alex Norwood, Justin Kalb, Liam Duff y, Benjamin Elharrar, Jacob Elharrar, Noah Hanlon, Jacob Lev and Jake Buchman.

6.

Neil Popish and Jeremy Weiser.

7.

Fran Norwood.

8.

Amir Eden & Family.

9.

Ariel Wexler and Carine Torres.

Photos by Nili

(left to right) Katie Epstein, Diane Epstein and Alexandra Epstein

24 DAVID ELUL 5773 / TISHREI 5774

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Tell us where you would like to see DAVID distibuted.

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UPCOMING ISSUES HOME IMPROVEMENT FALL GIFT GUIDE CHANUKAH

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ads@davidlv.com • www.davidlv.com SEPTEMBER 2013 DAVID PAS_SEPTEMBER_2013.indd 1

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know @ 28 • sense @ 32 • taste @ 36

CROWNS OF BREAD, pg 36

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SEPTEMBER 2013 DAVID

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know

Hanging with Harry Up close with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

By Brian Sodoma

H

arry Reid’s life story is not without its share of twists, turns, tragedies and triumphs.

The long-time senator and now Senate majority leader — arguably the second most powerful man in the country — continues to hold true to his, and his party’s, beliefs of what’s right for Nevadans and the American people. Call it a necessary stubborn streak for anyone brave enough to put in more than three decades on Capitol Hill. Ask him a question and you may get a long, but carefully crafted response; then he might follow it up with a tight phrasing that cuts to the chase. Some would call that a native Nevadan’s approach, through and through. The Searchlight native, one-time Basic High School football player and erstwhile boxer recently spent some

time with DAVID magazine, weighing in on the contemporary political landscape and a bit of his personal life.

Tell us about the lack of acceptance from your wife’s Jewish family early on.

The acceptance, at first, was terrific. It was later that it wasn’t so good. … I was a junior in high school; she was a sophomore. … She was out front washing her parents’ car in a pair of short-shorts and that was love at first sight. (laughs) We started dating. She was a nice, quiet girl, very shy, still is. … And her parents really liked me a lot until they realized years later that we were serious. And trouble started.

She was an only child. Her dad was an extremely religious man, a

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very observant Jew. Her grandparents were Orthodox, and so they started creating problems for us. … We (her father and I) got into a fistfight. It didn’t last very long, but there was one. And so we ran off and got married. Religion was meaningless to me. I wasn’t raised in a family or community with a religion. … So her being Jewish didn’t mean a thing to me.

Her father said … ‘We did everything we could to stop the marriage, and now you’re married and we’ll do what we can to make it successful.’ And that’s what they did.

Through the years, was there an incorporation of Jewish traditions into your family life? Tell us a little about Landra’s family’s involvement with your family.

We participated in all the high holidays. We did Passover; we did all the holidays. My two oldest kids are really better acquainted with Jewish traditions than the younger ones. (The in-laws) were extremely helpful. Unfortunately, (my father-in-law) died very quickly.

He was a chiropractor and immigrant from Russia. He had worked as an X-ray technician. And in those days they had no protection at all. I mean it was zero. And he developed leukemia, as a result of that. So he died as a very young man. But my mother-in-law, she was wonderful to us. In fact we credit her with saving my youngest boy’s life. They were in a really bad car accident. They were driving

down Sahara in a brand new vehicle. My wife was driving. … Someone ran a stop sign. (Reid’s mother-in-law) died, holding my little boy, hitting her head on the pavement, and Landra was hurt quite badly. All the children remember her. She loved to feed them.

How much does your wife’s Russian-Jewish family history drive your stance on immigration reform?

The reason I have become the advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, a long time ago I was briefly around, it was maybe a week or two, people who would talk about immigration and say ‘Immigrants are coming here’ and saying ‘Why should they be treated any differently from anybody else?’ And (Landra) said, ‘Do you realSEPTEMBER 2013 DAVID

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ize what you’re doing? My father immigrated from Russia.’ … Boy, a light went off in my head. So, I became a zealot for comprehensive immigration reform.

What’s the biggest barrier to immigration reform today?

We have 40 percent of my senators [who] are Republicans who are Tea Party advocates. We have the majority of the Republican caucus in the House who are Tea Party folks, and a lot of the Tea Party representatives come from places where they don’t have many minorities. They have no blacks, no Hispanics, no Asians, no Jews, so they look at the world through a different set of glasses than the rest of us. That’s the biggest hold-up.

There’s been some talk about breaking that bill up. Is that a consideration?

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Zero consideration. … We have to have comprehensive immigration reform. The system’s broken and it needs to be fixed. The Republicans have been talking about breaking it up. That’s only a code word for ‘Let’s get rid of this damn thing,’ because they know I’m not going to break it up. They said, ‘Let’s just do the ‘Dreamers.’

The Dreamers, 800,000 of them, they don’t want that. It would be breaking up families. We’re not going to do that.

Is there a point where you’d consider yourself done as a senator?

There could be a point, but I’m not there yet.

Is there a certain accomplishment where you might consider ending your career?

No, I’m just doing the best I can every day. It’s not like notches on my pistol … People ask: ‘Are you running again?’ I say ‘yes.’

How is the public misled on Obamacare, and where will the greatest growing pains occur?

It’s the most massive health care change in the history of our country. So, of course, there’ll be growing pains. It’s hard to enroll 35 million people in something, especially when you have no help from the Republicans. They’re hoping it’s a failure. But it’s not going

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What do you say to people who are not concerned about a government shutdown as a result of the sequester?

I’ve said to the Republican senators who are saying shut down the government, ‘Before you do that, give Newt Gingrich a call. He’ll tell you how well it worked for him.’

How are you spending some of your time off?

I’m going to spend a lot of time with my wife, alone, and my five children. I have one child that lives in Washington, D.C. So we get to see her a lot. I have three here in Las Vegas and one in Reno. So, we’re going to spend time with the whole family. And we’re going to see some shows. … Chris Isaak … Terry Fator on the Strip. So we’re going to have a good time.

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Worship Without Walls

sense

Digital Davening Challenges Concepts of Community

By Lynn Wexler

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J

ews have gathered for religious ritual and service since 957 BCE when King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant. The Babylonians destroyed the Temple in 586 BCE, but Herod rebuilt it in the 1st century BCE. The Romans destroyed it in 70 CE. The Western Wall, the holiest site in Jerusalem and where Jews gather to this day to pray and celebrate life cycle events, is all that remains of Herod’s Temple.

In modern times, the Jewish house of worship, which is central to traditional Jewish life, is a synagogue – a building where the ritual sacrifices of the ancient Temple are replaced by Torah readings, prayer and study. While modern day Reform Jews more often refer to it as a temple than a synagogue, and the Orthodox tend to call it a shul, the word synagogue (from the Greek sunagoge or assembly) is the most widely accepted.

The synagogue’s primary purpose is as a house of prayer. Certain prayers must be said in the presence of a minyan – a group of at least 10 adults, or 10 men when in an Orthodox shul. Another of its functions is as a house of study (shul is from the German word for school). Finally, it functions as a social gathering place for community events, celebrations and charity work.

But with the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, the rise of modernism and now the Information Age, society’s needs and opportunities have evolved at an unprecedented rate. Not surprisingly, the purpose of the synagogue building is changing, too.

“As far back as the 1940s, reformed Jews who could not attend synagogue for a number of reasons gathered in their living rooms to hear services broadcast live over Jewish radio stations,” says Rabbi Sanford Akselrad of Congregation Ner Tamid, a Reform temple in Henderson. Ner Tamid has video cameras in its sanctuary and chapel, allowing for live streaming of Friday night Shabbat and High Dina_Titus_09_2013.indd Holiday services, as well as all life cycle events.

“Fast forward to the past decade and you now have Jews gathered ‘round the computer to hear services live on the Internet,” he adds.

“A number of factors keep individuals from attending on-site Shabbat or High Holiday services – temporary or long-term illness, disability, traveling out of town, college students living away from home, Jews living in remote areas or in the military.

Live stream video allows home- or otherwise-bound Jews to connect even when they cannot make it to a synagogue,” continues Rabbi Akselrad.

“Typically, we have 30 online ‘hits’ for our Friday night services, keeping in mind that there could be several people sitting in front of each of those computers. Last year we had over 600 hits for our High Holiday services. For life cycle events, such as weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and funerals, we have extensive audiences comprised of friends and relatives from out of town who cannot be there,” he says. “Taking it a step further, I would like to someday make it a permanent installation in retirement homes and senior residences.”

“To be clear, it’s preferable to be present for Shabbat and Holiday services. Online synagogue is not supposed to be a substitute, where attending is possible. But where it’s not, online access to a Jewish community can provide an often much-needed connection in the face of isolation,” Rabbi Akselrad concludes.

Cantor Anibal Mass of Shaarey Zedek synagogue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has seen an increase in recent years in the number of people globally who are availing themselves of online alternatives to synagogue attendance.

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“New media and faith aren’t always a perfect pair,” Cantor Mass says. “A growing number of religious groups find themselves embracing the benefits of technology, like it or not. If a Jew is feeling cut off, for whatever reason, online services are a welcome option and in some instances spiritually lifesaving.”

Cantor Mass turns the video system on before Shabbat begins Friday evening and turns it off after sundown on Saturday night, when Shabbat ends. He does this to observe the Shabbat prohibition of using electricity, which many Conservative and all Orthodox Jews abide by. Reform Jews do not hold by this restriction.

Las Vegan Lynda Okun and her husband have been accessing online services for the past four years, but not because they can’t get to a local synagogue.

“I grew up in Bloomfield, Michigan, and attended Temple Israel for much of my adult life. I started with Rabbi Harold Loss, when we were both younger. Now, he is the senior rabbi there. I’m homesick for his service and can’t bring myself to start elsewhere.”

She and her husband, and friends who occasionally join them, are nicely dressed as they sit before a computer, prayer book in hand, and follow the service. “I even get to see old friends as they exit services afterwards,” she says.

Midbar Kodesh is a Conservative Temple in Henderson that also offers live stream services on Friday nights and for Kol Nidrei (Aramaic for All Vows, Kol Nidrei is an Aramaic declaration recited each year at the beginning of Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement – evening service.)

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“While online praying is not ideal, the Conservative movement condones the use of technology only in recognizing its value to enhance the spiritual experience for its congregants,” Rabbi Tecktiel says.

For those who simply can’t attend services, Rabbi Tecktiel believes the pros of following remotely outweigh the cons.

“I understand the Pandora’s box this opens for those who would take advantage of the main purpose here; but my priority stands with those who would be isolated without the Internet opportunity,” he says.

Rabbi Kalman Shor, a software engineer and congregant at Chabad of Green Valley, addresses the complexity of online Shabbat and Holiday services from the Orthodox perspective.

“Setting aside the halacha (Jewish law) prohibiting the use of electricity on Shabbos and the Holy Days, the real issue lies within the Shulchan Aruch – the Code of Jewish Law. It expressly states that anything that comes between a mitzvah (a commandment) and the one who is observing it renders the mitzvah invalid.”

According to Rabbi Shor, the main purpose of Shabbat is to achieve a spiritual connection with the Almighty. For that to occur, he says, there must be no separation between the person and the act of prayer. In this instance, he says, the Internet separates the person from achieving the mitzvah.

“If one can’t go to shul, then one can still accomplish the mitzvah by praying to G-d privately with one’s siddur (Jewish prayer book). That said, I understand there are those who value the social connection on Shabbos and, thus, feel good about the online connection to a community. I’m not minimizing the social value. Who am I to judge? I’m simply pointing out that the technology discounts any spiritual connection.”

Rabbi Laura Baum from the Reform congregation Temple Beth Am in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the online OurJewishCommunity.org

states: “We see the value of the Internet as one of empowerment and breaking down barriers. Our Jewish philosophy fits well with that. Not everyone else’s does.”

An app for the Rosh Hashanah Holiday now enables users to hear the shofar (a ram’s horn) by phone instead of in person. The shofar sound reminds Jews to turn their hearts to repentance and is a requirement of the Holy Day. Shalom TV offers yet another means of accessing “services to go.”

Eclectic and egalitarian in Jewish observance, Shalom TV televises High Holiday services to more than 40 million cable homes across America, as well as live streams Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur programs for Jews stationed around the world in the military.

Shalom TV president, Rabbi Mark S. Golub, states: “I believe Jews should experience the prayer, song and companionship of the holidays with a Jewish community. We are honored to share services with men and women unable to attend a synagogue during the Holy Days, and who often feel alone.”

Judaism may be an ancient faith, but, for some, technology is enabling it to adapt to a modern world. The appeal of the online synagogue has even extended to unaffiliated Jews seeking a meaningful spiritual experience outside the established structure of the temple walls.

Communities are no longer just about the person seated next to you.

While there is no substitute for the real deal — sugar compared to Equal; whole milk to fat-free; up-close-and-personal connections versus those made through cyber space — advances in communication technology are here to stay. They have and will continue to redefine the way people look at religious observance. Synagogues will have to rise to the challenge of keeping up with and fulfilling the needs and interests of the 21st-century Jew, who lives not only within but beyond their reach.

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taste

Crowns of Bread Challah: Bread of faith and family

By Marilyn LaRocque

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T

his is a tale of two cities, two families, shared faith. Like the braids of Challah, they intertwine, weaving a universal connection.

It’s Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas. Seven of the 11 children of Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz of Chabad Desert Shores and his wife Shternie gather around the kitchen table. They’re all eager to make challah — Devorah, 15; Chana, 7 1/2; and Shaina, 5 3/4 (both stress the importance of the fractional year); Yaakov, 4; and Shneur, 2. Mushkie, 18, holds Esther, 4 months, a happy, alert observer, complaining only when she can’t see the action. Missing are Mendy, 17; Levi, 13; Yossi, 11; and Rivkah, 9, all at summer camp.

“The children, especially the young ones, love to make challah,” Shternie says, as the youngsters cluster around her, eager to begin.

“We don’t make it every week. I buy it when I’m busy, so this is a special time for the family to be together.”

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CAPTION Above: Rebbetzin Shternie Schanowitz and her children, (left to right), Chana, Yaakov, Shneur and Shaina work on the dough.

There’s deeper meaning to this project than baking challah. Shternie uses this family collaboration to share the significance of challah and Jewish traditions. Before beginning, everyone drops a “charity” coin into a box. “It’s not part of the mitzvah,” Shternie explains, “but when we make food, we want to make sure others have food, too.”

As she empties the sack of flour into the bowl, she asks: “Have all of you washed your hands?” Those who haven’t scurry to the kitchen sink. Then, hands poised above the bowl, they all pounce.

Flour flies. Shternie makes sure each child has the opportunity to add some sugar, water, oil, salt. She patiently stops Shneur from emptying the entire plastic bag of yeast into the bowl and explains how to measure the correct amount. She separates each egg into a measuring cup, checking for forbidden blood. Pausing only to peel excess off their hands and forearms, the children energetically knead the dough.

“Cooking was an important part of growing up for me,” Shternie recalls. “We made challah all the time. When I make challah, I

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feel connected to our matriarchs and generations of mothers and daughters between us who baked challah. A Jewish home is like a miniature temple,” she continues, “where women hold a unique role.

Food nourishes both body and spirit, and has always been a medium through which Jewish women have ensured the physical and spiritual health of their family. Challah is one of three mitzvot from the Torah, which were entrusted to women. The others are lighting the Shabbat candles and family purity.”

In general, Challah identifies the bread traditionally eaten on Shabbat and holidays. However, the actual mitzvah is done by saying a blessing and separating a small portion, called “challah,” from dough of a certain quantity before it’s shaped and baked. Originally, the “challah” was given as a gift to the high priests, acknowledging God’s beneficence. Today, it’s burned, usually on the stove. Shternie admits this occasionally triggers the smoke detector.

Challah is made in many shapes, but two dominate. Challah for Shabbat is braided with any number of strands, most frequently three, six or 12. An exact meaning of these “braids” is elusive. Some say “12” refers to the 12 loaves of “showbread” on the presentation table in the Temple of Jerusalem. Others cite the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Six are said to be the working days of the week. They’re also defined as the six days of each week when, for 40 years, God sent manna from heaven to the Jews wandering in the desert. Three may refer to the physical and spiritual sides of life and their union or the union Left: Examples of Challahs baked at the Bagel Cafe, notice the regular braided loaves and the special round Challahs prepared specially for Rosh Hashanah.

Raisins are added at this time of year for additional sweetness.

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of a person, God, and the world. Round challah for holidays signifies the continuum of the world and life itself.

Shternie relates challah to the Exodus. “Although God provided manna only six days each week,” she says, “on every sixth day, He sent down twice as much so there would be enough for the Sabbath. So, we make two challahs for Shabbat. Also, there was dew on the ground when the manna fell and, thereafter, dew on top of the manna; so we cover challah with a cloth to signify the dew.”

The children stop kneading the dough, proud of their efforts. Devorah mounds it for rising, places it back in the bowl, and covers it. Yaakov hugs his mother: “Thank you for making the challah, Mommy.”

Linda Kornu (an audiobook director, producer and musician), her husband Ze’ev (a social worker and counselor) and their son Amachai live in Los Angeles. When they came to Las Vegas, so Ze’ev could explore the job market, they connected with the Schanowitzes through the “host” program of the chabad. The two diverse women discovered they shared fulfillment from baking challah.

“We spent Friday to Sunday with them,” Linda says. “And on Saturday, we women went to a Torah class. That afternoon, Shternie served challah she’d frozen, then thawed. Delicious! I was amazed because I thought freezing would dry out the bread; but that’s not true if it’s wrapped tightly. So I learned something new from her.

“I took one challah baking class when I got married,” Linda explains, “and shortly afterwards started making it because I learned it was a segulah, good luck, for becoming pregnant. I made the dough in a mixer. It was average-to-bad challah.

“THEN, I was doubly blessed!” she says. “I gave birth to a healthy baby boy — and lost my challah recipe. I cherished my time with

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my son, s o I bought challah f or S habbat. It was good, but there’ s something be tter, special about home- bake d challah — even i f it’ s bad — because I believe the love and m eani ng be hind m aki ng challah goes int o it.

“I had to ‘ create’ a ne w recipe. I combine d several, added my own t wists, and, t his time, made the dough ent irely by hand. A nd C hallahluyah! I had an a maz ing r ecipe.”

L inda ’ s challah was s o good, f riends enc ouraged her to sell it. S he began w ith an onl ine posting t o f riends . A machai helped her bake . “He had f un m aki ng t he dough with me,” she says, “and i t was a wonde rf ul activity to do together.” Then he r husband t alke d with the owne r of a ne arby kos her bake ry and of f ered a sample. He tasted it, was impressed and “ L inda ’ s C hallah” was born. “ It was such a hit we hired a challah bake r, whom I traine d,” L inda reports. “Even s o, it became overwhelming. S o, I’ m curren tly on a C hallah C ’ hiatus,” she qui pped.

That said, L inda recent ly supplied challah f or a f abulous M alibu wedding. “ L inda ’ s C hallah” may rise again! [ A final twist to this story: I met Shternie through a friend, local sculptor Dorit Schwartz. Our neighbors, Ken and Phyllis Resnik, put me in touch with their daughter Joanne Helperin in Los Angeles. She connected me with Linda. What are the odds that Shternie and Linda would know each other? When I mentioned my incredulity to Shternie, she replied thoughtfully: “Wow! ... see ... we are all connected ... like the strands of a braided challah :)”] Shabbat Shalom!

Right: The Schanowitz kids say that baking is hard work, you would not be able to tell fromDAVID-MAG-AD their smiles.copy.pdf 1 4/24/2013 9:11:03 AM

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Agency of Last Resort

The Jewish Family Service Agency: A Safety Net, ‘Not a Security Blanket’

By Pat R. Teague 42 DAVID ELUL 5773 / TISHREI 5774

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Above: Desert Torah Academy students showing off the Rosh Hashanah baskets they assembled for seniors in need.

Left: A volunteer inspects the shelves at the JFSA’s food pantry.

I

n its 36th year in Las Vegas, the Jewish Family Service Agency pays constant heed to its ambitious mission statement and its philosophy of tikkun olam – repairing the world, one life at a time.

But its true aim is to provide hope, on a daily basis.

Under Executive Director Christina Primack’s leadership, the organization of 88 volunteers has a “four pillars” blueprint for dealing with many of contemporary society’s needs, via counseling, senior services, adoptions and emergency assistance. And while its focus is on the Jewish community, the JFSA turns no one away, regardless of religion, race, age, disability, sexual orientation or national origin.

Primack has been helping effect this broad mandate for more than three years. As she puts it, “We don’t do things (for clients) because they’re Jewish. We do things because we’re Jewish.”

But some days at the agency on Eastern Avenue can be a challenge.

“We had a ‘black Friday,’’’ the mother of two says. “A client came in and “we did … what’s called a ‘legal 2000’ (they called the county, which puts the person under a 72-hour hold) because she was a threat to herself. … At the same time, we had an individual who overdosed on drugs in one of his (counseling) sessions. So we had to have the paramedics come in and help that individual. And, at the same time, we had a volunteer come in with her eye bloody, swollen and black and blue. Her son had beaten her up and threatened to kill her. So, within a 30-minute period, we had those three major catastrophes happen. “Those days are few and far between,” Primack says. “But they do happen.”

JFSA’s staff works as a collaborative team. Every case is approached

uniquely with a comprehensive case management plan. If we find somebody who’s unemployed, who’s needing financial assistance, who has really hit a roadblock mentally, as far as, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ instead of ‘What’s wrong with the economy?’ we’ll make sure that we get them into counseling. It’s a collaborative team, to make sure that all of our clients can access all of our programs.”

From the outset of her administration, Primack holds her various directors accountable for their efforts.

“I give everyone an expectation of running their department within their parameters,” Primack says. “We have ‘business plans’ for each department. I hold (directors) accountable for their budgets, and we see to it that we can sustain the programs. The last thing I want to do is to launch a program and then not have it be able to sustain itself. A lot of strategic thinking goes into each program before we launch it.”

Once a new program is under way — late last month the agency began its timely Educate Las Vegas campaign, to help identify special needs children quickly and to assist or show teachers how to deal with issues like ADHD, autism or dyslexia (to name a few) — only a few weeks pass before a review is done, to see what’s working, what needs tweaking. “Each program goes through its own evolution, if you will. But we do it collaboratively, (with) the entire staff,” Primack says.

Among the programs JFSA offers is counseling, encompassing “everything from bereavement to empowerment … children to seniors, couples therapy, you name it. We do it all.” Psychologist Shari Stanton, is JFSA’s clinical director of counseling.

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Christina Primack distributing turkeys for Thanksgiving 2012

“We are the only counseling center in the state of Nevada,” Primack says, “that offers our services on a sliding scale. So, when we have clients who cannot afford to pay our hourly rate, we work with them to make sure that nobody is turned away.” JFSA accepts most major insurances for clinical services and has recently opened a satellite office on the west side for the convenience of its clients.

Sometimes a person seeking help from JFSA, which must watch its own finances closely, may not fit the stereotype. Primack discovered that some years ago when she’d just started. She got a quick lesson on how deep the recession chasm is for some Las Vegans: “I was upfront waiting for one of my clients and the food pantry was open,” she remembers. “This man gets out of his Mercedes – the big, beautiful, black, shiny, gorgeous Mercedes. … And he … is wearing a three-piece suit. He was very well put together, yet signs up for our food pantry. I remember watching this man sign up for assistance, and I’m thinking, ‘Why are we providing assistance for someone of obvious means?’

“I watched the process, the man leaves, goes to his car, and I turned around and said to the director, ‘Does this happen all the time? … Why does this guy come to our food pantry? Why do we give him food, when, clearly, he can afford food based on his dress and clothing?’”

The director looked at Primack, she says, and replied quietly: “‘Because here’s the story you don’t know. That person used to be one of our donors. This person had a home in an affluent neighborhood. He was a business owner, married with two kids and two dogs. He lost his business. His house in Spanish Trails foreclosed. His wife left him, divorced him, took all the furniture, took everything, except for this man’s three-piece suit. Took the kids, took the dogs, has disappeared. The only thing that this man has left to his name is the suit that he’s wearing.’

“I said, ‘Well, what about the Mercedes?’” Primack continued.

“And (the director) said, ‘The Mercedes is under repossession, except

for he parks (it) in a different park every night so they can’t find him. Because (the car is) his only shelter.’

“He was a large donor of ours. And he has lost absolutely everything. This was my first lesson of not judging a book by its cover. … This man, who had so much pride, who once upon a time had anything he ever wanted, is suddenly now carrying bags of (pantry) food to his car, which is his only shelter, which could be taken away from him any day when the bank finds him.” (Primack, sensitive to her clients’ need for dignity and self-respect, later initiated a new way of providing access to food. JFSA now provides gift cards that can be used for purchasing food – no alcohol or tobacco – at a grocery store. Clients come in for an appointment, get a card, leave inconspicuously, no longer having to tote groceries.)

Times have been tough on the JFSA, too, with donations drying up at times, forcing some programs to be cancelled, streamlined, reimagined. Still, the agency forges ahead, trying to be smart about which initiatives to continue, which new ones to pursue.

JFSA’s senior services segment focuses on Holocaust survivors living in our area, “making sure they receive transportation, socialization, food and medical services when necessary,” Primack says. As the organization states on its website, the roughly 350 survivors in the Las Vegas area are eligible for help with “unanticipated high rents and utility bills, as well as emergency medical costs …” Some get home care, house cleaning, personal care and individual counseling, according to JFSA, which administers a

The Reisman Family, a success story complements of “Open Arms Adoption”, a program of JFSA.

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Group of volunteers assembling the Rosh Hashanah mailing 2012

yearly grant from Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc. “But beyond that, we’re growing our senior services department to have transportation for seniors, which is really needed in this community,” Primack says, adding that there is a nominal fee.

“It’s $3 to have a volunteer pick you up with door-to-door service.

There is a per-mileage fee, but the whole round trip will not exceed $18. … We try to do our best to make sure that everyone gets the transportation that they need. But we’re desperately in need of more volunteers to help run that program.”

JFSA (jfsalv.org) also offers a Meals in Motion program for seniors, and for some folks simply sidelined after hospital stays.

“We have several seniors who just do not have the ability to go to the grocery store and/or have the stamina to make a full meal, so these meals are delivered,” Primack says. “It’s a fee-for-service program as well. The meals are delivered to them pre-packaged and ready to go. They just have to literally pop the meal into the microwave and have a very nutritious meal. We offer it kosher and non-kosher, so it’s a great program. We made it affordable. It’s $4.80 for a meal (non-kosher). We deliver a minimum of six at a time (for less than $30).” For light eaters, she says, meals can be split.

JFSA also has a unique adoption program that features strict vetting of prospective parents, and close follow-up to ensure that the transition for child and family offers the best chance for long-term success. The agency facilitates about 100 adoptions a year, including same-sex and single-parent adoptions – which no one else does in Nevada. Says Primack: “If we have an individual or a family who comes in, we don’t look at the color, we don’t look at the race, we don’t look at the gender.

We look at the viability of the home and the safety of the child.”

JFSA’s fourth pillar is emergency services, an essential initiative underwritten by a $300,000 grant from the Jewish Federation of Las

Vegas. Clients, primarily Jewish, must show their “emergency” is real, and that help is warranted. “We want to be known as a safety net, not as a security blanket.”

She says JFSA is not for the needy; it’s for those in need.

“We just approved a case today where we had a senior, who has a fixed income. They do fine on their own, except for when their car broke down they needed to fix the car and didn’t have enough money for their rent,” she says. “We have to prove the emergency. … If they have income, we want to verify how much they receive. But we also look at the bank statements. … We want to make sure that an individual who says they don’t have money for their utilities is not spending disposable income unwisely,” including gambling or spending money on drugs or alcohol. “It has to be a true, viable emergency, of somebody who is in need.”

If an indigent Jewish person dies, and there are no heirs to ensure a proper burial, JFSA has partnered with the county to provide one. “It’s a pine casket, a shroud for the body. Of course it covers (the cost of) the plot and the service.”

Primack says her staffers genuinely care about the community. “The passion that comes out of these individuals is so dynamic and so unique.” She says one of her staffers recently got a card from a non-Jew, a woman who’d been turned away by other agencies. “We treated her as an individual who was in need, and we made sure that she received (comprehensive) services. And that was all it took to change her perception of this community.”

Ten months into the current JFSA fiscal year, the agency reports that it has provided 2,500 counseling sessions and services to 51 Holocaust survivors, that 120 Jews have received emergency aid, and that its food pantry has welcomed about 6,500 clients. The agency also collaborates with Goodwill to find jobs for clients, and has a relationship with Dress for Success, which helps out-ofwork women with job coaching, résumé writing, job placement and a work week of clothes, including suits, undergarments and a matching purse and shoes.

“We instill hope,” Primack says. “When they come into the agency and they leave with some sense of hope, that’s our desire. We want the entire community to know that’s what we strive for. … Twentyfive thousand people come through this door a year. And we’ve got 25,000 lives that we change by instilling hope.”

“It’s really important that the donors know that, especially this time of year. While many of us are sitting around the table with our friends and our family, celebrating the holidays, we have many individuals in our community who are in need,” Primack says. “ It’s important to teach your kids Tzedakah and the meaning of Tikkun Olam.” JFSA’s mission is the repair the world, one life at a time.

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What’s

Shakin’ in the Garden China Ranch Date Farm has Discovered the Lulav Business

By Jaq Greenspon

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T

oday, the term “oasis” implies a respite, a calm, sheltered place amongst the storm of everyday life. We speak of an oasis in the mall, or at a bar — a place to sit and not be jostled by passersby. In its original form, though, an oasis was a place in the desert that supplied water and shade, a rest along the journey. Here in Vegas, we’re used to the idea: It’s what our town was founded on: the idea that we could provide a place to eat and drink and rest.

Eventually, we became a destination, not just a stopover, and the concept of a lush green place sparkling like an emerald in the dust vanished in the American Southwest.

Until the latter part of the last century, that is.

In 1996, Brian and Bonnie Brown opened their China Ranch to the general public (after adding a gift shop and bakery to their “garden” of date palms). Just like that, only 77 miles from Las Vegas, a new oasis was available for travelers taking in the scenic wonders of Death Valley along the Old Spanish Trail.

When the Browns took over in the 1980s (the property had been in Brian Brown’s family off and on since the 1920s), it was a working ranch, but not a very profitable one. In fact, no one had been able to figure out how to make a living off the ranch itself.

Most of the area’s economy came from mining. But by the time the Browns had settled in, mining had dried up, taking a lot of the local population with it.

Brian, the science teacher (and part-time sports coach) at the local high school (which had anywhere from 50 to 70 students total at any given time), started researching what could grow in the area.

Some date palms, planted by Brian’s great aunt in the ‘20s as a lark, were already there. They seemed to be doing OK, so the die was cast. The Browns settled on date palms as their cash crop. It was 48 DAVID ELUL 5773 / TISHREI 5774

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Paul Sleet

a risk, but in 1990 they started what would become the nation’s northernmost date-growing operation.

It’s hard work.

Most growers in the U.S. produce the Deglet Noor, a chewy, semisoft fruit, and the Medjool, which is a bit more tender. Both tend to be easier to harvest on a mass scale, leaving smaller orchards like China Ranch to handle the more delicate, more delicious varieties.

Having 30-plus acres (of 218 total) filled with more than a dozen types of dates also has led to some unforeseen surprises.

About seven years ago, Brian recalls, “A guy calls up from New York City and says, ‘My name is Rabbi such-and-such, and do you sell lulavs?’” Brian, who is not Jewish, had no idea that the man was talking about a single part of the “four species” used in the celebration of Sukkot (see story page 50). The conversation continued, with the rabbi asking more pointed and specific questions pertaining to the specific trees in the Browns’ “garden” (the official name for a group of growing date palms — not “orchard” or “grove.”). The conversation with the rabbi ended, Brian hung up and then went back to taking care of his trees.

About a month later, “These two rabbis literally knocked on my front door,” he says. “I opened the door and there they were.”

They’ve been coming out for seven years now, Brian says, always for the same thing: lulavs.

Brown explains that the specific palm leaves he is asked for come from an Iraqi species of tree known as the dayri. “The dates are OK. They’re not real great, but they put out these spectacular lulavs,” he says. “The tip is rounded instead of being pointy. There’s no brown at the tip. If they get banged around a little bit, they don’t open up.

That’s the big deal. If the leaves open up at all, then they’re no good.”

The problem is that since the fruit of this particular tree is only OK, not a lot of growers plant them. “The trees are light bearing, not a lot of fruit. We’d rather sell the trees for landscaping and replace them with heavier bearing trees. But from a rabbi’s perspective, these are the crème de la crème.”

So, for three weeks every year, Brian Brown and his wife are inundated with requests for dayri leaves. “For 49 weeks of the year, they’re completely useless. No one cares anything about them,” Brian says, laughing to himself. “If I had more of them, I could sell more.” This year, though, might prove to be another instance of China Ranch selling out even earlier. In Israel, lulavs often are imported from the date gardens in Egypt. But with the recent political unrest, it may become more difficult to get them. During the 2011 riots, the Egyptians wouldn’t sell to the Israelis, who in turn couldn’t resell the lulavs in the U.S. Panic ensued along with the shortage.

If you want to purchase your own lulavs, get there early. Even if you don’t need a lulav, the ranch is worth a day trip, as the geology is incredibly similar to the Sinai Peninsula. In fact, it actually doubled as that region of the world for the 2001 film The Sum of All Fears, co-starring Ben Affleck and Morgan Freeman. And the Browns have made every effort to ensure it stays that way for a long time.

“We have a pretty strong conservation ethic,” Brian says. “It’s an important ecological niche. The water in this canyon is a real magnet for wildlife. … Every type of wildlife you’d expect to see in the Mojave Desert, you get in this canyon.” The Browns have been tireless in their efforts to make their ranch a preserve, creating a number of hiking trails and offering wildlife observation areas to showcase both terrestrial fauna and a growing number of rare birds.

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a national wild and scenic “river,” assuring that it will remain in its natural state for all Americans to enjoy.

What started as a water stop and a traditional ranch that never quite succeeded has morphed into a site for a thriving cottage industry. The Browns’ grove supports 15 varieties of dates, which run the gamut in terms of size, color, texture and taste. The yield is constantly increasing as well. Last year, the ranch produced about 15 tons of fruit; this year, it is expected to approach 20. And it will all go. What isn’t snapped up as pure fruit by the retail and (rapidly growing) wholesale markets becomes a prime ingredient for bread and cookies.

So, whether you want a symbolic piece for your holiday, a tasty fruit that’s hard to find in a typical grocery store, a chance to wile away an afternoon walking around an actual oasis or to recreate the Passover exile and wander for 40 days and nights, there’s a place nearby to cover all your needs. Enjoy!

Lulav and Etrog

Paul Sleet

Leviticus 23:40 says: “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your G-d seven days.”

Let’s parse that out: The “first day” referred to is the first day of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Then we have the “four species.”

The first, the “boughs of goodly trees,” refers to the etrog, a yellow citrus fruit that looks like a slightly shriveled lemon. Next up are the “branches of palm trees,” which are the aforementioned lulav. Third, the “boughs of thick trees” refers to the myrtle. Finally, the “willows of the brook” give us the aravah, the branches of the willow tree.

During Sukkot, these four items are brought together in a specific way: The leaves are gathered and bound together. Three myrtle branches (also called hadassim) and two willow branches (aravot) are wrapped around the lulav. It is by far the largest of the three and gives its own name to the collective. The etrog is then added to the bundle and the four are waved, as a group, every morning of the holiday’s celebration.

Of course, one of the joys of Judaism is the story. Our directive is to tell the story so our children’s children will know our tales and traditions. Often, these traditions are passed down through symbols, and the lulav and the etrog are no exception.

While their specific meanings are not directly mentioned, biblical scholars have come to interpret their symbolic weight in two ways, one physical, the other spiritual.

On the physical side, we look at the actual shape of the four species to take in their meanings. In outward appearance, the myrtle and the willow resemble the eye and the mouth, respectively.

Through these eyes we see G-d’s gifts of food and the harvest. We use this mouth, these lips, to give expression to our faith and to share it with others. These are wrapped around the palm, which is long, straight and solid, the backbone of the whole thing. This is what holds everything together. This is also why selection of the lulav is of particular importance.

The last piece is the etrog, which is the manifestation of the heart itself. This is also why, next to the lulav, it is the most examined piece of the four. A proper etrog can have no blemishes or imperfections. It must be as perfect as it can be, which is why once one is found it is kept safe in a box, often adorned with silver.

By holding all together, we symbolize the complete person in his physical devotion to the Almighty.

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The other side of the four species is the spiritual. Here, the four items (based on their attributes) represent four types of people (not dissimilar to the four sons in the Passover story).

Starting again with the willow and myrtle, we see the willow offers no pleasing aroma and isn’t good to eat. It has nothing to offer and so represents the person who has neither the Torah in his life nor performs good deeds. The myrtle, or Hadas, is a little better. The myrtle does not taste pleasant, but does provide a pleasing scent. In this way, the myrtle is the person who is good to his fellow man, but does so altruistically, without the Torah as guidance.

The opposite of the myrtle is the lulav itself. A date is a delicious treat, but offers no enticing smell to attract one to partake. The lulav, therefore, is the one who knows the Torah, who understands the laws and the commandments, but only sees it from a theoretical perspective and never applies it to the world, is never enticed to

partake and so does not have the good deeds we would expect of a well-rounded human being.

Finally, we again end with the etrog, the heart. The etrog has both a delightful scent and a pleasing taste and so is the representation of the whole person. This is the person we want to be, the one who understands the theory and knowledge of the Torah and is able to put it to a practical use by performing the good deeds required of us.

Furthermore, the whole group carries the significance of the strength that manifests itself when individual parts are bundled together. When we hold the lulav and etrog tightly and wave it during the morning service, we bring together the disparate parts of the Jewish world and create instead one People, which is really what we think of as G-d’s plan for us all along.

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Shoes of Piety

The

Why the Rabbi Goes Vegan on Yom Kippur Short Story by Jaq Greenspon

R

abbi Jacob Berlansky paced the floor in his office. He carried a yellow legal pad and a blue pen. Every few minutes he would stop walking, look upward, as if in thanks for divine inspiration, and make a few marks. Then the process would repeat. Sometimes the variations took the form of the pen tapping against the teeth; sometimes the pen rested behind the ear, leaving his hands free to align and realign the picture frames on the desk, or to shake

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one of the several snow-globes arrayed on the bookcase, causing a mini winter storm in Hollywood or Paris or Vilnius (that last had been a gift from a former congregant who’d gone in search of his roots and never returned).

Outside the window, the shadows were getting longer earlier and the High Holidays were approaching faster than Rabbi Berlansky would have liked. Next Tuesday would mark the start of his fourth month as head rabbi of the congregation. The week after would be his second time leading the Rosh Hashanah services, but his first here. That’s not why he paced, though. He’d spent enough time as an assistant rabbi in Denver to be prepared for that. No, it was what was happening 10 days later — about three weeks from now — that held his focus. He was trying to write his first Yom Kippur sermon, and it wasn’t coming easy. “It’s OK,” he thought. “I still have time.”

“I’m out of time,” Rabbi Berlansky said, not meaning to attract attention. But he said it too loud to be ignored, even if it wasn’t completely understood.

“What?” his secretary yelled.

“Nothing,” he said. This time he spoke too softly. Too loud, too soft. This was Berlansky in microcosm. He was two-thirds of a bear family all on his own.

“Did you say something?” the secretary asked again, this time poking her head around the door jamb. “Is everything OK?”

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Berlansky stopped dead in his tracks and stared — his eyes compassionate, yet pleading — at the older woman. “Everything is fine, Mrs. Greenberg. Will you be going home before services tonight?”

Miriam Greenberg, who had been secretary to seven different rabbis and three cantors, took this as a sign to enter his office and lean against one of the visitor seats. “Of course I’m going home,” she said. “The whole family is coming over. My son and his wife, the grandkids, the whole mishpocheh. I’m making a nice brisket before sundown. Besides, I’m not going to be at services wearing this.” She motioned to the business casual outfit covering her ample frame.

Berlansky was sure it had been new … once.

“No?” Berlansky asked.

“Definitely not,” Mrs. Greenberg said, smiling patiently at the rabbi.

He returned the smile. “Then why don’t you go home now so you can get ready?” Anything to get her out of the office and leave him alone with his thoughts. Once the sun went down, he would have no time to finish his sermon. Once the sun went down he was on stage.

For a rabbi, this was Shea Stadium, Madison Square Garden and the Moon Landing, all rolled into one. He had to get it right. Especially here, especially now.

The rabbi rubbed his face wearily, feeling the stubble populating his chin. He was glad he had shaved that morning and not left it for later. The inspiration he was sure was going to strike hadn’t, and the late afternoon desert sun was creeping in the window. “Jewish holidays,” a shiksa friend had told him once, “are always late or early.”

She was right. Even though the 10th of Tishrei was the same every year, it was never on time according to the secular, Gregorian calendar. This year it was late, coming at the end of September. Even so, the weather was holding nicely. In fact, Berlansky noted as he wiped some accumulated sweat from the back of his neck, it was rather hot for this late in the season. It’s OK, he thought. Maybe this is a sign.

Yom Kippur was not a day to be comfortable. As rabbi, his job was the spiritual guidance of his congregants, and today was a day when that was particularly true. That said, it was hard to be effective if you weren’t feeling it. And right now, Berlansky wasn’t feeling it.

What he was feeling was hot. Hot and sweaty. Along with his suit, he had his kittel, fresh from the dry cleaner, white as the day of his wedding and hanging on the back of his door, so that was OK. At least he wouldn’t smell when the services started.

Then he looked down. He was wearing a nice pair of Florsheims, well broken in but still looking fairly new. They’d go perfectly with the suit and kittel except for one thing: He couldn’t wear them tonight. In his panic about not finishing his sermon, in his concern for making sure everything was prepared for the almost 24 hours of duty he faced during Yom Kippur, Berlansky had completely forgotten about his shoes. The problem was the material. He couldn’t wear leather shoes. The leather wasn’t the problem; it was the shoe part.

For the same reason he didn’t bathe or wear cologne for the next day, leather shoes were a sign of status. According to G-d, his wearing of leather Florsheims was an adornment, a reward even. Berlansky laughed too loudly. If G-d had wanted to reward him, Florsheim was not the brand he would have picked. He looked around the office, although he wasn’t sure why. It’s not like the shoe elves were likely to have paid him a visit. There was no way around it. He had to go and get a pair of shoes somewhere. But where? What kind?

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The problem wasn’t comfort; it was breathability. His feet had a tendency to get hot and sweaty. And when they did that, well, it wasn’t long before thay started to smell. Smell to the point of distraction at times. In the shoes, good quality leather shoes, his feet could breathe and dry themselves out. But any shoes he’d find now, in the few hours he had left, probably would be sneakers with synthetic materials, and he’d have to get absorbent socks, too.

Berlansky supposed he could wear sandals or Crocs if he could find them. Even those new Barefooters, kosher for the holidays, might work. The only question was how could his people, people like Mrs. Greenberg or Arthur Cohen, president of the Men’s Club, or any of the come to temple twice a year - light candles on Chanukah crowd take him seriously if he wore hot pink plastic shoes. It would be worse, of course, if they got close and could smell his feet.

Jacob Berlansky sank into his chair, letting the air out of his lungs in one long, exasperated sigh. This was a disaster. His first chance to really show what he was about, what he could bring to this synagogue, and he was going to be barefoot and speechless.

“OK,” he said quietly. “I can do this.”

“I can’t do this.”

“Do what?” asked Berlansky. He was rushing back to his office, coming directly from the Seudat Mafseket. It was traditional here, he’d found out, to eat this last meal before Yom Kippur with the president of the congregation. The kibitzing at the end of the dinner had him running later than he’d wished. He had hoped to complete his sermon for the next day before Kol Nidre started. But now that wasn’t looking at all likely. At least he had a couple of shoe possibilities in the bags he was carrying. He’d make a decision later. He might even wear them both over the next 24 hours, depending on the severity of the heat and the smell. Even if one pair was neon blue plastic, it was better than burnt umber or whatever other Crayola colors they came in. Now, though, he was stopped in front of the door to the synagogue, having answered a possibly rhetorical statement muttered by a man who’d obviously seen better days.

“This,” the man said, waving his arms to encompass the synagogue itself. Berlansky had the feeling it was more than the synagogue, though. As if the man were not only trying to get the temple under his aegis, but what was happening inside it as well.

“This” was a big thing.

“Why can’t you do it?” The sun was going down and Berlansky still had quite a bit to do. The last thing he needed was a long, drawnout conversation with a probably homeless, possibly crazy man just before Yom Kippur. He didn’t want to set the bags with his shoes down. If he did, he would invite engagement. At the same time, the man obviously needed someone to talk to.

“Is it true?” the man asked, his eyes never leaving the building.

“I used to believe, ya know? I used to go to temple – not every week, but often. I was a bar mitzvah … once. But then it changed. I grew up, got cynical. I lost the thread.” The man turned and looked toward the rabbi. “I haven’t been inside in a long time.” A long pause ensued as the two men stared at each other. “I’m sorry,” the man said.

Berlansky set his bags down. “It’s true.”

“I still have time?”

“Until the last blowing of the shofar.”

The man smiled. He reached out a hand to the rabbi. Berlansky shook it. As he did, he noticed the sad state of the man’s shoes. The rabbi reached into one of the bags and pulled out a box. He handed it to the man. “I understand they ‘breathe,’” he said. “More comfortable than going barefoot … and you’re going to be on your feet for a while tonight and tomorrow. Trust me, by the time we get to Neilah tomorrow night, the last thing you’re going to want to worry about is your feet.”

The man started to protest but Berlansky cut him off. “Kol Nidre starts in an hour. If any one asks, you’re my guest.”

“And the shoes?”

Berlansky grabbed his one remaining bag and turned to go inside.

Suddenly, he was quite at ease. He turned back to the man.

“The shoes? I have a feeling they’ll fit.”

Vegan footwear by Barefooters

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grill Jonathan Fine

Home Grown Entrepreneur & Philanthropist Leila Navidi/LAS VEGAS SUN

Good times and cheap drinks are not the only contributions entrepreneur Jonathan Fine makes to Las Vegas. His parent company, Fine Entertainment, boasts a diverse portfolio of businesses, including PBR Rock Bar & Grill, Rockhouse, Sting Surveillance and Sting Alarm. Fine believes his greatest contribution to his beloved hometown is working tirelessly to improve the community. And Fine Entertainment’s charitable contributions to worthy nonprofits exceed more than a half-million dollars annually.

DAVID: What charitable organizations do you help support?

FINE: We are currently involved with many great organizations, such as Public Education Foundation, Opportunity Village, Chai Club Friends of Israeli Defense, Three Square Food Bank, Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada, Rider Relief and many more.

DAVID: As a Las Vegas native, do you feel more inclined to give back to the community?

FINE: Absolutely. I am constantly looking for opportunities to support as many community-related events and charities as possible. From a very young age, my grandfather, Hank Greenspun, taught me that family and community is what is important in life. His philosophy of “take care of the community, and they will take care of you” is something that still resonates with me. I wanted to create a business that would help my community grow and prosper, so I built my company around the lifeblood of Las Vegas: tourism. Tourism provides jobs, pays our taxes and supports our schools.

So working in that industry has allowed me to help the community become bigger and stronger.

DAVID: You recently reopened the famous Rockhouse bar in a new location in Vegas.

Why was bringing this venue back to the Las Vegas Strip so important to you?

FINE:The original location came about because I believed that Las Vegas was in need of an economical alternative to the expensive nightclubs, bars and lounges on the Strip.

With the economy taking a turn, I wanted to

bring a place where people could dance and have a good time without the high price tag of an upscale nightclub. There was nothing to fill that void when we had to close the Imperial Palace location in 2012 to make way for The LINQ project. I worked so hard to bring Rockhouse back, because it provides a fun place to hang out with friends and play pool, beer pong or darts and not break the bank. Rockhouse was always a labor of love for me, and I was happy I could bring it back to Las Vegas.

DAVID:Running three successful businesses is very time-consuming. How do you balance your work life and your personal and family life?

FINE: To be honest, some days it’s a struggle to balance my work and personal life. Those areas of your life tend to blend together when you love what you’re doing. Your office becomes home and co-workers become family. Because of this, some of my closest friends are the people that I work with. But no matter how busy I stay, I always make time for my family, especially my eight nieces and nephews. I’m lucky to have such a close family that I can rely on for anything.

DAVID: Obviously, family is very important to you. Has your family always supported your entrepreneurial aspirations?

FINE: On one hand, I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so they are always very supportive and constantly encourage me to do what I love. But, on the other hand, none of what I do is in an industry that any of my family members have worked in, so they are sometimes skeptical. Hopefully, I have put their minds at ease over the years with the success of Fine Entertainment.

DAVID: With Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur coming up, do you have any favorite family traditions?

FINE: It’s hard to settle on just one favorite tradition when you come from a very tightknit family that loves getting together for the holidays. As long as I can remember I have always enjoyed my family’s Rosh Hashanah tradition. We always celebrate as a family by going to morning services together and then gathering to enjoy a big family dinner at my aunt’s house. — D.A.

58 DAVID ELUL 5773 / TISHREI 5774

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