The last month took me from hurricane-damaged New Jersey and New York to Las Vegas, where a first-ever gathering of United Synagogue's General Assembly of Kehillot was held. About 130 of United Synagogue's affiliated congregations were represented, serving as a shareholders' group. United Synagogue's board of directors met at the same time, privileged to be addressed by Michael Leven, President and COO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, who shared very touching stories about the formation of his Jewish identity and that of his children.
Next door, more than 400 members of the Women's League for Conservative Judaism held its 2012 convention, learning from Rabbi Elliot Dorff, Chancellor Arnold Eisen, and Dr. Ron Wolfson, who unveiled Women's League's new strategic plan.
Remarkable women were honored by Women's League, like Blanche Meisel, who began her life in New Jersey as a passionate worker in the movement for Soviet Jewry and, after retirement, continued to make an impact on the Las Vegas community and in Israel, helping to establish the TALI educational program at the HaDror School.
And, in the custom I have written about before, we all gathered for a Shabbaton prior to our meetings on Sunday, spending time in the two Conservative synagogues in the area. Shabbat, Las Vegas-style, meant music-filled services at Temple Beth Sholom, and a welcoming motzei Shabbat dinner at Midbar Kodesh that featured one of their members, Dr. David Schwartz, speaking about gambling in the Jewish tradition - a perfect topic as we prepared to spin our dreidels later in the week.
Although we didn't stay on the Las Vegas strip, it is impossible to escape casinos - they're in the airport, for Pete's sake. Our hotel had a casino area strategically placed in the center of the complex of buildings; you had to walk through it to get to the conference center and hotel rooms.
Besides conducting business in the meeting rooms, the Women's League volunteers, Conservative movement organizational representatives, Jewish communal professionals, vendors and visitors renewed friendships, held planning conversations and made introductions in the hallways, in the restaurants, between the rows of gamblers in the casino, and in the outdoor walkways.
Even with the background noise of slot machines, we found kehilla - community.
