DAVID by Max Friedland

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HARD-WIRED TO GIVE 1 Cover.indd 1

SUPER HERO WANNABE

SUPPORTING THE ARTS

GIVING & HEALING 9/13/2019 8:11:37 AM

LEADING the way in

TEACHING the health care providers and educators of tomorrow while

CARING for our community.

Largest Medical School in Nevada • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine • Doctor of Physical Therapy • Doctor of Nursing Practice • Doctor of Education ~ Education Administration and Leadership

•Occupational Therapy Doctorate • Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

• Master of Science in Medical Health Sciences • Master of Science in Nursing ~ Family Nurse Practitioner

• Master of Education

~ Curriculum & Instruction – School Counseling ~ School Administration

• RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Education Advanced Studies Certificate Programs

For more information about Touro University Nevada or if you want a campus tour, please call 702.777.3100 or visit our website at

tun.touro.edu.

874 American Pacific Drive, Henderson NV 89014 Touro University Nevada is accredited by the WASC Senior College & University System (WSCUS) as a branch campus of Touro University California and licensed in Nevada by the Commission on Post-Secondary Education. Touro University Nevada does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, color, creed, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

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Jewish National Fund Wishes You Shanah Tovah and Blessings For a Happy, Healthy, and Sweet New Year Mark Your Calendars! Jewish National Fund’s ANNUAL LOVE OF ISRAEL BRUNCH April 19, 2020 Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas For more information, please contact Las Vegas Director Ezra Meppen at emeppen@jnf.org · 702.434.6505 x777

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SEPT/OCT 2019

Pulse Explore The month’s event listings to help plan your day or your stay.

Devour here to find some of the best eats, drinks, and foodie happenings in the Valley.

20 Desire Sin City abounds in worldclass shopping...these are a few of our favorite things. 22 Discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the world.

26 Know Giving is an enduring tradition, hard-wired into the collective Jewish soul for more than three thousand years. 30 Sense Martin Liebowitz’s sudden status as multi-millionaire frees him to channel his inner Bruce Wayne. 34 Taste Secret Burger allows foodies to avoid FOMO, the fear of missing out.

On the Cover

Think

Notorious RBG book cover illustration by Adam Johnson. Courtesy of HarperCollins. Photographs: Crown © by Hurst Photo/Shutterstock; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States.

40 Star Givers Celebrities that help raise awareness and funds for good causes. 42 “Ars Gratia Artis” A behind the scenes look at the cost of performances, and how little ticket sales really cover.

10.3

Live

www.d av idl v. com

SE PT / OC T 2 0 19

48 Mo Injustice Mo Problems Life through the eyes of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

SEP T / OC T 20 19

52 Giving & Healing Celebrating individuals who are active in 21st century medical philanthropy.

www .d avi dlv . com

HARD-WIRED TO GIVE 1 Cover.indd 1

SUPER HERO WANNABE

SUPPORTING THE ARTS

GIVING & HEALING 9/13/2019 8:11:37 AM

Copyright © 2019 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.

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Publisher/Editor Associate Publisher

Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland

joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIAL

Calendar Editor Copy Editor Pulse Editor Contributing Writers

Zoë Friedland

zoe@davidlv.com

Jaq Greenspon Marisa Finetti

Josh Bell Dayvid Figler Marisa Finetti Jaq Greenspon Paul Harasim Jason Harris Brian Sodoma Lynn Wexler

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director/ Photographer

Steven Wilson

steve@davidlv.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Director

Joanne Friedland

joanne@davidlv.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS 702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com Volume 10 Number 3 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 10 times a year.

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

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

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9/16/2019 8:25:26 AM

It matters who you find home-sweet-home with.

IT MATTERS WHO YOU BANK WITH ®

The people you choose make all the difference. So when you choose Nevada State Bank for your mortgage*, we’ll give you answers and insight— in person. From condos to custom homes, we’re here with knowledgeable, dedicated service. And it happens with a level of personal attention that’ll really make you feel at home.

*Subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply. A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender. NMLS# 467014

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Contributors

DAYVID FIGLER

JOSH BELL is a freelance writer and movie/TV critic based in as egas. He’s the former film editor of as Vegas Weekly and has written about movies and pop culture for The Dissolve, Comic Book Resources, Film Racket, LA Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and more. Find his thoughts on trashy horror movies, classic cinema and other important topics at joshbellhateseverything. com.

is a performer, author, and trial lawyer. He is a former Nevada slam poet, a traveling urban storyteller, and was a featured commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered. He was named “Best Radio Personality” by the Las Vegas Review Journal and has twice been named a Nevada Arts Council Fellow.

JAQ GREENSPON is a new father as well as a world traveling, dog loving, scuba diving, book collecting, writer currently residing somewhere in Eastern Europe. His words have been spoken by Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and Robin Hood, been read by David Copperfield, and critici ed by his th grade nglish teacher. He’d like to thank the members of the Academy, although he doesn’t know why. In his spare time, he’s a university professor and a kick ass uncle.

JASON HARRIS

PAUL HARASIM

writes for a number of publications and websites. He specializes in food, music, and comedy writing. He has worked in almost every aspect of the entertainment industry. He has sold multiple screenplays, written awards shows and had a tv show on ABC for a minute. He’s still broke. And he loves his daughter Scarlett the most.

LYNN WEXLER enjoys distilling, and voicing in print, the essence of topics she researches and those she interviews. Her acute and ardent style has been acknowledged throughout her years as a TV reporter, news anchor and journalist, interviewing persons of note on the world stage. s a certified alues and Manners ife Coach, Lynn trains groups and individuals on improving their personal, social and professional effectiveness. She is most proud of her three outstanding children.

is the editorial associate director for the UNLV School of Medicine. Following a stint in Houston in print and TV journalism as well as public affairs -- the Texas House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring his work -- he spent more than a decade at the Las Vegas Review-Journal as an award-winning medical writer and columnist. A Vietnam veteran who covered the war for military publications, he is the author of “Standing Tall.”

BRIAN SODOMA is a freelance journalist and copywriter whose work has been published by Entrepreneur, Forbes.com and major daily newspapers like the Arizona Republic and Las Vegas Review Journal. 10 | www.davidlv.com

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From the Publisher

Max & Joanne Friedland

Chicken or fish? The philanthropy industrial complex is alive and well in Las Vegas. Barely a week goes by without my mailbox being stuffed with invitations to events from worthy causes. Event planners have exploited the outer limits of chutzpah to move away from the formality of tuxes and tiaras. Over the years, as a result, my wife and I have amassed quite the costume and accessory collection. We are good to go if the gala is themed “Bring Back the Sixties,” “How the West was Won” or, as is extremely popular this year (wigs and masks obligatory), “Masquerade.” So, this month, we look at Southern Nevada philanthropy. We explore some of the myriad causes and celebrate those tireless professionals who give heart and soul to support them. It has been just over seven years since The Smith Center for the Performing Arts opened its art deco doors and thrilled audiences with its programming. It has become the home of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Nevada Ballet Theatre. In Ars Gratia Artis, pages 42-47, Brian Sodoma takes a behind the scenes look at the cost of mounting these wonderful performances, and how little ticket sales really cover. He interviews the heads of those organizations and discovers the extent to which fundraising keeps the doors open. Bravo! In Hardwired to Give, pages 26-29, Lynn Wexler interviews a few local Rabbis and asks them to expand on the central role that Tzedakah (Charity) plays in Jewish life. Regular readers of DAVID are aware that we cover some aspect of health and medicine in each issue we publish. This month is no exception with Paul Harasim covering medical philanthropy. Giving & Healing, pages , is an in depth study of the field, from large corporate and individual giving to the personal generosity displayed when we walk into the Red Cross to donate blood. lso this month, film critic osh ell looks at the subject of celebrity philanthropy. In his piece Star Givers, pages 40-41, Bell discusses the 1944 movie Hollywood Canteen and explores the activities of a few local charities, namely AFAN and the Tyler Robinson Foundation. Dayvid Figler’s cover story, Mo Injustice, Mo Problems, pages 48-51, covers an exhibition showcasing the life and times of the Notorious RBG, better known as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The Exhibition, originally organized by the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, is now mounted at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Finally, please enjoy a short story by Jaq Greenspon. Holding Out for a Hero, pages 30-33, introduces us to a suddenly wealthy individual and his desire to take a page out of his favorite comic book hero’s double life and become Philanthropy Man. We should all have this problem! L’shanah Tovah Tikateivu (Happy New Year, may you be written in the book of life for a good year.) Until next time, I’ll see you in the racks.

Max D. Friedland max@davidlv.com

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Pulse

Your Guide to the Arts, Entertainment, and Community Events. What's Hot this Month in Dining, Shopping, and Local Attractions.

Lizzo www.davidlv.com | 13

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Explore SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

September

LOST 80'S LIVE 6 p.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800745-3000. http://dlvec.com

THE EVERLY BROTHERS EXPERIENCE FEATURING THE ZMED BROTHERS 7 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

TUE

BRUNO MARS Through Sept. 14, 9 p.m. Park Theater, MGM Grand, 3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 844-600-7275. https://

parkmgm.com

FRI

KEITH URBAN GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR Through Sept. 7, 8 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866227-5938. http://caesarspalace.com BILL MAHER Through Sept. 7, 10 p.m. Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-7917111. http://mirage.com BILL BURR 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

ELTON JOHN - FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD TOUR Through Sept. 7, 8 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-692-1300. http://t-

mobilearena.com

SAT

301 N. Buffalo Drive

702-255-3444

www.thebagelcafelv.com

BEST LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Review-Journal bestoï¬&#x201A;asvegas.com

Winner in 6 Categories

2018

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Bagel_Cafe_11.18.indd 1

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Gold: Bakery, Deli and Casual Restaurant Silver: Breakfast Bronze: Sandwich and Family Friendly Restaurant

http://thesmithcenter.com

SUN

HEART WITH JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS 7 p.m. Pearl Theater, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-9427777. http://palms.com

TUE

CAKE & BEN FOLDS 8 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702693-5000. http://hardrockhotel.com

WED

UNLV JAZZ CONCERT SERIES: UNLV HONORS JAZZ QUARTET 7 p.m. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-5073400. http://lvccld.org WICKED Through Sept. 29, times vary. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC OPENING NIGHT - PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

THU

DURAN DURAN Through Sept. 8, 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

VOLAC & PHLEGMATIC DOGS 9 p.m. Vinyl, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

http://thesmithcenter.com

hardrockhotel.com

11/29/2018 9:11:40 AM

9/16/2019 8:42:10 AM

FRI

ERIC CLAPTON WITH SPECIAL GUEST JIMMIE VAUGHAN 8 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-692-1300. http://tmobilearena.com IRON MAIDEN 7:30 p.m. MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-892-7575. https://

mgmgrand.com

ONEREPUBLIC 8 p.m. Pearl Theater, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-9427777. http://palms.com DADDY YANKEE 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

LUIS MIGUEL Through Sept. 17, 8:30 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-227-5938. http://

caesarspalace.com

DAVID CROSBY 8 p.m. Red Rock Casino, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-7777.

https://redrock.sclv.com

SAT

MANA 9 p.m. MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-892-7575. https://mgmgrand.com DRAKE 10 p.m. XS Nightclub, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-7707000. http://wynnlasvegas.com MIX 94.1'S BITE OF LAS VEGAS 11 a.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://dlvec.com TRAVIS SCOTT 10:30 p.m. Marquee Nightclub, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

SUN

AGA-BOOM 2 p.m. Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-507-4010.

http://lvccld.org

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS 8 p.m. Pearl Theater, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702942-7777. http://palms.com

WED

SMOKEY ROBINSON: LIVE IN VEGAS Through Sept. 21, 8 p.m. Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. http://

TICKETS START AT $30

For tickets and information, call 702.258.5438 or visit lvphil.org. PERFORMANCES IN REYNOLDS HALL AT THE SMITH CENTER

wynnlasvegas.com

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Jonas Brothers, October 18.

THU

DEVOTCHKA & THE JOY FORMIDABLE 8 p.m. Vinyl, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://hardrockhotel.com AREA 51 CELEBRATION 8 p.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://dlvec.com

FRI

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL Through Sept. 23, 2 p.m. Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont St. & 7th St., Las Vegas. http://

lifeisbeautiful.com

THE NEVADA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA - A TRIBUTE TO JEWISH COMPOSERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC 7:30 p.m. Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Dr., Las Vegas. 702507-3860. http://lvccld.org THE BITCHY WAITER SHOW 7:30 p.m. West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3940. http://lvccld.org IHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH ALICIA

KEYS, CHANCE THE RAPPER, CAMILA CABELLO AND MORE! Through Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-692-1300. http://t-

mobilearena.com

SAT

AEROSMITH: DEUCES ARE WILD Through Oct. 8, 8 p.m. Park Theater, MGM Grand, 3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 844-600-7275.

https://parkmgm.com

FRI

GRETA VAN FLEET 8 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-6935000. http://hardrockhotel.com JEFFERSON STARSHIP 8 p.m. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont St., Las Vegas. 702-385-7111.

http://goldennugget.com

JERRY SEINFELD Through Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-227-5938. http://

caesarspalace.com

DANIEL TOSH Through Sept. 28, 10 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111.

http://mirage.com

THE EAGLES through Oct. 5, 8 p.m. MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-892-7575. https://

mgmgrand.com

SAT

PETER FRAMPTON 8 p.m. The Sandbar, Red Rock Casino, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-7777. https://redrock.sclv.

com

SOCIAL DISTORTION & FLOGGING MOLLY 8 p.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://

dlvec.com

CHRIS TUCKER 7:30 p.m. & 10 p.m. Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. http://wynnlasvegas.com GUY BRANUM LIVE 7 p.m. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702507-3400. http://lvccld.org

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October

SAT

SUMMERLIN LIBRARY FALL FESTIVAL AND CRAFT FAIR 10 a.m. Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Dr., Las Vegas. 702-507-3860.

WED

CALEXICO & IRON AND WINE 7:30 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http://

mandalaybay.com

CHRISTINA AGUILERA - THE XPERIENCE Through Oct. 5, 9 p.m. Planet Hollywood, 3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-785-5555. http://caesars.com/

planethollywood

THE BANFF CENTER MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL'S RADICAL REELS NIGHT 7 p.m. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3400. http://lvccld.

NEUROFIBROMATOSIS HOPE CONCERT 2 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com

http://lvccld.org

PURE YANNI - PIANO & INTIMATE CONVERSATION 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://

DEMETRI MARTIN - WANDERING MIND TOUR 9 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://

hardrockhotel.com

SUN

STEVE MARTIN & MARTIN SHORT: NOW YOU SEE THEM, SOON YOU WON'T 8 p.m. Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-227-5938. http://

org

caesarspalace.com

THU

LAS VEGAS BRASS BAND SEASON KICKOFF 2 p.m. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3400.

LAS VEGAS BIKEFEST: THE PREMIER WEST COAST MOTORCYCLE RALLY Through Oct. 6, 11 a.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800-7453000. http://dlvec.com

FRI

http://lvccld.org

LAS VEGAS CLASSICAL GUITAR ENSEMBLE 2 p.m. West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3940.

http://lvccld.org

LAS VEGAS' 9TH ANNUAL

thesmithcenter.com

A CHOREOGRAPHER'S SHOWCASE Through Oct. 13, 1 p.m. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com THE CULT 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS + RIVAL SONS 8 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000.

http://hardrockhotel.com

TUE

TAJ EXPRESS - THE MUSICAL 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com

HOODIE ALLEN: WHATEVER USA PHASE ONE 8 p.m. Vinyl, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://

hardrockhotel.com

RAY ROMANO AND DAVID SPADE Through Oct. 5, 10 p.m. Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. http://

mirage.com

INTERPOL 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

NEVADA BALLET THEATRE

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

DAUGHTRY 8 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000.

http://hardrockhotel.com

BILLY IDOL: LAS VEGAS 2019 Through Oct. 12, 9 p.m. Pearl Theater, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-942-7777.

http://palms.com

ANGELS & AIRWAVES 6:30 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http://

mandalaybay.com

DON MCLEAN 8 p.m. The Showroom, Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont St., Las Vegas. 702-3857111. http://goldennugget.com

Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreography by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.

OCTOBER 24-27 THE SMITH CENTER

NEVADA BALLET THEATRE (702) 749-2000 NEVADABALLET.ORG PHOTO BY JERRY METELLUS

NEVADA BALLET THEATRE — DAVID MAGAZINE AD — 5.25” X 4.8125”

www.davidlv.com | 17

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THU

FRI

B. ROSE 8 p.m. Vinyl, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://

LYNYRD SKYNYRD 7 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-6921300. http://t-mobilearena.com

hardrockhotel.com

FRI

THE NEIGHBORHOOD 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

MICHAEL MCDONALD Through Oct. 12, 8 p.m. Venetian Theatre, Venetian, 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-414-1000.

https://venetian.com

SAT

TRIBAL SEEDS POOLSIDE 8 p.m. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-6935000. http://hardrockhotel.com LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC VERY VEGAS SHOWCASE 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO - YOU BOTHER ME TOUR Through Oct. 13, 7:30 & 10 p.m. Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. http://wynnlasvegas.com

SUN

JACKIE EVANCHO - THE DEBUT 7 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

http://thesmithcenter.com

MON

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS 9 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-227-5938. http://

caesarspalace.com

WED

SUM 41 6:30 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702632-7600. http://mandalaybay.com

THU

SURF COURSE 8 p.m. Vinyl, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000.

http://hardrockhotel.com

LAS RAGEOUS: TWO DAY ROCK AND METAL FESTIVAL Through Oct. 19, 5 p.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://dlvec.com WILLIE NELSON AND FAMILY: VEGAS ON MY MIND Through Oct. 26, 8 p.m. Venetian Theatre, Venetian, 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-414-1000. https://venetian.com THE EMO NIGHT TOUR - LAS VEGAS 8 p.m. Vinyl, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://hardrockhotel.com JONAS BROTHERS 7:30 p.m. MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-8927575. https://mgmgrand.com

SAT

PHIL COLLINS 8 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-692-1300.

http://t-mobilearena.com

JIMMY BUFFETT 8 p.m. MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-892-7575.

https://mgmgrand.com

SCHITT'S CREEK: UP CLOSE & PERSONAL 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://

www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

SUN

NICKELODEON'S DOUBLE DARE LIVE! 6:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

http://thesmithcenter.com

MON

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED - A TRIBUTE TO BUDDY HOLLY, RITCHIE VALENS AND THE BIG BOPPER 2 p.m. Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Dr., Las Vegas. 702-507-3710. http://lvccld.org

THU

SWAN LAKE Through Oct. 27, times vary. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

LIZZO: CUZ I LOVE YOU TOO TOUR 8 p.m. Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. https://www.

cosmopolitanlasvegas.com THE COMPOSERS SHOWCASE OF LAS VEGAS 10:30 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

SAT

YELAWOLF 8 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702632-7600. http://mandalaybay.com FETISH & FANTASY HALLOWEEN BALL 2019 10 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://

hardrockhotel.com THE STORY SO FAR 6 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http://mandalaybay.com THE LAS VEGAS POPS PRESENTS THE SOUL OF SPECTRUM & RADIANCE 3 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

http://thesmithcenter.com

MON

UB40 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR: A REAL LABOUR OF LOVE 8 p.m. Pearl Theater, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-9427777. http://palms.com

WED

TWENTY ONE PILOTS 7 p.m. MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-8927575. https://mgmgrand.com

THU

MARILYN MANSON HALLOWEEN NIGHT 9 p.m. Pearl Theater, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. http://palms.com

http://thesmithcenter.com

FRI

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

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Devour

Ice Cream @ Ada’s Best Creamery’s ice cream starts with pure milk and cream from Sand Hill Dairy in Fallon, Nevada. Then sugar gets added. A slightly faster churning than Italian gelato gives it a lighter texture, with more surface area to capture intense flavors. When you walk up to the counter or grab a table, allow spoonfuls to delight the senses with wholesome goodness and you’ll understand why they went to all that trouble. Created by chefs James Trees and Dylan Jobsz, the flavors are original but familiar. Just for starters, try Spearmint

Chip, made from a fresh mint housemade syrup, or Morello Cherry Almond Sorbet - a long-standing favorite recipe - for something cheery (and cherry), complex and tart, but then also opt for a simple palate cleanser #ALLTHEVANILLA, made with lots and lots of Madagascar vanilla. Best Creamery inside Ada’s, Tivoli Village, 401 S. Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-463-7433. adaslv.com

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Desire

Gifts that Give Back

Socks are the most requested clothing item at homeless shelters across the US, where new clothing is in extremely high demand. Bombas (derived from the Latin for bumblebee) believes that by working together, we can make the world a better place. Their mantra, “bee better,” is included with every purchase “as a reminder that little improvements can add up to make a big difference, and that your purchase went towards directly helping someone in need.” For every Bombas clothing item you purchase, a specially designed item of the same kind is donated to someone in need. So far, Bombas customers have made over 20 million small acts of human kindness possible. Bombas.com

ne thing firefighters have learned during their years in the military and fire service is that a good cup of coffee and a ell timed jolt of caffeine are essential for long nights and high-octane lifestyles. Run by orking firefighters, Fire Dept. Coffee has a passion for roasting high-quality coffee beans, which come in a variety of styles: light, dark, harvest, decaf, backdraft espresso, and bourbon-infused, among others. 10% of the proceeds from every order goes towards supporting ill or injured firefighters and first responders. firedeptcoffee.com

A soft, vegetable-tanned leather tote brings fashion and mindfulness together. Choose from a number of other totes and bags from FeedProjects.com. With every product they sell, FEED provides school meals to the most vulnerable communities across 63 countries around the globe. The Harriet Tote, for example, provides 100 meals to children in need when purchased, while the Leather FEED 1 Bag gets meals to 185 kids. Additionally, FEED works with artisans from Kenya to India for a growing number of collections. FeedProjects.com

Warby Parker works with a handful of partners worldwide to ensure that for every pair of glasses purchased, a pair of glasses is distributed to someone in need. They empower adult men and women with training opportunities to administer basic eye exams and sell glasses at ultra-affordable prices. Warby Parker also provides vision care and glasses directly to school-age children in their classrooms, here their teachers are often the first to spot problems. WarbyParker.com

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For every cuddle+kind doll sold, 10 meals are provided to children in need. The company, founded by the Woodgate family, drew inspiration after seeing a documentary on the impact of childhood hunger on millions of children around the world and since 2015, they have provided over 8 million meals. Cuddle+kind works through partnerships with humanitarian agencies to distribute the meals to directly benefit children in need and their dolls are made in eru ith passion and pride. cuddleandkind.com

Charity Pot, the gorgeous, self-preserving body lotion, does a lot of good. This rich and generous cream contains seven ingredients sourced from the Sustainable Lush Fund projects that support regenerative agriculture around the world. With every purchase of Charity Pot, LUSH donates 100% of the price (minus taxes) to small grassroots organizations working in the areas of human rights, animal protection, and environmental justice. Lush.com

AUrate creates beautiful jewelry crafted with durable materials, transparent pricing, sustainable production, and tangible giving. They also support developing literacy of students in New York. In partnership with Mastery Charter, every purchase at AUrate puts a book in the hands of a child who needs it. auratenewyork.com

Public - Supply is a for profit company that channels of profits from every sale of their notebooks, travel guides, notebook covers, and more, to a teacher in a high-need classroom who will use the money for a project that drives creativity. Whether students are painting, acting, singing, writing, or coding, Public - Supply believes that creativity helps students become more engaged in the classroom, at home, and in the world. Public-Supply.com www.davidlv.com | 21

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Discover

Fall Harvest in Our Backyard Farm Growing acres and acres of fresh produce, ilcrease rchard is as egas’ very o n “field of dreams” for families and chefs who seek to bring locally-sourced seasonal fruits-of-labor into their kitchens. Grab a wheelbarrow and walk among beds of beets, eggplant, s uash, and a field of pumpkins. Then head to the orchard for pears and pomegranates. A few of the not-to-misses are the apple cider, honey, and peanut butter. Oh, and don’t forget your hat and pruning shears! ilcrease rchard is a non profit, c foundation, established to offer our community enjoyable recreational and educational experiences through agriculture. Contributions are tax deductible. In this month of giving, this is the most wholesome and delicious way to do it. Gilcrease Orchard, N enaya ay, as egas. . thegilcreaseorchard.org.

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Mingle The Las Vegas Philharmonic 21st Season Opening Night The Smith Center Saturday, September 7 This year, Opening Night was (L-R) Characters with Pat Fink, Bernice Friedman, Vanessa Fink, Monica Fuller and Gladys Adair.

celebrated with a concert and Masquerade themed afterparty. The orchestra enjoyed a near sold out house for its performance of Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky, Anna Clyne’s Masquerade and guest artist Francesca Dego’s breathtaking performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Dego captivated the audience and received an enthusiastic standing ovation. Pre-concert activities

(L-R) Dan Tuntland and Diane Booth with Rick & Jeri Crawford.

included complimentary bites provided by DW Bistro, a mask decorating station, character actors and more. At the Masquerade Ball following the performance, 100 guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, desserts, wine, beer and cocktails along with additional entertainment and the opportunity to mingle with

(L-R)George, Izabella & Amy Tu.

Francesca Dego and Donato Cabrera

the musicians, Music Director Donato Cabrera and Dego. It was the perfect high note to begin the season.

(L-R) Lacey Huszcza, Lora Picini and Adrienne Prather-Marcos.

(L-R) Nissa Pearson, Anne Mazzola, Michele Madole, Ann Flores and Meg Shih.

Photos: Ray Alamo www.davidlv.com | 23

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Mingle Aid for AIDS of Nevada Celebrates 33rd Annual Black & White Party Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sunday, August 11

A VIP reception kicked the evening off. Attendees

sea of black and hite fills he oint inside the Hard ock Hotel

Casino.

came in their best black and white attire, wearing balloon costumes, ball gowns, tuxedos, Marie Antoinette-inspired gowns and wigs, and an array of barely-there fashions. America’s Got Talent’s Daniel Emmett and singer songwriter Nye delivered standout performances. In attendance also were Tape Face, Kahanna Montrese from

Black and white balloon dresses.

Over-the-top costumes.

Guests sport their best black & white.

Drea Dash and featured dancers from Hamburger Marys.

RuPaul’s Drag Race, Xavier Mortimer, Fantasy Girls, the cast of Sex Tips from a Gay Man to a Straight Woman, Mayte Garcia, and Murray SawChuck. Philanthropist Greg Chase and returning mistress of ceremonies Norma Llyaman served as hosts for the evening, introducing world-class entertainers such as Celestia, Magic Mike Live, Human Nature, Tenors of Rock, WOW- The Vegas Spectacular, Little Miss Nasty, the men and queens of Piranha Nightclub, Brooke Lynn Hytes from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Sexxy the Show, Daniel Emmet, and Legends in Concert.

Photos: The Midnight Annex

The cast

Guests don over-the-top black & white costumes.

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Live

A Focus on Living in Las Vegas People and Places Arts and Entertainment Food and Beverage Philanthropy and Religion Health and Fitness and More...

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Know

Hardwired To Give “Charity is equal in importance to all of the other commandments combined.” —Talmud

(The central text of Jewish religious law.)

By Lynn Wexler

rowing up as a young girl in the suburbs of northern New Jersey, I recall tzedakah (charity) to be as innate as eating three meals a day. The kitchen table served as the heart of our home. There, at its center, sat my grandmother’s blue and white tin pushke – a Yiddish word (derived from the Polish word puszka)

meaning a small container kept in the home usually the kitchen here coins ere routinely deposited to be donated to charity. It was customary in our family to give even pennies before blessing and eating each meal. I can still hear the clinking of the coins as they settled in the box. When the pushke was full, my mother and I dropped it off herever it ould do the most good usually a family

A Tzedakah motif on a Jewish gravestone in the Jewish cemetery in Otwock, Poland.

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Nikodem Nijaki

in need or a philanthropic organization. My memories are special. My story, however, is not unique. Jewish giving is an enduring tradition, hardwired into the collective Jewish soul for more than three thousand years. A series of biblical laws (halacha) require each Jew to participate in tzedakah – charity in the pursuit of justice or righteousness; tikkun

olam – a dictate to repair the world; chesed – mercy towards and compassion for one’s fellow; and mitzvot of ma’aser ani and peah – the obligation to tithe (to give 10% of one’s proceeds or to the extent of one’s capacity) from one’s income and from the yield of one’s fields. The Talmud (the book of Jewish civil and ceremonial law) also stresses Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh beZeh (Jews www.davidlv.com | 27

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are responsible for one another). American Jews ho ever according to Connected to Give, a joint effort by foundations to measure religious giving trends – have demonstrated exceedingly generous support for non-Jewish causes. This is likely due to e ish persecution and discrimination throughout history and thus an empathy for those who suffer a similar plight. he e esearch Center estimates . million e s live in the United States, accounting for approximately 2.2 percent of the U.S. adult population. Yet, regardless of economic status, they lead in per capita giving more than any other religious or ethnic group. he Cohen Center for Modern e ish Studies at Brandeis University estimates that Jewish philanthropy gives more than $9 billion each year to charitable causes in the U.S. and around the world. Rabbi Yisroel Shanowitz, of Chabad of Summerlin, explains that every Jew is endowed with a strong theological foundation for robust giving. “The Oral Torah and first major ritten collection of Jewish oral traditions (Mishna) says that the world stands on three pillars: Teshuvah (repentance), eﬁllah (prayer), and Tzedakah (acts of kindness),” Rabbi Shanowitz says. The latter pillar is considered to be the most important of all.

Referenced throughout the biblical texts, tzedakah is greater than all the sacrifices almud, Sukkah 49b) and the equivalent of all the other commandments combined (Talmud, Baba Batra 9a). Since creation, the orld has stood upon tzedakah Midrash anna d’ ei liyahu utta . The rabbis understood that without acts of charity and kindness, humanity cannot endure. They believed that humankind is not an impartial observer in d’s creation but rather a partner in bringing the Divine presence into the world by caring and instilling the virtues of compassion into the hearts of one’s fello being. “Many e s hold by a concept kno n as the eight degrees of charitable giving, says ocheved Mint , abbi merita of Congregation nai ikvah in as egas. It as created by the th century rabbi, physician, and philosopher Maimonides, also kno n as the ambam. It’s a metaphorical eight rung ladder that those ho give can climb to get closer to the Divine. “ t the st rung, donors give begrudgingly, abbi Mint explains. “The second rung, they give less than they should but cheerfully; the third, they give after being asked; the fourth, they give before being asked the fifth, they do not know the recipient of their giving but the recipient knows them; the sixth, the giver knows the recipient but the recipient does not know them; the seventh, no one

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knows the identity of the other; and at the eight, and most altruistic rung, they give to enable the recipient to become self sufficient. She adds that the eighth rung reflects the adage, ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. each a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime’. he orah is profoundly sensitive to the dynamic bet een donor and recipient. abbi Shano it e plains that d selects those ho ill be His agents to disburse His bounty and those ho ill receive it. “When we are called upon to assist someone in need, we are not giving away something that belongs to us but rather we are doing justice by dispensing monies that G-d entrusted to us to give to the less fortunate, he says. Tzedakah is so hardwired into the Jewish psyche that in addition to giving money, one is obligated to provide what a person lacks. Someone ithout clothing or furniture should be given those items. ne ho is unmarried should get help to find a mate. ne ho is accustomed to servants, who becomes impoverished, should receive help to be restored to their original status. Even so, there is no commandment to give tzedakah daily, though it is customary and warranted to pledge tzedakah on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when the deeds of each Jew are judged by G-d and a verdict is

rendered as to whom shall be rewarded and whom shall be punished. he almud e plains that repentance, prayer, and giving have the po er to favorably impact d’s judgement and reverse a negative decree. f these three, giving is primary among them. Avraham, according to the biblical narrative, was the first e . He and his ife Sarah e emplified kindness, generosity, and the giving of hospitality. heir tent elcomed guests from the north, south, east, and est. Avraham originated the DNA for tzedakah embedded in the e ish culture. he marital chuppah, also open on four sides, follo s in that same tradition. he foundation of the family is meant to be one of kindness, caring, and generosity – toward one another and one’s fello being. he small blue and hite tin bo of my childhood stands as a reminder of the DNA I carry, a reminder to make the world a better place by my call to action and by passing that tradition on to my children as my mother passed it on to me. ’dor ’dor generation to generation) – from Avraham to me to my children and their children’s children. Preserving and practicing the biblical mandate of giving is perhaps the secret to the survival of the Jewish people and a orld desperately in need of kindness.

In Celebration of

ROSH HASHANAH

YOM KIPPUR

Sundown September 29 - October 1

October 9

Challah Bread • Matzo Ball Soup Matzah Crackers • Tzimmes White Fish • Potato Pancakes Brisket • Noodle Kugel • And More

Kreplach • Challah Bread • Brisket Desserts • White Fish Bagels Cream Cheese & Lox Quiches • Matzo Ball Soup • And More

These specialties offered in addition to our regular menu daily Lunch and Dinner meal periods.

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Sense

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Holding Out for a Hero

The Dilemma of an Instant Multi-Millionaire By Jaq Greenspon

“T

here are a number of billionaires in the world and none of them have chosen to become Batman.” is how the meme reads. Martin had seen that meme bouncing around the Internet a few times and always chuckled at it. It was indeed true, that no matter how many people became billionaires, not one of them ever became a superhero. But then again, it had also been said that Bruce Wayne, the particular billionaire behind Batman’s mask, probably could have done more, for more people, as a philanthropist than as a costumed vigilante – it just wouldn’t have been as much fun. It was odd that this particular meme jumped into Martin’s thoughts at the moment, though, just as the lump sum payment of somewhere north of $250 million dollars hit his accounts. It was one of the largest lottery wins in American history and it suddenly put Martin Liebowitz at least a quarter of the way towards that fabled billionaire status. He wondered what it would be like to be one-fourth Batman. He laughed. That made it sound like Batman was his maternal grandfather. He also laughed when he looked down at his middle-aged waistline and thought about the fallen arches which would have kept him out of the draft, had he been born 40 years earlier, or Iraq if he’d actually anted to sign up. No, atman as definitely out of the question. But maybe Batman himself wasn’t the point. Maybe it was just the idea of Batman. Ideas were powerful things. It was the idea he could win the lottery which led him to buy a ticket, right? That old joke about meeting god halfway. His grandmother had taught him that one after they’d had a discussion about social media and Martin had explained that yes, god had a Facebook account. “Not God, big G, but ‘god.’” He had made air quotes around the name. “’God,’” he repeated with hands in the air for clarity, “has a Facebook page.” So, they had discussed god and God and technology. “Then again,” his grandmother had pointed out, “maybe it is big G God. Probably not, but that’s the thing about

the Internet, really, you have no idea who’s behind the account. Could be anyone. And if you believe in God, then think about it, what better way for him to communicate than through 280 characters, right?” She had a point. Gram had it going on. It might take her a minute or two to grasp a concept, but when she did, she certainly had her own spin on it. Martin missed the old woman, who made up another 25% of her ancestry, along with Batman. She would have loved that comparison. But now, he thought about what she had said, and it bounced around his brain, like a pinball shooting off the reactive bumpers, racking up points. It was true, you never did know who was behind an Internet account. When a celebrity “liked” one of your posts, was it really them or was it an assistant? Fictional characters had accounts, and someone had to be monitoring them, right? Was it the media department of the film company his as the Spider Man ethos in action, right, that it could be anyone behind the mask, so it didn’t matter who it was as long as they did the job. Martin laughed at himself. He’d gone from Batman to SpiderMan, DC to Marvel. Martin suddenly realized his entire moral compass had been aligned by long underwear superheroes. So, if it could be anyone under the mask, Martin reasoned, it could be him. And now that he had money, it should be him. ut hat did that mean Here, in the first half of the 21st century, how did one go about becoming a superhero? Was there any place to get bitten by a radioactive spider or have a cannister of radioactive waste hit him in the face or maybe a bomb could explode nearby, showering him with some other sort of radiation? None of those things seemed likely. There was dearth of easily available radiation, even if you did have hundreds of millions of dollars at your fingertips. hen again, living in as egas, maybe it ould be enough to hijack one of those trucks driving through on their way to Yucca Mountain to dispose of nuclear reactor byproducts…except that hijacking was not what a good guy did. And if nothing else, Martin was determined that being a good guy had to be part of the equation. Right? And anyway, radiation could just as easily lead to bad www.davidlv.com | 31

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things as it could to good. So no, radiation was out. So was being a god. Alongside Gram in that generation, the other three quarters were also all good old-fashioned Jewish grandparents from the old country who covered their furniture with plastic whatever the season and always had a pocketful of hard candy “in case of a sore throat.” Sadly, Martin knew that no matter how far back he went in the family tree, Norse, Roman, Greek, or Themiscyran divinity was not to be found amongst the branches. hey also confirmed his terrestrial origins, so being a son of an alien planet was, sadly but neccesarily, out of the question. Besides, those things would have marked him for possible hero-ness well before his financial indfall so in all honesty, it as the ruce ayne / Oliver Queen / Tony Stark pathway which would work best for him. All of which certainly made him wonder why he’d never thought of being a superhero before he had money? Martin supposed it was true that with great power must also come great responsibility which means that without the power, the money, he’d never really given any thought to his own responsibility. If only he were really smart or clever. Or good with arrows. Martin realized he’d gone full circle. The original uestion, in a lightly modified form, had come back around again. How, exactly, does one with loads of

disposable income become a superhero? First, you need a manifesto. No. Bad word choice. Manifesto had a connotation, an implied negative. hat he needed as a plan of action. A creed if you will. Martin thought about it for a minute. ruth, ustice, and the merican ay, aside from being taken, didn’t really ork in today’s global society. hat as the “ merican ay any ay No matter hich side of the fence you were on, you knew there was a fence in America now. A big one. Maybe with a moat. So much so that dealing ith anything specifically merican meant you were going to piss off half the people you were trying to help. 50% wasn’t good enough. Martin knew if he was going to do this, he wanted a sell through rate of at least 80-85%. That seemed fair, right? If he wanted that strong a reaction, he knew he was going to have to go international, fight for things no one, at least no more than 15% or so, could criticize. And since he was an American (the reason he originally thought of Superman’s ar cry , he figured his superhero baili ick should be outside of national borders. It was much easier to do good when it was for people who weren’t your neighbors. Martin thought of the ills of the world, of all the causes begging for money on late night television. He could become Manna, bringing food to the starving. That would

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be good, right? He could make a show of showering food from heaven, hence the name, but that wouldn’t be terribly effective. Dropping bags of grain from a branded airplane might look good, but would it really serve the purpose he was going for? No, it wouldn’t. Being…bringing…Manna would require an infrastructure and distribution network. Kinda takes the individual glory out of the equation. He put that idea aside for the time being. Stuck a pin in it, as it ere. He could al ays return to it, fine tune it maybe if nothing else struck him. Impoverished countries needed water or electricity. What if he could kill both those birds with one hero? Hydro Man could do that. Hydro Man could bring water and use it to make power! How hard could that be, he wondered. He would just need to get wells or canals dug and power plants constructed, then connect to the pre-existing power grids which would probably require some sort of governmental oversight from whichever country he anted to help first. he second country might go uicker but still. Martin Liebowitz was starting to understand why these guys who dressed up in costumes fought single bad guys, one after another. If only there were a faraway natural disaster for him to relieve. He added Hydro Man to Manna on the “possible” list and kept going.

L’SHANAH TOVAH FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT EL CORTEZ

he ardner had possibilities. He could distribute seeds for planting…but then would need the help of Hydro Man. On the list and keep going. rofessor No, talks already had that one covered. urbo Harnessing the ind. Not as many problems as water. He moved it higher on the list, but he continued to jot ideas, not wanting to settle just yet. Over the next few days, the list grew, as did the money in the account, both thanks to interest. Coffee Man was an easy reject, as was Literacy. By the end, he was reduced to inanities like e tile oy or he nitter. His personal interest as aning hile his financial interest was growing. Maybe, he thought, he was going about this the wrong way. here ere just too many complications in trying to change the world this way. Besides, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to be a little smarter with his newfound wealth. Sure, he could help out from time to time, but really, it asn’t only up to him. veryone should pitch in and do their part, right? Maybe being a superhero was best reserved for comic books and blockbuster movies and he could write a check from time to time. Leave the planning and logistics up to people who were trained and actually had the time for it. Besides, it’s not like there were any real supervillains to fight. ight

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9/16/2019 9:00:38 AM

Taste

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FOMO Fear of Missing Out

By Jason Harris

he dictionary defines M as such an iety that an e citing or interesting event may currently be happening else here, often aroused by posts seen on a social media ebsite. It asn’t a thing hen I as a kid because technology asn’t there yet. ut e all e perienced the feeling before it became definable. ecky couldn’t go to the school dance because she had to visit her cousins in ennsylvania that eekend. Marky missed the Ne ids on the lock concert because he had to go to his sister’s piano recital. ou ant to kno hy society is so scre ed up Maybe the unhealed M ounds of collective youth has something to do ith it.

Chef ames rees’ of Esther’s Kitchen’s “I’m Afraid of Americans” burger.

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Check it… I’m twelve years old, growing up in Northern New Jersey. My town has an abundance of good athletes - or so it seems to 12-year-old Jewish me. We are all friends at school and compete with and against one another on the weekends in little league baseball, pee wee football, and, most importantly for me, recreation league basketball. I wanted that basketball trophy. And I had a chance.

That season, I was on the purple team and we had all the pieces. The tournament was double elimination and we somehow gave up a ten-point lead in a game sending us straight to the elimination round and bringing our team one game away from a disappointing end to an otherwise good season. No matter, e ere all confident e’d get back on track the next game which was to be played the next day - a Saturday. Why do I remember it was a Saturday

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Chef Todd Harrington and Jolene Mannina admire his #OffTheMenu Piggie Smalls Sandwich at Honey Salt. Photograph by: Angela Ortaliza

all these years later? Scheduled against my playoff game - my elimination game! - was a family friend’s Bat Mitzvah in New York City. My parents, preaching the value of friendship and loyalty, demanded I go to that Bat Mitzvah. “How did the game go?” I wondered as I sat through a Haf Torah portion that meant not nearly as much as a solid inside / outside game to me. I soon found out. It was a close battle through and through. We

were down by one point in the final seconds and Jeff Lui put up a shot from behind half court. The ball hit the rim and we lost by one. We were that close. I can’t tell you anything relevant about the Bat Mitzvah except, more than two decades later, I still live the pain of my season on the brink. We all have a story like this, because let’s face it, most of our parents make huge mistakes along the way. Fear of missing out is a strong force. And that brings us to Jolene Mannina, the culinary queen of capitalizing on FOMO. When last we covered her, she was in the middle of throwing her late night chef battles outside the T-Mobile Arena. The Back of House Brawl (BOHB) was / is the Las Vegas food industry’s late night rowdy get together, all wrapped around chefs competing against each other in food truck wars. Those events feature a who’s who of the Sin City culinary scene, most of whom are just spectators. FOMO. Mannina has now taken her ability to capitalize on the fear of missing out to the next level with her latest project, secretburger.com. She admits, “We’re selling FOMO at the end of the day. This is an exclusive dish for one day only and it is in limited amounts.” The way it works is simple. Mannina, through the secretburger website, announces pop up events at existing restaurants. Only, for the most part, these popups are more about the chefs who already helm the eateries creating something off menu for their guests in a specified time period rather than someone else taking over that person’s kitchen for the evening. Patrons buy tickets on the site and simply show their receipt when attending. he first secretburger event I ventured to as on May 4 at Meraki Greek Grill (covered last issue as a local gem) where the chefs concocted a Greek fried chicken sandwich that was a perfect bite to announce the impending arrival of summer. On the secretburger website, it was advertised as such: Have you ever seen fried chicken on the menu at Meráki Greek Grill? The answer is NO Chef Niko wanted to come strong with his first SecretBuger dish so he’s going off brand to serve a Fried Chicken Sandwich. The “Niko’s” Fried Chicken Sandwich is made with an all natural, oregano crusted chicken breast. It’s topped with Aegean slaw, spicy “Granch” dressing on a grilled brioche bun with a side of half sour pickles and hand cut taverna fries. We just tested out the dish and it’s delicious!! Only 50 available for SecretBurger. Get it while it lasts. These are dishes you try, and you wonder why they don’t put them on the menu fulltime, whether it’s the chicken fried Juicy Lucy from The Goodwich or the falafel platter at Rooster Boy Cafe. www.davidlv.com | 37

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Left: Chef Niko of Meráki Grill presents his fried chicken sandwich. Right: Chef Sonia El-Nawal of Rooster Boy Cafe with her falafel platter. Photographs by: Jose Salinas

The idea is catching on. Secretburger has thrown events in New York City, Miami, Phoenix, and Spokane, among others. Mannina is excited about focusing on new cities and seeing where it sparks, like it has in Spokane, Washington. There are secretburger events that are more ambitious than just a dish. Khai Vu, the most wellknown Vietnamese chef / restauranteur in Las Vegas, hosted a “Feast of Friends” at his Chinatown outpost, MORDEO Boutique Wine Bar, which featured ten courses with three chefs, two butchers, and a farmer, all based around wagyu beef. He also moved his operation over to the hip, off-Strip bar Starboard Tack on July 4, where he served his version of the Filipino feast, kamayan. October 6 will be secretburger’s biggest event to date with Picnic in The Alley, which the website calls, “A Boutique Epicurean event designed by All the Women for EVERYONE!” Mannina explains “It’s 100% designed and executed by women in Las Vegas. So, everything from the organizers, production, graphic design, photography, videography, chefs and mixologists — every piece is being produced and curated by women. It’s been an absolute delight putting it together.”

Participating chefs and restauranteurs include Gina Marinelli of La Strega, Jamie Tran of The Black Sheep and Elizabeth Blau of Honey Salt and Andiron Steak & Sea, Sonia Steele of Ada’s, The Dylag Sisters from Velveteen Rabbit, and Danielle Crouch of Jammyland are some of the ladies leading the beverage program. Mannina sees the event going like this, “You walk in and get a picnic basket with plates and cups and napkins, and as you walk around the event, chefs will be preparing food in little to go boxes so you can take it and put it into your basket. Get a couple of different things and then actually sit down and enjoy it. We’re trying to add a little of those relaxing moments while you’re eating.” I’m already sold. She continues. “The setting is really beautiful (The Alley at Fergusons Downtown). It will be really bohemian with lots of flowers. There will be a chat room with noodles and beer and chefs talking on panels. We’ll have live art, live murals, and art installations. There’s live music. It’s about creating a vibe.” It’s about not wanting to miss out. I’ll be there and to many other secretburger events… as long as they aren’t catering any Bat Mitzvahs.

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Think

Essays and In-Depth Articles on Topics that Will Have People Talking all Month Long.

Giving & Healing | 52 www.davidlv.com | 39

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Think

Star Givers

Celebrities that Share the Wealth

By Josh Bell

s long as there have been celebrities, people who are famous for their abilities to entertain have wanted to show that they contribute more to society than just laughter or excitement or escapism. All of those things are extraordinarily valuable, as much in hard times as in prosperous times, but their value isn’t always appreciated as much as more basic necessities. Showbiz types have been putting their substantial earnings behind charitable ventures since the early days of Hollywood. Oftentimes this happens behind the scenes, with donors who just want to do good, and aren’t concerned about being recognized for it. But more often it happens out in the open, either so that attention-focused famous people can get even more of the validation they crave (if you’re being cynical about it), or so that they can use their celebrity to bring attention to worthy causes (if you’re putting a more positive spin on it). Take a look back at the 1944 movie Hollywood Canteen for e ample. It’s a t o hour plus feature film hich

was nominated for three Academy Awards) all about how much help Hollywood is lending to the war effort during World War II. The title location is a real place in Los Angeles, founded by actors Bette Davis and John arfield, here merican servicemen could come hile on leave or before shipping out, with free food, drink, and entertainment, provided by a steady stream of celebrity volunteers. The Canteen was a perfect example of charity as performance, providing an important, legitimate, and much-appreciated service for vulnerable people, while also functioning as an ongoing advertisement for its benefactors’ benevolence. Hollywood Canteen, the movie, is a nonstop parade of famous faces, including avis, arfield, oan Cra ford, Jack Benny, Roy Rogers, Barbara Stanwyck, and many more. A New York City counterpart, the Stage Door Canteen, served a similar purpose for military personnel on the opposite coast, staffed by Broadway performers and celebrated in its own eponymous movie in 1943. roceeds from both films ere donated to charities associated ith the Canteens. ndorsing specific military campaigns is a bit too complicated and politically risky

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to unite all of show business these days, but the more generic support of “the troops” is still a very popular way for celebrities across the political spectrum to create feelgood narratives around charitable donations and events. There are dozens of ways for celebrities to show their support and give back to their communities. Sometimes it happens in quiet, simple ways that fly under the radar: Last year, a social media post about rapper and actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges paying for a woman’s groceries went viral, prompting a New York Times investigation revealing that Bridges had been paying average people’s grocery bills for years, ithout starting a high profile organi ation or putting on a huge benefit concert or doing anything other than using his wealth to help people in need when he encountered them. Of course, Ludacris also founded his o n official charitable organi ation, the Ludacris Foundation, in 2001, engaging in more formal acts of philanthropy, including economic development and educational outreach. Sometimes it seems like every even marginal celebrity has a similar foundation, somewhere, to funnel donations that also serves a promotional function, associating the celebrity’s name with every disbursement of funds or success story. Celebrities from Oprah Winfrey to Eva Longoria to Leonardo DiCaprio have their names on foundations that serve a variety of charitable functions. In some cases, celebrity vanity charities become nearly as iconic as their namesakes, with enduring legacies that go beyond movies or music. Legendary actor Paul Newman co-founded the Newman’s Own brand of food products in 1982 with the intention of donating all proceeds to charity, and the company has continued to expand and thrive since Newman’s death in 2008. His face is still on the labels, but plenty of consumers probably have no idea who Newman is. His giving has become the cornerstone of his legacy. Cycling champion Lance Armstrong may have tarnished his athletic reputation with his use of performance-enhancing drugs, but the charity he founded at the height of his success and popularity, the ivestrong oundation, has continued to provide benefits and assistance to people struggling with cancer even as Armstrong stepped down from the foundation (which initially bore his name) in 2012. Celebrities’ lives can be messy and chaotic, but a strong charitable organization can continue to do good, even if its main benefactor is no longer beloved or admired (or even famous). People like Ian Somerhalder and Jami Gertz may not be huge names these days, but the organizations they founded (Somerhalder focuses on environmental causes while Gertz and her husband’s Ressler-Gertz Foundation supports a number of charities) keep on providing important services and support. Sometimes being associated with a charity can backfire on a celebrity, as hen musician yclef ean’s

foundation for Haitian earthquake victims was shut down over accusations of embezzlement, and Jean, who was born in Haiti, came off like a clueless rich person who cared more about his image than about helping people in need. Las Vegas has its own strong tradition of celebrity philanthropy, which continues with both visiting headliners and hometown heroes. Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) celebrated its 33rd annual Black & White Party in August, with local celebrity support from Strip headliners including Tape Face, Murray SawChuck, and Xavier Mortimer, as well as performances by the casts of Vegas shows Magic Mike Live, Human Nature, Legends in Concert and more. AFAN’s annual AIDS Walk had its 29th edition in April, with comedy magicians Penn and Teller serving as the grand marshals for the 18th year in a row and sponsoring their own Penn & Teller Challenge to match any donations above $250. Celebrities who live and work in Vegas have more obvious connections to local charities, and their involvement often feels more genuine. But even parttime Vegas performers can make a heartfelt impact in town. Lady Gaga has only been a resident headliner for a short time, but she’s demonstrated a commitment to making a difference in town with ventures like her Born This Way Foundation. Even before her show opened at Park MGM, Gaga brought Valley High School into Born This Way’s Mental Health First Aid pilot program, which includes seniors from eight high schools across the country. Once her residency launched, Gaga announced additional programs at Park MGM and partnerships with local schools and nonprofit organi ations. Pop-rock band Imagine Dragons got its start in Las Vegas, and the group’s Tyler Robinson Foundation (TRF, named after a teen cancer patient the band got to know and benefiting pediatric cancer patients holds its annual Rise Up Gala in Vegas, where the band perfoms alongside other local and national artists. In June, TRF expanded its Vegas presence with the “Battle for Vegas” charity softball game, pitting members of the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team and the Vegas-bound Raiders NFL team against each other. As professional sports continue to grow in Vegas, athletes will be one more class of celebrity who have the motivation to contribute to local charities. So, when you come across a feel-good puff piece about, say, Taylor Swift donating $113,000 to the Tennessee Equality Project, it may just be a celebrity carefully adjusting their image. It may be a genuine expression of caring for an important cause. More likely, it’s a combination of the two, continuing a tradition that’s been around as long as the cult of celebrity. If you ant to support a local charity, you can find N at afanlv.org, the yler obinson oundation is at trf.org, and the orn his ay oundation is at bornthisway.foundation. www.davidlv.com | 41

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Think

“ARS GRATIA ARTIS” A Behind the Scenes Look at the Cost of Performances, and How Little Ticket Sales Really Cover

By Brian Sodoma

percent. It’s a common figure used hen discussing the business side of the performing arts. nd in a city kno n for entertainment spectacle, one

might think it’s the profit margin for a performance at the Smith Center.

n the contrary, in the performing arts

orld,

percent is the mere amount of cost covered by ticket sales hen an organi ation like the as egas hilharmonic or Nevada allet heatre N

performs.

“ our ticket is not a donation it’s covering an actual

portion of real costs, Myron Martin, president and C of the Smith Center for the

erforming

rts, e plains.

“ here’s a misconception that because of ho our facility looks and ho

beautiful

he Smith Center opening night gala performance, March , .

ell maintained it is, that the

Smith Center is just s imming in cash. In fact, e have to raise millions a year just to break even. or those of us not in the trenches building stage sets or producing or rehearsing for a performance, it’s hard to understand the costs to keep the performing arts alive in

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Las Vegas. Here’s a glimpse into that world:

average,

The hard truth about hard costs

arts groups and museums is covered by “earned income,

For both the Las Vegas Philharmonic and NBT, 40 percent is a good estimate for what ticket sales cover for each performance. he figure falls in line

ith much of

hat’s happening around the country as ell. According to the National Endowment for the Arts’ “Ho

the United States

unds the

rts report, on

. percent of costs for nonprofit performing

primarily ticket sales.

bout

. percent comes from

interest and endowments, while the other 44.9 percent comes from corporations, individuals, and foundations, as ell as local, state and federal sources. N

ecutive

irector and C

eth

arbre says

funding the organi ation feels like running a “perpetual start up. nce you finish one year, you’re right at it again. www.davidlv.com | 43

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NBT typically puts on about 30 to 35 performances a year, most at the Smith Center. For NBT and the Las Vegas Philharmonic, hiring stagehands, production personnel, and paying rent are as much a part of the arts orld as they are running a for profit enterprise, arbre explains. It cost the organization $750,000 to put on 12 Nutcracker performances last year, roughly $65,000 each performance, for a show seen as the “bread and butter” for ballet companies around the country. Costs for last year’s Dracula and Alice in Wonderland performances, more involved from labor and set design perspectives, came in at roughly $150,000 per performance. Lacey Huszcza, executive director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, says her tickets cover between 40 and 45

percent of costs as ell. nd ithout giving specifics, she says performances, which can vary tremendously in terms of the number of musicians required, range between $100,000 and $200,000 each.

The hobbyist doesn’t work here Performer compensation can open a world of misunderstanding for some. Drilling down into the details of hat musicians or ballet professionals make, you’ll find a wide range of estimates and living wage guesswork. According to SalaryExpert.com, from the Economic Research Institute (ERI), the average base salary an orchestra musician in Las Vegas earns is just under $77,000 per year. That estimate likely includes other

Opening Night of the 21st season of The Las Vegas Philharmonic, Saturday, September 7, 2019. Music Director Donato Cabrera conducts with guest artist Francesca Dego on violin. Photo by Ray Alamo.

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is that people often think our musicians perform for free,” Huszcza says. “They are employed, highly-trained artists, who audition in a very complicated manner to get the job and become tenured, similar to a professor.” Huszcza says about two-thirds of the orchestra is made up of Las Vegas residents. About a third travel in for shows, which brings on other costs. Relationships with local hotel operators help with those situations, she adds. Barbre’s team battles similar inaccurate perceptions about performer compensation. “Our artists are professionals. They need to be paid. hey need benefits heir careers are short, too, a lot like athletes. They live in Las Vegas, but we recruit from all over the country,” she adds. The NBT employs about 35 dancers on annual contracts. Having a school with more than 400 students contributes about 15 percent to its $5.6 million annual budget, Barbre says. After the roughly 40 percent that ticket sales cover, the remaining 45 percent needs to be covered by private donors, foundations, businesses, and individuals.

Fundraising and the art of relationship building

performers outside of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, too. ERI notes that median is about 6 percent higher than the national average, while the Los Angeles Philharmonic consistently ranks among the highest paying, with a base rate of $78,933 However, the SalaryExpert figures may seem a little modest, as other reports from the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians show base pay for the Los Angeles Philharmonic above $150,000. ay specifics aside, the bottom line message is that these performers are working professionals who command a fair age. hey are not hobbyists filling in on the eekend. “I would say one of the most common misconceptions

It’s no secret performing arts organizations lean on wellconnected boards for relationships ith donors and financial supporters. For Huszcza, it’s also a case of matching donor desires and dollars with the orchestra’s needs. “Someone might want to make sure we have the best violin soloist coming to the orchestra. So, the money goes to ards that hey may also ant special access to the violinist, which brings them close to the art they love,” she says. Other donors are passionate about education and want funds to go toward the Phil’s Music Van Program, which brings music to Clark County schools and senior communities and touches thousands of lives each year. “I think you have to know who you are, what you do, and care about your audience and connect with them in a deep, meaningful way,” Huszcza adds. For donors like Jerry and Janet Kohlenberger, contributing thousands of dollars each year to the performing arts is an extension of what they had done for over a decade on the East Coast. Jerry, who recently completed an executive career in the petroleum industry and serves on the board of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, is also on the trustee board for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. and was a past board chairman for the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Northern Virginia. “We make that choice to spend for the arts,” Jerry says. “Others may spend their time and resources in other ways, but what I do think is that there needs to be that realization of what it really takes to support these www.davidlv.com | 45

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performances.” Janet appreciates the Philharmonic’s focus on education, a driver for why the couple supports the Phil. She enjoys how lectures and question and answer sessions with experts are incorporated into the performances. “They do an excellent job of bringing you into the time of the composer. You learn so much,” Janet says. For Barbre, having nearly 50 years of history in Las Vegas has helped to establish deep relationships. NBT’s annual “Black & White Ball,” held in the past at Strip resorts such as Wynn Las Vegas and Caesars Palace, among others, is the primary fundraiser. “They’ve all been very generous to us,” Barbre notes. For the Smith Center, each year the organization must

seek sponsors to cover a roughly $6.5 million funding gap. To do so, it taps season ticket-holders for annual donations, asks ticket purchasers for extra donations at check-out, and offers sponsorships, ranging between $5,000 and $100,000-plus, on program materials and events. A growing endowment fund will help to cover the majority of the needed $6.5 million in the future, Martin says. It started with a $50 million initial endowment from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, and the Smith Center is currently raising an additional $10 million, which will be matched by the Engelstad Foundation. Ultimately, the goal is to grow the endowment fund to $100 million by 2022, the Center’s 10th year of operation. With a conservative spending policy and expected 4 percent return, the Smith Center can then count

Nevada Ballet Theatre’s production of Alice (in Wonderland) at The Smith Center, May 2019. Choreography by Septime Webre. Photo by Virginia Trudeau.

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NEA, explained that the organization does not support groups directly, but grant applications are instead for specific projects or performances, hich undergo a rigorous review. With about $60 million available for grants each year, and the need to extend reach geographically and to a variety of types of art, grants of $10,000 or $20,000 seem small, but work to entice more funds, Baker explains. “Because the National Endowment for the Arts’ grant decision-making process includes a very rigorous review by experts in the field, organizations that receive grants from the Arts Endowment often leverage those to attract other contributed income,” she says.

What we get back

on having $4 million of the $6.5 million it needs annually.

Public funding’s relatively small role Huszcza emphasizes that public money from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and state and local entities, only cover about 5 percent of the Philharmonic’s $2.4 million budget. “The majority comes from individuals in the community who care about the arts and arts education within the city,” she adds. Each year, the National Endowment for the Arts awards roughly 2,000 grants, with fund matching criteria tied to each. Ann Meier Baker, director of music and opera at the

The massive subsidy required to maintain the performing arts brings individual and community payback. Today, the NEA says there are more than 2 million people whose primary job is “artist,” and the arts contribute more than $800 billion a year in economic output, about 4 percent of the U.S. GDP, according to a U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report published earlier this year. That output is greater than industries such as construction, utilities, transportation and warehousing, and travel and tourism, and is only exceeded by healthcare and retail. Russell Rosenblum, Chairman of the Board of local start-up Lexicon Bank, has also contributed thousands to local arts programs, including the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Moving from the DC area, he and his wife, Anne Mazzola, were season ticket holders for the Philharmonic and NBT and then began making annual contributions to both organizations and others. Mazzola describes how the performing arts grew from a hobby into a need for her and her family. “It’s almost like a seduction. You take in a few performances, you get wowed by the interiors and the music…You go through all these emotions over a twohour period,” Mazzola says. It can be difficult to place a dollar amount on hat the performing arts bring to the city. Art often reflects sociological or economic trends and issues of any given period. What’s gained from learning about our past and exploring our future through art can largely seem intangible, yet tangible dollars are what’s needed to make it all happen. “We bring beauty to the world,” Barbre says, “and I think we certainly can use that at this time in history.” Adds Huszcza: “Las Vegas is in a place where people are really looking for and craving community and connection…I think this completes our city in a way. We’re already an entertainment destination, but now we’re a city that meets so many other people’s needs.” www.davidlv.com | 47

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Mo Injustice, Mo Problems Life Through the Eyes of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

By Dayvid Figler, Photos by Robert Wedemeyer.

t the age of 86, United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has an unprecedented resume. Equal rights pioneer, glass-ceiling smasher, champion for female empowerment, academic, jurist, devoted partner and mother, outspoken critic of systemic inequities, cancer survivor (again and again), meme inspiration, and frankly, an icon in our midst. When she was named an assistant professor of law at Rutgers University in 1963, she became one of an elite group of fewer than 20 women in United States history to ever hold such a position at an accredited law school in the United States. Nine years later, she became Columbia University’s first tenured female la professor. Soon, Ginsburg’s contribution to legal jurisprudence would become well-known beyond her unique accomplishments as a woman in what was, at the time, distinctly (and oppressively) a man’s world. Between 1972 and 1980, she

filed briefs in nine of the major se discrimination cases decided by the Court and personally argued si of them, inning all but one. She also filed amicus curiae or “friend of the court briefs in fifteen related cases. In , Ginsburg left Columbia University after being appointed by President Jimmy Carter to become a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the rest…well, the rest is the stuff of legend. Only the second omen and si th person of e ish affiliation to ever be appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg’s life has been documented in detail, most recently in a blog-turned-book-turned-movie all under the moniker “ he Notorious . No , the hole Megillah of Ruth (if you will) is the basis of a new museum

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exhibit organized by the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, but making its East Coast debut October 4 at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Based on the aforementioned (and New York Times bestselling) book of the same name and created in partnership with its authors, Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik, the Notorious RGB exhibition promises to “take a deeply personal journey through historic change with an entertaining yet rigorous look at the life and work of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) and the Supreme Court.” And what a life and work that entails. As those familiar with the “RBG” phenomenon – from omnipresent T-shirt to the hundreds of little children remarkably dressed as

a Justice for Halloween to the hilarious impression by Kate McKinnon on Saturday Night Live – there is more to the diminutive jurist than just a brilliant legal mind or her storied career. o many, is emblematic of the fight e all, at one point or another, wish we would have or could have taken – to be the powerful and persuasive voice for the underdog in a world that growingly seems unfair. Whatever your political opinion, it is a universal truth that this tiny and now frail woman has represented, far beyond her clients and even a perspective form, the bench. In a word, RBG has come to symbolize “perseverance;” and she has done so in a spectacular way, well beyond any reasonable measure of time for moral values to which she has remained true. www.davidlv.com | 49

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As such, there is much to draw upon and more to offer in this museum quality exhibit. As those familiar ith the ork of the t o authors ho first dubbed Ginsburg “the Notorious RBG,” there is, luckily, a great deal of documentation of her life – much of which is incorporated into the American Jewish History display. Her upbringing and schooling, her early career, as well as her wonderfully romantic and professional relationship with her lawyer-husband, Marty Ginsburg, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 78, on the verge of their 56th wedding anniversary, are all going to be highlighted. Then, of course, so too will all her arguments in front of and as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, not to mention a host of wonderfully charming interviews depicting her challenges, triumphs, tragedies, and an astonishing daily work out regiment despite (and possibly as a response to) her many bouts with different cancers over the years. Indeed, her endurance as a result of steady exercise has become an inspiration to many, and more than a few gentle appeals to a higher power each day across the nation that she be given the strength to keep it up – maybe forever! In fact, if you listen closely at Friday night services, more than a few congregations will slip her name into the Mi Shebeirach prayer for healing.

To that last point, it goes without saying that many people in today’s heated political climate are hoping that she does continue to find the strength to carry on, thus avoiding the possibility of a battle to replace her on the Supreme Court that could very conceivably rip further at the core of civility and hope that our nation has been struggling with as the world seems to be growing more and more partisan. Again, whatever your views of her vie s, she is undeniably a po erful figure ho ould be hard to replace by anyone – liberal, conservative, or otherwise. Nonetheless, and despite the undertones of politics, the American Jewish History museum’s take on this important Jewish American will be more of a celebration through archival photographs and documents, historical artifacts, contemporary art, media stations, and gallery interactives. It explores the American legal system and civil rights movements through the lens of Justice Ginsburg’s personal experiences and public service. The exhibition will endeavor to entertain and educate with immersive 3-D environments bringing key moments in Justice Ginsburg’s personal and professional story to life, such as recreations of Justice Ginsburg’s childhood Brooklyn apartment and of the Supreme Court bench, where visitors

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can take a seat and imagine making their own opinions heard. Visitors will also get to see rare family snapshots and other materials, including some of Marty’s favorite recipes as the accomplished amateur chef of the Ginsburg household. (One can only hope that the curators may add at the last minute a mock exercise room from the Supreme Court chambers with an animatronic Ruth Bader Ginsburg wearing her trademark eyeglasses and lifting weights.) Finally, and cleverly folded into the exhibit in a sort of meta-element, patrons will be treated to a discourse on how the moniker “the Notorious RBG” not only came to be, but how it has seemed to resonate with the public to the point where in any large group of idealistic young people, you may just find an tattoo the e hibit even includes an array of photos of people who have, in fact, permanently inked her image into their skin). An obvious homage to the nickname of her fellow Brooklynite and kindred rebel spirit and wordsmith, Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace – aka “the Notorious B.I.G.” – perhaps, as people respected Biggie’s essential contribution as changing the world through rap, so, too, do they respect Ginsburg’s accomplishments to do the same (in the same hard core way) through her judicial opinions. Honestly,

it’s not a stretch to see the lyrical elegance and power of her words from voting rights cases like Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. In that one, Ginsburg presented an uncompromising dissent to keep the 1965 Voting Rights Act in place, painstakingly reconstructing the history of violent and nonviolent suppression of black voting rights after the Civil War. She summed up the struggle by writing, “Early attempts to cope with this vile infection resembled battling the Hydra. Whenever one form of voting discrimination as identified and prohibited, others sprang up in its place.” Alas, it makes sense that her words resonate like rap lyrics – busting out against oppression with colorful and visceral phrases. Undaunted by the make-up of the current United States Supreme Court, where she’s in the minority and often relegated to dissent opinions, Ginsburg keeps it real, ready to metaphorically bang any MC, er, conservative justice, easily. Busily. “Notorious RBG” will be on view at the National Museum of American Jewish History from October 4, 2019 through January 12, 2020. The presenting of this special exhibit kicks off the museum’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.

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American Red Cross staff member Kathryn Anderson prepares to take a blood donation from Ellie Cheung.

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merican ed Cross manda omney

Giving & Healing 21st Century Healthcare Philanthropy

By Paul Harasim

o Melinda ates, the ife of billionaire Microsoft founder ill ates, defines philanthropy certainly rings true in the world of medicine and healthcare. Philanthropy is not about the money. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about using whatever resources you have at your ďŹ ngertips and applying them to improve the world. es, hile the ill Melinda ates oundation, fueled by profits from Microsoft, the merican multinational technology colossus, has been able to donate more than $40 billion to humanitarian causes around the globe much of it targeted to ard iping out communicable diseases as egan acob McCulloch was able, in 2015, to make a living donation of a kidney to a friend on dialysis, Brandon Moran.

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“He as my best friend, like family, so I figured hy not, McCulloch told me hile I as a medical riter at the as egas evie ournal. “I really didn’t think about it much. I read you can live normally ith one kidney, so hy ouldn’t I ant to give a friend his uality of life back. irectly translated, the reek term philanthropy means “love of mankind, hich e interpret today as an active effort to promote human elfare through an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes. So goes

rand opening of UN ckerman Center for utism and Neurodevelopment Solutions.

medical philanthropy, here both un moneyed altruism and the positive po er of ell intentioned dollars are critical to everything from research to the literal saving of lives. “Medicine can al ays use more money for things like research and more involvement of people simply trying to help their fello man, notes UN School of Medicine ounding ean r. arbara tkinson, a member of the National cademy of Medicine, ho, in , helped secure a million gift for the ne medical school’s operations from the United Health oundation. Medical philanthropy played a key role in the opening of the first center in Nevada to combine all three legs of the autism support stool diagnostics, research, and support in one building at one time. he center’s namesake, ary ckerman, contributed generously to open hat is no kno n as the UN Medicine ckerman Center for

utism and Neurodevelopment Solutions ith rant a ift utism oundation acting as the fundraising arm of the center. uring t o decades as a medical riter, I have come to reali e ho philanthropy is indispensable to the nation’s medical ell being on many different fronts. or instance the r. Miriam and Sheldon . delson Medical esearch oundation nourished by the multibillion dollar gambling empire of as egas Sands Corp. Chairman and C Sheldon delson funded more than million in important research grants over a recent five year period. In , resident rump presented r. delson ith the residential Medal of reedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for her ork in addiction treatment, philanthropy, and innovative research. Mean hile, udith riola donated her time to research studies at the Cleveland Clinic ou uvo Center for rain Health in as egas, serving as a control participant. his means that her normal cognitive function found through testing gives researchers something to compare ith. “ e call her and others our citi en researchers, says r. Mar an Sabbagh, director of the uvo Center. “ hey are critical to hat e do. “ he only ay e’re going to get a cure is for people to step up and help, riola, ho lost her father to dementia, e plains. “ he testing, including scans and M Is, doesn’t bother me. hen it comes to research, the ederal overnment, largely under the auspices of the financially challenged National Institutes of Health, can’t do it all U.S. science suffers from booms and busts in funding. In fact, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device firms continue to be the largest contributor to biomedical research, contributing more than half of all research funding, hich raises conflict of interest concerns. ith that in mind, researchers are al ays hopeful that not for profit donor philanthropy ill account for more than the or percent of funding it has provided over the last fe years. epeatedly, they point to many successes, including scientists at the ockefeller Institute for Medical esearch proving N is the chemical basis of heredity, hich kicked off the subse uent revolution in molecular biology that is still transforming medicine, including cancer research. Inside hilanthropy reports that during a recent five year period, individual donors in the estern U.S. ere the most generous to ard medical research efforts, handing out nearly . billion.

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The more you think about medical philanthropy, the more its breadth boggles the mind. In addition to funds and volunteers used in research, there are blood and organ donations, scholarships for medical students, volunteers who work with patients at hospitals, medical personnel who donate their time and skill, funding for hospital outreach – on and on it goes. Dinorah Arambula, who had a successful kidney transplant from an anonymous donor in 2011, now donates her time to getting the word out about kidney disease and kidney donation. “She talks to people in schools, in hospitals, wherever she can, and she makes sure she takes care of herself to show how thankful she is that someone donated an organ that gave her a better life,” says Dr. John Ham, the UNLV Medicine transplant surgeon who is also medical director for UMC’s Center for Transplantation. Then there are physicians who donate their expertise both at home and abroad, offering care that otherwise wouldn’t be provided. Never forgetting that a physician provided free medical care to her low-income family in Los Angeles when she was a little girl, Dr. Florence Jameson did fundraising within many sectors of the medical establishment to open up a Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada Clinic in 2010. Two years later, it was providing 6,000 free patient visits annually for people without insurance, drawing from a pool of about 750 volunteers – physicians, nurses, pharmacists, medical assistants, clerks, and housekeepers. Now Jameson, whose specialty is OB-GYN, has two clinics in Las Vegas and also provides free dental care to the uninsured. The dental clinic is under the volunteer supervision of Dr. Lydia Wright. “When a doctor treats you the way the doctor did my family, you dream of giving back,” Jameson says. Las Vegas physician Dr. Warren Volker led a volunteer medical mission of physicians and nurses to Puerto Rico in the wake of the 2017 killer hurricane. “The people there needed help,” he explains. That is the same explanation given by UNLV School of Medicine physicians Dr. Joseph Thornton, a gastroenterologist, and Dr. John Menezes, a reconstructive plastic surgeon, for participating in medical missions to the Philippines. Closer to home, many people in Las Vegas donate blood for the same reason I do – there was a time when they, or a loved one or a friend, needed blood to survive. he merican ed Cross reports that in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, there were 21,764 blood donations

made in Southern Nevada. Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services, points out that about 1 in 6 area hospital patients needs blood. The Engelstad Family Foundation in Las Vegas – made possible by the business acumen of the late Ralph Engelstad, who owned the Imperial Palace casino-hotels in Las Vegas and Biloxi, Mississippi – is particularly active in medical philanthropy. Last year, it contributed $10 million to the St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation for a program which allows Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Hospitals to provide lifesaving breast cancer detection and treatment to thousands of Southern Nevadans who lack adequate health care resources or the financial means to obtain them. ngelstad’s daughter, Kris Engelstad McGarry, who has survived two bouts with cancer and serves as the face of the foundation, says she has a great job. “I give away hope,” she says. “There’s no greater job on

Earth.” In addition to its work with St. Rose, the Engelstad Family Foundation has provided millions of dollars in scholarships to medical students at both the UNLV School of Medicine and the Touro University of Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in Henderson. Heavy debt frequently causes medical students to select higher paying specialties, contributing to the state’s lack of

Touro University of Nevada orks ith other non profits during Project Homeless Connect, November 28, 2018.

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primary care physicians. That realization prompted Las Vegan Arlene Kageyama-Chikami to set up an endowment this year in her name and that of her late husband, Richard Chikami, which will provide scholarships for UNLV School of Medicine students for years to come. Shelley Berkley, the CEO of Touro, says philanthropy has been good to her medical school, funding many aspects of the institution, including an autism clinic and three mobile health clinics. Last year, Touro unveiled its third mobile health clinic, which provides primary care to low income seniors in the Las Vegas Valley. Generous donations from City National Bank, the Vegas Golden Knights, Zappos, and Findlay RV made it possible.

On May 22, 2019 hundreds of UMC staff members lined up to honor motorcycle crash victim Michael Sigler who selflessly donated his organs.

“Medical philanthropy will continue to grow,” she says. “People understand the need for it in Southern Nevada today.” Dr. Sabbaugh of the Ruvo Center, which opened its doors in 2010, certainly hopes people understand the need. In May, the center launched a $100 million endowment campaign to support the center’s long-term sustainability, with funds used in part for free caregiver support services and to advance clinical programs and research, while also attracting the world’s top clinicians

and scientists. If you think the campaign is overly ambitious, keep in mind that the center’s annual Power of Love gala has raised over $300 million, including a $1 million donation in 2017 from Las Vegan and former tennis great Andre Agassi. Jean Georges, who lost her husband to Alzheimer’s Disease, certainly understands the need for medical philanthropy. At 87, she still volunteers at the Ruvo Center, counseling families whose loved ones have Alzheimer’s. Gar Matson, 81, and Brenda Matson, 79, also understand the need, donating their time to play with sick children at UMC Children’s Hospital, which also provides a Canine Comfort Program, where trained dogs of volunteers visit the young patients. Bren McClean says the canine program helped her daughter, who was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, relax. “I firmly believe that my daughter, Anita, was able to come home earlier than expected from the hospital after the UMC canine comfort program dogs, Hope and Harper, visited as much as they did,” McClean says. Perhaps nothing in Southern Nevada’s history of medical philanthropy struck an emotional chord like UMC’s first Honor Walk, which shows respect to patients at the end of life who are donating organs. You may have seen video clips of the May 22 walk on the evening news or read about it in the newspaper. Hundreds of nurses, physicians, staff, and medical students, many with tears in their eyes, stood silently in tribute as 18-year-old Michael Sigler made his final journey from the UMC Trauma Center to the operating room to donate his organs. Sigler made his decision to become an organ donor about two months before he sustained critical injuries in a tragic May 17 motorcycle crash. The family of Sigler, who was left brain dead, decided to take him off of life support so his final wish, to save the lives of others through organ donation, could be fulfilled. Nine people have already been helped by his decision. His family hoped the Honor Walk would increase organ donation in a state that has more than 600 Nevadans waiting for the gift of life. In 2017, more than 6,500 Americans died waiting for a precious organ. “He saw the precious gift that life is,” Sigler’s mother, Courtney Kaplan, told the media. “He saw that there is a bigger picture.”

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