Kosher and Jewish Life in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the fastest growing Jewish Community in the United States, about 600 Jews relocate to the Las Vegas metropolitan area every month. There are over 70,000 (perhaps as many as 100,000) Jews and 19 Synagogues and many Jewish Organizations in the area. There are many Jewish Deli's and Kosher Restaurants. Many larger markets feature Kosher fresh meats and Kosher food sections. Las Vegas started out as a Jewish mob town, however, the desert offered an almost unique opportunity to transcend criminal origins and reputations, and to achieve a modicum of communal and civic respectability. Many began this rehabilitative process by joining synagogues and funding parochial schools. The first Jewish Synagogue in Nevada was founded in 1911 in Reno. Temple Emanu-El still serves the city's Jewish residents. The people moving to Las Vegas are active retirees, young families and singles from cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Detroit. Many are moving to Summerlin, a planned community located at the base of the Spring Mountain Range on Las Vegas' west side, while others are looking to Green Valley in Henderson. Both are concentrated areas with an increasingly distinctive Jewish flavor.

Check out our blog post Bright Lights and Kosher Bites: A Different Side of Vegas for a guide to top attractions, kid-friendly activities and National Parks in the area.